Page 50 of The Problem with Dating

He shrugged. “You can’t go wrong with the menu. That’s what I’d do.”

“Are you going to spit in my food?”

He smiled a little.

My heart fluttered a little.

“No, I will not spit in your food,” he said.

I wasn’t quite sure if I should’ve believed him or not. Needless to say, after being stood up, I had some trust issues.

I held out my pinky. “Pinky promise?”

“I’m not going to pinky promise you.”

“Pinky promise?” I urged.

“Listen, I’m already giving more than I’d give to anyone else. Take it or leave it. Without your pinky.”

Fair.

“Why are you being nice to me?” I asked.

“I’m nice to all my customers.”

“You were screaming at me like a madman the other day.”

He grimaced. “Yes. I know. I wasn’t myself that day. My…” He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “I won’t make excuses. I just wanted to apologize for my actions.”

My conflicted heart softened as I looked at him. He seemed so sincere. So humbled. “Did Tatiana force you to apologize to me?”

“No,” he quickly replied. “She might have mentioned that I was an idiot, though. Which, she wasn’t wrong.”

Admitting fault.

Not bad, Alex.

“You didn’t deserve any of my harshness. I apologize, Yara. You’ve been nothing but kind to me and I am sorry for breaking your dish.” He went on to say, “Order anything on the menu. That wine is the best in-house, from Honey Bee Winery, too. It pairs perfectly with the bread.”

I smiled.

He didn’t.

I missed the tiny grin he’d given me a few moments ago.

“Thank you,” I expressed, not knowing what else to say to him.

“Not a problem.” As he turned to walk away, he paused with his back toward me. Then he looked back my way. “Yara?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t hate you.”

“I know. The whole energy thing blah, blah, blah. But sometimes it feels like you do.”

“Yes, well…” He crossed his broad arms across his chest. “Sometimes my hatred for myself spills out and accidentally hits others. I’m sorry for my spills. I’m working on cleaning them up. Also, you should try the house sangria, too. It pairs great with my balls,” he teased as he winked my way.

He teased and winked at me!

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