Page 77 of The Plus Ones

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“What’s your favorite kung fu movie?”

He lowers the tumbler and twirls it so the ice cubes clink against the glass. “It’s a three-way tie. I loveCrouching Tigerfor a lot of reasons, but there’s this little movie from Hong Kong calledIp Manthat’s a biopic about the master who taught Bruce Lee, and also…” He grins. “I really fucking loveThe Karate Kid.It’s not exactly a kung fu movie, but it’s the first movie I saw with martial arts in it, and it’s what made me want to watch more.”

“I loveThe Karate Kidtoo. I mean, not the sequel toThe Karate Kid, but I also love that movie.”

“I’m gonna make you watch all of my favorites with Finn and me.”

I take another big sip of this delicious fruity island love potion before saying, “I think I would actually enjoy that.”

“I am completely certain that you will.”

“How do you know so much about me?” I marvel.

“I told you,” he says, two lines appearing between his perfectly groomed eyebrows. “I’ve always thought of you as a friend. You’ve been a part of my inner circle for a long time. Whether you realized it or not.”

My stupid nose is tingling again, for like the fifth time tonight.

When did you become this person that I could actually love?

“What were you like when you were a kid?”

He looks down and laughs, kind of a sad little laugh.

Why have I never noticed how long your eyelashes are?

“I just remember being needy and lonely most of the time, until I was about eight. My dad was always working and traveling, and my mom—she’s a nice person, but she’s always been involved in fundraising for charities and museums, so she was busy. I mean, I had friends once I was in preschool, but before then I had Nanny Rey.”

“Right.” I nod. Of course he had a nanny.

“Her name was Reyna, but I guess I had trouble pronouncing it at first, or maybe I just didn’t want to. She was this beautiful Filipino woman. Probably in her thirties. So kind and sweet but tough with me when I was being a little shit. She was the one who took me to school and everywhere, and I worshipped her. When I was old enough, she told me she had a son who was older than me, back in the Philippines, who she had to give up for adoption when she was a teenager. I was so jealous of him because I knew she’d rather be with him than me. One day my mom told me that the adoption agency had contacted Reyna and put her son in touch with her and that she’d be moving back to the Philippines. I was nine and I didn’t really need a nanny at that point, but I thought my life was over.”

Why do I feel the sudden urge to take you home and make you dinner?“She went back to her son?”

“She left me. No wait—you’re right. She went back to her son. That’s what I learned in the five therapy sessions my mom made me go to after Reyna left. After that I had to learn to get better at making friends, so I did. I got awesome.”

“You learned how to be charming.”

“Oh, you noticed.”

“Sometimes. Did she stay in touch with you? Reyna?”

“She sent me letters at first, yeah. I sent her cards and a lot of pictures of myself. But you know, eventually the letters stopped coming. It’s fine. She was happy. I was happy for her. Eventually.”

“What’s that Russian word?Uzbliuto?”

“Razbliuto. I wouldn’t call it that, though. I still love her. I’m sure I’ll never see her again, but it wasn’t the kind of love you fall out of. It’s more of asaudadesituation.”

“Saudade,” I repeat.

“Yeah. It’s one of those. A love that remains. A longing.” He leans forward to brush away the hair that’s blown across my face, and I lean my cheek against his hand.

“Tell me about your parents,” I say. “You’re not allowed to say you don’t want to talk about them this time.”

He drains his glass and signals to the waiter that we need another round. “Okay, but I need another drink. That all right?”

“We can close the place down if you want to.”

“I want to do a lot of things right now, Rox. But all of them involve you.”