Mid Size For The Billionaire

6- Cristiano

I leaned in closer, our lips barely brushing, when she suddenly sprang to her feet. Without a word, she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. I remember asking her not to leave, suggesting we simply finish the movie, but it didn't matter—she was already rushing out.

I could've followed her, could've begged her to stay, but I didn't. The chase had always intrigued me, but in that moment, she made her choice. So, I let her go.

That was yesterday. I texted her an apology for coming on too strong and asked if we could talk. Two messages later, her silence remained. I didn't push further. If she wanted to reach out, she would. If not, my persistence wouldn't change her mind.

Today, as I cleaned up the backyard and packed away the projector, my phone rang. My heart raced, hoping it was Adia. But when I glanced at the caller ID, my hopes fell—it was only Trey.

Trey and I have been best friends since preschool. Our mothers, inseparable as ever, raised us side by side. We both ventured into business around the same time—I in the hotel industry, and Trey with his luxury clubs. Now, we were preparing to launch a joint project: a high-end hotel with an underground club in Dubai.

Switching to FaceTime, I answered. "Hey, what's up, man?"

"Not much," he said casually, one hand on the steering wheel. "The real question is, what's going on with you?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He rolled his eyes as he took a sharp left turn. "When were you going to tell me you saw her at Trent's reception?"

I sighed, already knowing where this was headed. Trey had made it to the wedding, but an emergency at one of his clubs had kept him from the reception. Clearly, my brother Trent had been too eager to share.

"Trent's got a big mouth," I muttered.

Trey chuckled. "True. But why didn't you tell me Adia was there?"

"Because I didn't want to deal with the endless ribbing that'd follow."

He laughed again. "Fair. But seriously—how did it go?"

"What, Trent didn't give you all the details?"

"Shut up," he said, grinning. "Spill."

"Well, I asked her out, and she said yes."

Trey's car screeched to a halt, earning honks from behind. "She said yes?! That's great! Why didn't I know about this sooner?"

Before I could respond, he gasped. "Wait—did you get stood up?"

I laughed, watching as he flipped off a car that sped past. "No, I wasn't stood up."

He grew quiet. "Then what happened?"

"She left."

Trey stared at me through the screen, then abruptly ended the call. I blinked in disbelief, checking to confirm he'd really hung up. Before I could process the abrupt cutoff, there was a knock at my door. I opened it, and to my surprise, Trey stood there, holding a bottle of wine.

"Trey?" I stared at him, perplexed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He grinned. "I came for some guy talk. You know, like girl talk—but better."

"Weren't you heading somewhere?"

"I was," he said, walking in uninvited. "But Trent told me about your date, and since he's on his honeymoon, I thought I'd step in."

"With wine?"

"Of course not. I picked this up on the way," he said, waving the bottle nonchalantly.

I shut the door and followed him to the backyard, where he glanced at the half-packed projector. He shook his head. "Yeah, this wine won't cut it. Bring out the hard stuff."

I sighed but obliged, fetching a bottle of bourbon. Trey could be dramatic, but maybe a drink was exactly what I needed. I set two shot glasses on the table and poured, clicking glasses with him before we downed the first round.

"Alright, I'm all ears," he said, pouring himself another shot but taking a more measured sip this time.

I recounted the night, careful to avoid too many personal details about Adia's insecurities. As much as I wanted Trey's advice, some things weren't mine to share.

Trey shook his head after I finished. "Man, you've got it bad."

I sighed heavily. "You think?"

"You've done what you can. Now, it's up to her. If she wants to talk, she'll reach out. If not... well, it's her loss."

"But what if she's waiting for me to chase her?"

Trey leaned back, eyes serious for a moment. "You can't chase someone who doesn't want to be chased."

Two days passed, and still, Adia's silence lingered.