Page 93 of The Boyfriend List
I nod. "How did you know that? When did you get so wise?"
"Hey, I've been known to wear a judge's wig on occasion. Of course I'm wise."
I roll my eyes and take another sip of my water. "It was a mop head."
"Judge's wig, mop head, same thing."
"And the judge's robes were a garbage bag."
He chuckles, taking everything in stride. "I'm a humble man of the people."
"Aren't you related to royalty?"
Giorgio shrugs. "Only on my mom's side, so it doesn't count."
"I told Gloria I needed space and time to process everything. But now that she’s back in L.A., I don’t know what to say to her. I hate how I left things, but how can I show her that I still love her?” I rest my head in my hands.
"You've been ‘processing’ this whole time. Maybe that's your problem. You haven’t actuallydoneanything about your emotions."
"I took action. I checked off her freakin' boyfriend list."
Giorgio shakes his head. "You've been playing by her rules, by everyone else's rules. You need to play by your own."
I arch an eyebrow. "Wouldn't I just be playing byyourrules if I did what you said?"
He knocks back his beer. "You're impossible. What I'm saying is, you can't keep letting everyone’s expectations for you dictate your life. What about whatyouwant?"
A sigh escapes my lips. I order some truffle fries as my stomach grumbles. "Food. I want food."
That's not the whole truth. I want Gloria, the way I've always wanted her—in any way I can have her. Whether it's as friends or dating, I want her. She's always been my end game.
But I don't know how to tell her that even though I needed space, it was never fromher. It was about everything else in my life spiralling out of control.
Giorgio says nothing, letting me simmer in my broodiness, as he orders a cheeseburger and a tray of nachos with black olives. He's both perpetually ravenous and perfectly toned—and I don't think I've ever seen him at our company's gym. Perhaps he works out at home, in a private gym plastered with mirrors and posters of himself. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but Giorgioischarmingly full of himself.
"I want to be with Gloria, and I want to tell her how much I love her and how sorry I am that I didn’t go with her. No—I want toshowher how much I love her."
"Then you'vecome to the right man."
I dunk a fry in ketchup. "Didn't you tell your cousin to get into a marriage of convenience with the first woman he saw?"
"No," Giorgio says with apsshof scornful dismissal. "He found Raina all on his own. All I told him was to find a woman to marry him so he could win our grandmother's approval."
I shake my head. "Like that's so much better."
"Listen, I may not have the best romantic track record myself, but I know a good match when I see one. And Kostas and Raina were a good match, just like you and Gloria are, which is why I'm agreeing to extend my love doctor services to you."
"Love doctor services? Geez, I don't want to know what kind of prescriptions you're writing," I mutter as I eat more fries.
"Hey! I'm notthatkind of love doctor," Giorgio protests. "You want my advice? Don't wait around for the perfect opportunity.Createthe perfect moment."
"Giorgio, you keep saying these things like they're easy."
"Remind her ofwhyyou love her. Tell her all the little things that you love about her. Write her romantic notes and stuff. Women eat that up."
"That has to be the first not-terrible thing you've said since we sat down," I say, absorbing his piece of advice. My mind percolates with ideas of how I could put his suggestions into action.
"See! I told you I was a love doctor."
