Page 29 of Meet You Half Way
I wondered if I would cave, whether I’d give in and just text the guy like I knew I wanted to. But I could beobtusetoo when I wanted to be and so maybe I would just wait until Mateo finally contacted me. Likely I’d be old and grey by then but still, dammit, I had some dignity.
It was Saturday morning, a fresh one with the late autumn breeze in the air and I had just returned to my apartment after a run along the esplanade. I was just contemplating whether I preferred the idea of a coffee at the café downstairs or a swim inthe beach, knowing the water would be getting cold at this time of year when I heard my phone ping.
Hope rose in my chest, the way it had done the last few weeks every time my phone had chirped only to be disappointed. Likely it would just be Bill again, inviting me out so I didn’t keep wallowing in my disappointment.
But as it turned out, I was not about to be disappointed because right there in front of me, on my very own phone screen, was a message waiting for me from Mateo himself.
Message
(Today) at 9:28am
MATEO:
Are you busy today?
I loved how he didn’t bother with pleasantries, nohow you doingsor any kind of excuse for not contacting me since the day we had met weeks ago when I’d left him my number.
ME:
What do you have in mind?
MATEO:
My car has died and I have a
shoot up in Sydney today.
Well, well, well. Mateo needed something from me. I didn’t know whether to be excited he’d reached out or offended. I wanted to be offended but I actually was more intrigued than anything. But I also wasn’t going to just let him get off lightly.
ME:
So you thought, oh I’ll contact the guy
I’ve been ghosting and see if he can
lend me a hand?
MATEO:
Just say no if you want.
ME:
I haven’t said no. I’m still thinking.
MATEO:
I can make it worth your while...
Ah, damn. He’d found my weakness, the one thing he knew I was going to find it impossible to say no to. But did I want to come across as cheap, like he could just buy me that way? A ride for a ride?
How I wanted to say no but I also knew I was not going to. I had my morals and my dignity but I also knew what a night with Mateo was worth so those morals could just go take a flying leap. And they could take my dignity with them. Instead, I picked up my phone and dialled his number. He answered on the first ring.
“Do you think I’m that easily bought, Mateo?” I asked.
“Who said I’m buying you?” he returned, just as easily. “Maybe I thought it would be worth my while too.”
I let out an exaggerated groan, toying with him the way he always toyed with me. “You’ve really got my number,” I admitted.
