Page 180 of Roberto

Why the hell not.

A drink would take the edge off of dealing with the German.

“…alright. Just one.”

“What would you like?” he asked.

“Jiangbei knows.”

I looked over at Jiangbei. She gave me a nod as she began to fix my usual.

Then I saw Han by the bar, smirking and looking like his usual assholish self.

Ugh.

I suddenly felt no desire to socialize.

Still, I had already agreed to a drink…

And maybe I had misjudged the Italian. He seemed pleasant enough.

“Why don’t we sit?” he suggested.

“I’d love to,” I said, and led him to one of the booths set into the wall.

I made some small talk, but it soon became apparent that the Italian wasn’t the best conversationalist. He seemed lost as to what to say – like a schoolboy who hadn’t learned how to talk to girls yet. I could see the wheels spinning in his head as he tried to figure out his next sentence.

I felt for him, but I was also a little bit annoyed.

My job required me to make all my customers comfortable.Iwas the one who always alleviated everyone else’s anxieties upon entering De Sade.

If a man was going to hit on me, the least he could do was not make me carry the conversation – no matterhowhandsome he was.

Luckily, Jiangbei interrupted the uncomfortable silence when she set down my drink.

“Thank you,” I said in Cantonese. She nodded and walked away.

Now that the Italian had something new to discuss, he seemed relieved. We talked about the cocktail for a moment until I asked, “So – what is it that you do, Roberto?”

He paused. “I’m in finance.”

Just like 75% of our Western clientele.

I forced a polite smile. “We have quite a few customers in that field.”

“So you work here?”

I was the manager and part owner, but I didn’t feel like getting into the details. “In a manner of speaking.”

The Italian opened his mouth – closed it – and then opened it again. “I…”

The tongue-tied schoolboy was back.

I waited for him to figure out what he wanted to say.

MaybeYou’re so beautiful.

Which was nice, but after hearing it for the 10,000thtime, it became a bit stale.

---