Page 49 of I Love My Mistake

I run a finger over the top of my wine glass, considering what he said. “Our imagination has a powerful way of making the unreal, real… doesn’t it?”

He nods. “I like the way you put that.”

We both sip from our glasses and I’m suddenly aware that I wish I hadn’t shot him down about taking him home with me. His lips are very kissable. Too late now. Plus he said he’d turn me down. Please tell me that’s not why I want to jump him.

Shoving the thought out of my head, I ask, “So, what were you going to ask before I so rudely told you off?”

He laughs. “Well, I was thinking I’d like to see more of the city. You’ve got a jacket. I’ve got a jacket. How about we take these jackets for a walk?”

I smile. “That sounds really nice.”

A warm smile spreads from his eyes to his whole face. “Great. Let me take care of the check and we can go.”

I nod and watch him make the universal check please hand gesture.

“So, my turn for the summary,” I say, as we wait.

“Go. But remember, since we don’t know each other, it’s almost anonymous, so you can be as honest as you want to be.”

“Oh God! The pressure. Okay. I’m not a relationship, either. Nor do I want to be, so be warned.” He laughs, puts his hands up in surrender. I continue, “I’m a painter, and I’m about to have my first show, which – since we’re being honest – I’ll confess that I’m very scared about having. I’m afraid – since we’re being honest – that no one will be there and if they are there, they’ll hate my work. There, I said it.” I sit up extra straight like a kid looking for a gold star.

He smiles at my silliness. “Well done! You made that look easy. Here let me try.”

“Go.”

“I’m nervous about meeting with investors tomorrow, and about showing them my idea, because they could think it’s stupid, mediocre, and not a viable financial risk.”

We look at each other.

“That wasn’t easy,” he admits.

“It’s not easy at all.”

“Phew.”

“It’ll be fine. They’ll think the app is amazing and give you zillions of dollars on sight!”

“Yes! And everyone is going to love your paintings! You’ll be praised as a genius!”

“Yay! Let’s get out of here.” I stand up and he follows suit, turning to finish signing the tab. As he rose, I was shocked by how tall he is, and how well built. I take his check-distraction as an opportunity to scan his body. You can only see so much when someone’s hunched on a bar stool, but man! Wow. We’re talking calendar material. Yikes.

“What’re you, 6’4”?”

He laughs. “I love watching your face, Nicole. I don’t think you know how much your face shows what you’re thinking.”

I stare up at him, flabbergasted. “Oh shit.”

“See?” he says. “Like right now, you’re thinking man do I love pizza. It’s so obvious.”

This cracks me up, and I give him a light smack on his chest and start walking out, with him close behind. When we walk past the bouncer, I sneak another look, because there’s a sparkle in his eyes like he knows something about us.

“You all have a good night,” he says, sitting on his stool.

I nod. Mark holds the door open as he says, “Thanks. You too.”

It’s a little chilly out, but not too bad. I zip up my jacket, and we both stuff our hands in our jacket pockets as we walk together, side-by-side, heading north.

“That’s really wild that you’re a painter, because I was just telling Amber I’m looking for an artist to do the graphics for my app.”

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