Twenty-Nine
Christine asked me twice this week to see James and I shot it down both times. One more and she’d call me in for a reevaluation. I can’t lose this job, but I don’t know if I can see him again either. And at the same time, I’m not ready to give him up.
Truth is, I love being in his presence. I love the sound of his voice. God, the way he expresses his words, they sound like they’re deep in his throat. The way he carries himself in a suit, or nothing at all. But most importantly, he doesn’t look down on me for what I do with my body. He didn’t judge my decision to be an escort. He didn’t make me feel less because of it. For all his “we’re equal” talk on our first encounter, he made me believe it.
"Aubrey?" Daniel says, and I focus on him.
He studies me. I can tell he wants to ask what I'm thinking about, so I quickly conjure a lie.
"I'm sorry, I was just thinking about my grammy."
Fucking James.
"You're close to her?" he asks, forking some pasta.
He insisted he take me to Carmine's Italian Restaurant since I said I’d never been. He was nearly flabbergasted by my confession, and now here we are sharing a family size dish of penne alla vodka. It's enormous and tastes fantastic, except for the fact he wanted anchovies in it.
"I am. She's my best friend. I haven't spoke to her since I took her out for Thanksgiving dinner last week and it worries me. She looked like she was under the weather but tried to cover it up."
I'd noticed Grammy's steps were slower than normal, which she blamed on the weather and arthritis. And the cough she’d had a few weeks ago was still present. But her eyes lit up with surprise when I took her to Elio's Ristorante for real, handmade fresh-to-order Italian food. The owner, an immigrant from Italy, was known for singing Italian Opera on Friday nights and holidays, and their baked clams and veal dishes were a favorite among customers. I knew she'd love it. There were even rumors the Gottis visited often, that's how popular it was. She was worried about how I could afford it and offered to pay a portion. I told her I had picked up an extra nanny shift just for the occasion, then slipped a fifty into the bottom of her purse when she wasn't looking. I hated lying to her, but I could hardly tell her the truth.
"Why don't you surprise her with a visit? I bet she'd love that," Daniel says, and I can hear the concern in his voice. "Maybe take her out for lunch. What does she like? Bring her something that will make her happy."
His suggestion warms my heart and I soften a little. I take a small sip of the Chianti he ordered for us.
"I probably should. She's obsessed with her cats, so buying something for them will make her fall over with happiness."
"Bring her some mice for the cats to catch."
"Daniel," I say his name firmly, and it's enough for him to get the hint.
His smirk is filled with charm. The way he tilts his head as he looks at me is endearing. He licks his lip.
"You know, I told my mom about you. She wants to meet you."
I freeze. I'm not ready to meet the parents yet. It never even crossed my mind for Daniel to meet Grammy.
"You don't think it's too soon? We haven't been dating that long."
I start counting the weeks in my head, but I'm overwhelmed by the idea that I can't think straight. I take a long sip from my wine glass until it's gone and Daniel watches, chuckling.
"I didn't ask you to marry me. Calm down."
"In other cultures, that's pretty much the same thing." My lips twitch. "It's like taking the relationship to the next level. What if she asks what I'm bringing to Christmas dinner that I didn't even know I was invited to until that second, which makes it totally awkward for us since we didn't even talk about it, and then she starts asking about us having kids one day?"
My eyes are wide and my heart is racing with apprehension. Now I'm really worried that this all will actually happen. I'm not ready for it, or the lies I'll have to tell about being a nanny to more people. What if I end up loving his family?
Daniel shrugs then says, "So we tell her you're already pregnant with twins and you're bringing cheesecake."
Flattening my lips, I stare at him in both shock and horror. "You're evil!" I joke and laugh. "You're so bad. Here I am panicking and you're loving the fact that I'm suffering inside."
Daniel reaches across the table and grabs my hand. He laces our fingers together as he pours me another glass of red.
"You’re adorable, and I love your reaction. My mom is just nosy. To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I'm ready myself. Whenever it's time to meet your grammy and my meddling mother, we'll decide together."
My shoulders loosen and I relax a little. Thank heavens. I'm a little caught off guard by how easy and gentle he is.
"Really? You're okay with not being ready?"