Page 13 of Holiday Plus-One
“Tell me something nobody knows about you, Valentina?”
“You like saying my full name like you’re scolding me?”
“I like saying your full name as if I’m getting so lost in you, it reduces me to whimpering.”
“Riley Benjamin Baker, you need to figure it out.”
Hearing my full name on her lips is such a rush.
“How disrespectful do you want me to be, Valentina?”
Before she can answer, the server comes over and begins taking our orders. I don’t even remember whatever I ordered, it’s irrelevant to me. All that’s relevant right now is getting Valentina’s number so I can take her out where we can be just us two. Whether it's to enjoy each other's company without the throat clearers or if she wants more, hell, I’ll give it to her. She seems like the kind of woman that doesn’t have a problem speaking her mind when it comes to things she wants or doesn’t want.
Valentina
I buckleddown and gave Riley my phone number after breakfast. He said he had to get to some things, and I was unfortunately bored out of my mind that I didn’t realize I was still around my brother and Tracie.
A text comes in that distracts me from having to look Tracie in the eye again as we wait for the next set of cakes to come. It was a little too late for cake-tasting, so I knew this was Vic’s attempt at making me feel part of his wedding, a wedding that was happening sooner rather than later.
Riley: What's your favorite ice cream?
The text brings a smile to my face, and I don’t care to hide it.
Me: Cookies and cream… why?
Riley: Just jotting things down in my memory.
Riley: Coffee or tea kind of girl?
Me: Both depending on the time and day.
Riley: Okay, got it.
Riley: Now answer me this, do you have a plus one for the wedding?
Me: Besides Paxy? No., do you?
Riley: I could but that’s up to her.
My heart dropped. He has someone that he’s already interested in and is basically just being hospitable to me. I could've sworn that’s not what I was picking up, maybe I was just not getting what the dating scene was like. It has been awhile.
Instead of answering him, I put my phone away and focus on the cakes that come to the table. I don’t hear anything the pastry chef is saying to me until Vic snaps his fingers in my face, I swat them away hating them now just like I did then.
“Don’t be annoying, Vic.”
“Pay attention then and someone is calling you. Pick up already.”
Rolling my eyes at his nosiness, I pick up Riley’s call instead of ignoring it.
“Hello?”
“You thought it was another woman, didn’t you?” he says, and I’ve decided that hearing his voice over the phone is a favorite of mine.
Yes, his gaze is piercing face-to-face but something about the smoothness of his voice that lulls me in this cocoon that I don’t want to get out of, is something.
“I did, yes.”
“I’m not that kind of guy, Valentina. Plus, I’m pretty sure Vic would’ve killed me then Senior would’ve brought me back to life and killed me again then Mimi would just make sure she somehow haunts me as a human being.”
