The Proverbial Mr. Universe (18 page)

Olivia rolled her eyes. “It’s always because of the girls.”

“Well, I won’t shave this for any girl. This is part of the package.” He rubbed his jaw.

“Really? I bet I can get you to shave it off …”

“Is that so?” He raised his brows.

“Yeah,” she said more confidently.

“How are you supposed to do that?”

“Well, that’s for me to know and you to find out.”

It was evident that the two glasses of wine and champagne were now talking. She was opening up, less uptight, and he liked this side of Olivia.

“This sounds more like a bet.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

“So what do you want to bet for?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What is it that I want from you?”

“I could give you a few suggestions,” he mused.

She ignored his remark. “Alright, Montgomery, if I win, you have to cook dinner for me … for a week, and I’m not talking about a mac and cheese kind of dinner.”

He grunted. “I’ll let you know I can cook a pretty mean meal. I have never made mac and cheese from a box in my entire life.”

“Great! I’ve never had a man cook for me before.”

“Not even Mr. Smarty Pants?”

She laughed. “Dario? No, never.”

“So what is it you want from me?” she asked.

His eyes lingered on her full lips.

“A kiss.”

She blushed. “I can get great tickets to a hockey game …”

“Just a kiss.”

“Scrub your floors or do your laundry for a month.”

“No.”

She looked perplexed. “Well, normally when you make bets, usually the prize is something big, not something easily obtained.”

“Are you saying you want me to kiss you?”

“Listen, Montgomery, if there is one thing you need to know about me it’s…” she placed her empty champagne glass on the side table, returning her eyes back to his. “…I’m not the kind of girl you can kiss very easily.” He liked the way she was so confident, trying to hide her smile from him.

“You know, those are the best ones to kiss.” He smiled more brightly, and she playfully rolled her eyes at him. “Joking aside, I know what kind of girl you are, Olivia. I think the issue here is you don’t know what type a guy I am.”

“So tell me then? Who is Nick Montgomery?”

“I could tell you, but you should never trust what someone says about themselves. It’s something you need to see for yourself.”

“Seeing is believing,” she murmured. “You’re a very strange man, Montgomery.”

“All you need to know right now from me is I gain nothing from hurting someone. I’m not a fraud, and I hope in time you can see that.”

The words were out there so suddenly that neither of them spoke for a short moment. She studied him like she was trying to decide something. As she leaned in closer, the air around them seemed to charge that if he lit a match, the whole room would disintegrate.

Damn electrifying heat.

“Don’t take this the wrong way … I find you irresistibly attractive.”

The corner of her lips curved up slightly. Just as he decided to throw caution to the wind and kiss her, a crowd of people walked into the room.

O
n Monday morning Olivia woke, pulled her hair up into a bun and headed for the kitchen. She didn’t get much sleep and needed something to pick her up. Caffeine was always the best remedy for drowsiness. As she stirred her coffee, her mind kept going back to the night before.

After she had left the gallery, Nick walked her back to her car. They continued to talk for another forty-five minutes. It was surprising how easy it was to listen to his voice, discovering things about him … and maybe even about herself. It had been a long time since she could talk about things that she enjoyed, things that mattered to her instead of corporate stuff and Dario’s interests. She forgot how simple things could be. There was a sense of sweetness about Nick, the way he looked at her, the way he smiled like he was fascinated when she spoke, like she mattered. Olivia couldn’t remember the last time someone made her feel that way.

God, she hated to be disappointed.

Olivia caught her reflection in the glass window. She was smiling from ear to ear. She was smitten, yet felt so conflicted. Her mind was telling her that she shouldn’t rush into anything. She just came out of a long relationship and still had some loose ends to tie up.

If this worked out between them, there was still the issue with her father. Nick came from a different background. Would he be able to fit in her life or she in his? Her father would never approve, but then again it was her life wasn’t it? Her heart told a very different story. Every time she thought of Nick, she had this sensation … a rush of excitement, like butterflies dancing in her stomach. She rubbed her eyes. How could this have happened? She didn’t need this right now. She needed to focus on getting this apartment sold and getting herself in gear to show her boss she was worthy enough to be called a designer. She certainly worked hard enough for it.

On the second buzz, Olivia picked her iPhone off the counter. She knew who it was before looking at her screen. Who else besides her mom would call her at six o’clock in the morning?

“Hey, Nina …”

“Were you sleeping?”

“No.”

“Is he there?”

“Who?”

“Nick.”

“Oh yeah, he left ten minutes ago.”

“Don’t tell me he slept over?”

“Oh yeah, I had a slumber party. We braided each other’s hair. It was fun. What did you think would happen?” Olivia laughed.

“Very funny. It’s none of my business anyhow. What you do is your own business, Liv.”

“Relax. He didn’t come over if that’s what you’re thinking.” Olivia could hear her sister’s exasperated breath of relief. Nina thought sleeping with someone on the first date was not a very intelligent thing to do. Mother Teresa could rest assure that sex was definitely the last thing Olivia had on her mind.

It wasn’t really Nina’s fault that she had been a goody-goody. They were raised in a very traditional Catholic home. Growing up, their mother drilled the message into them so when it came to boys, sex, and modesty, it was a religion of its own.

Around the time when Olivia was five, she remembered her mother flipping through the pages of some celebrity magazine. There was a picture of an actress during the sixties. She was on some tropical beach, posing provocatively in a bikini … provocative for those days anyhow. The picture beside it was of the same actress thirty years later … apparently Botox didn’t exist back then.

“See, Olivia, this is what happens when you wear stuff like this? You get old and ugly.”

Even to this day, Olivia was uneasy wearing a swimsuit, let alone a bikini.

Oh, Mediterranean mothers, got to love them.

“So aren’t you going to ask me how my date went? Or were you more concern about my modesty going to ruin?”

“Like it or not, you are on my list of concerns, Olivia. When are you going to get that?”

Olivia heard the dishes clanking together and cartoons playing in the background.

“What list?” Olivia laughed.

“I have a list of concerns … people that I love the most. My son comes first, then it’s our parents, and you and Paul, of course.”

“And what about Peter?”

“Oh yeah, sorry P—”

Olivia heard Peter in the background.

“What did he say?” Olivia asked.

“He said, what else is new.” She then said to Peter, “Oh, Peter, I could never forget you. You come after Charlie.”

Charlie was their two-year-old Yorkie. Peter said something to her and she laughed.

“You’re terrible, you know that,” Olivia said.

“Okay, so how did it go?”

“Well, surprisingly, I had a good time.”

Olivia studied the plant on the window ledge, frowning at its poor condition. It had been brittle and neglected, barely surviving. Then, she wondered what else had she neglected? She’s been trying so hard to make everyone around her happy, never considering her own happiness in the process. She failed to take care of herself, slowly withering away, and now she wondered if it would be possible revive herself to a time before Dario broke her.

“So … are you going to see him again?”

“I don’t know. The thing is … well, I’m not sure we have much in common. He works at a bar. I know it shouldn’t bother me, but …”

Her sister repeated what she just said back to Peter.

“What did he say?” Olivia asked. “I am what? Oh for Pete’s sake, Nina, just put me on the speaker.”

“Hello, Peter, glad you can join our session this morning. Let me first summarize the days of Olivia’s life. No, I didn’t sleep with him, I have no intention of sleeping with him or anyone, and no, I’m not shallow.”

He laughed. “Olivia, let me give you a piece of advice.” Peter cleared his throat, acting like he was her therapist or spiritual guidance counselor. “Look, you just got out of a difficult situation. I think it would be smart to take the time to heal yourself before moving into another relationship.” He paused. “As for him working at a bar, little grasshopper, there are plenty of good people out there, and they don’t all drive BMWs. What you have to keep in mind is that you should surround yourself with people that make you feel good about yourself, and that, my dear, is a rare commodity. There’s no money in the world that could ever buy you that. It’s your call.”

“Is that why you married my sister?”

“You bet. She makes me feel special every day.”

“Do I detect sarcasm, Peter?”

“No, it’s the honest truth. I don’t need to explain your sister to you. On the exterior, she acts all tough, but on the inside she’s an extraordinary woman.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet … hey… are you Mr. Universe?”

“Mr. who?”

“No, Olivia, it can’t be Peter. Have you seen his handwriting? It’s so meticulous.” Nina said.

“Can I know what you guys are talking about?”

“I’ll explain later. Olivia, I’ve got to go, but keep me posted on this?”

“Yeah, sure. We should do this again … sometime next week?”

“Yeah the first session is free, then it’s fifty dollars an hour.” Peter laughed.

“Yeah, sure, Pete. Are you free next week?” Olivia could hear her nephew’s antics in the background.

“Anthony, get off from there!” Nina said.

There was a crash and the sound of broken glass.

“Is everything okay?” Olivia asked.

“Ugh, I have to let you go. Your nephew just dropped his bowl of cereal all over the floor for the second time this morning. Hey, Olivia, you said you have the agent coming this morning?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Will Dario be there?

“Yeah …”

“I don’t like the idea of you being alone with him.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’ll be okay.”

“Okay, but call me when Dario’s gone.”

O
livia looked at the time and her stomach began to twist. She needed to prepare herself mentally because it’d been some time since she last saw him. And even though life was so much better without him, Olivia wasn’t sure if his control over her was completely diminished. Almost like with a drug, she was afraid she might have a relapse. As crazy at it sounded, she still didn’t trust herself around him.