Meet me in the Middle

Chapter 48

I just need you to know that you
Made my life better
I'll never forget our time
The story I could rewrite, so I could stop you leaving
'Cause this ending's all wrong
Try to move on, but I know I'm a fool (I'm a fool)
- Any love - Dermont Kennedy
(https://open.spotify.com/track/3x9uA9T40z2W6x0qG41Uqe?si=d5823d95b8cd4010)

"You think men have it easier with online dating?" Nate throws his head back and claps his hands together as he laughs at my absurd observation. "I went on one date with a woman who used me as a meal ticket, then followed me home and tried to convince my neighbors that she was my fiancée to gain entry into my apartment building. It took me two months to get rid of her." I laugh at the faces he makes at the memory and swallow my smile with a sip of my water. "Did you murder her? Should I warn my friends about you? Con chi sto uscendo?" He dramatically clutches at his chest and pretends to be mortally wounded.

"No, you silly goose. We have a PI that's a frequent patron at the hotel and he found some dirt on her which got her to stop coming around." He rolls his eyes at me and gives me a pointed look. "How about you? Any horror stories?" I think back to the time I caught Arizona swiping in the app on her phone and how I lectured her about it. Come sono cambiati i tempi? "I am a firm believer that one must find the connection by looking into someone's eyes. A photo can be sexy, but until you are face to face to talk, listen and share your passions, you won't know if there is a... scintilla. Ehm, electricity." Nate has his elbow rested on the table with his chin cradled in his palm as he pays extra attention to what I'm saying.

"So, you're trying to say you felt a spark when we met?" Confidence looks extremely hot on his tanned features. I bite my lip flirtingly and grin at him over the rim of my glass. "Maybe." He throws his hands up in the air in celebration and I giggle at his antics. It was freeing being this relaxed and silly with him. We've been going out on dates every night since our first, almost a two weeks ago, and there hasn't been one bad evening to add to the books. He has been an absolute gentleman from the start, and I can slowly start to see myself falling for his innocently good looks. Those moss green eyes are always sparkling with some mischief, and they pull me in as soon as he pairs it with that award winning smile that invites you to join him on whichever adventure he wants to go on next.

I have been selfishly spending my evenings with Nate, while still calling Maya before going to bed and switching between their texts during the day. Maya and I were falling into an easy pattern of chatting about anything and everything when we were able to, while Nate has been slowly pushing our conversation into more serious topics, like kids, career aspirations, desires, dreams and everything else he could think of. It was a weird contrast between the two of them. Nate and I were still in the getting to know each other phase of our relationship, while Maya and I already knew everything about one another and yet she felt like a stranger in the way she was sharing things with me that she never did before.

Speak of the devil and she'll appear. I can hear her laugh and feel the tingle in my gut before I see her walk through the door with a group of firefighters I haven't met. The feeling seems mutual on her side because she stops talking midsentence to look up and find my eyes. She gives me a welcoming smile and a small wave. I return in sorts and get so lost in her eyes that I jump a little when Nate intrudes on our moment. "Should we invite your friend over?" Nate waves her over and I break eye contact when I can see the torture in her features when she makes her way over to us, somewhat unwillingly.

"Buonasera, Maya." Mio Dio, I have this strong urge to reach my hand out and sooth away her discomfort but sit on my hands instead. "Evening, Carina." She gives me a small smile, and I think only someone who knew her as well as me, could pick up on the tense lines next to her mouth as she turns to Nate to introduce herself. "Nate Malick. Nice to meet you." He's friendly enough and I think it unnerves Maya even more. "We're celebrating someone's birthday, so I should probably get back." She shakes his hand and excuses herself before joining her group at their table in the back.