“Nothing has changed. I’m still the same old miserable asshole I’ve always been.”
I roll my eyes but I feel bad for him. I know he’s joking but sometimes I wonder if he experiences loneliness like I do.
“You’re not as big of an asshole as you want everyone to believe. I know that for a fact.”
He leans in a little. “Shhh, don’t out my secret.”
“Have you had any more problems getting that ex-boyfriend to leave you alone?” He averts his eyes as he asks, like he’s afraid I’m going to say that I’ve ran back to Penn.
“He’s not a problem. He’s just having a difficult time, you know? It’s a big change for the both of us. We dated for four years. We were with one another almost constantly. Going from being around someone all the time to never seeing them is a big transition. I’m trying to help him along with it.”
He shakes his head. “Why are you so nice to this guy? He was a complete dick.”
“He was not.” I reach out and playfully smack his arm. “At least not at first. He was really sweet and caring. He still cares; he just struggles with insecurity. He even calls just to check up on me, make sure I don’t need any work done around here, and sometimes we just talk and catch up. You need to cut him some slack.”
“You do that enough for the both of us,” he points out and I can tell there’s more he wants to say but I’m really not in the mood to take a deep dive into Penn’s and my relationship.
“Okay, topic off me. Where are you on your dating life?”
He laughs. “Way to turn the tables. It’s practically nonexistent.”
I can’t help but frown at his revelation. “Why? You’re a great guy and any woman would be lucky to have you.”
“Yeah, who doesn’t want to be with a forty-something-year-old man who’s married to his work and travels the world with his young and beautiful public relations director?”
I snort a little and shake my head. I feel a slight blush creep up my cheeks. Did he just call me beautiful? I brush it off. “Well, maybe don’t sell it to her like that. Maybe don’t mention me at all.”
He shrugs, taking another drink of his wine. “Nah, it’s easier this way. Nobody wants to be with someone who’s gone all the time and that’s all I am. Between being at the office and traveling for work, it makes dating someone a little difficult.”
“I hear that. Not that I’m actually even looking to date again. I have to fully move on from Penn before I can even consider doing that.”
I see his eyes drop to the glass in his hands; he twirls the stem back and forth like he’s uncomfortable. “I’m getting hungry. Want to order some takeout?”
“I’ll cook if you’re cool with chilling a bit.”
He lifts a brow. “You can cook?”
“You mean you don’t remember that time right after you hired me when I made us ramen noodles in the break room? I’m crushed. Those were Gordon Ramsay level noodles.”
He just laughs and shakes his head. “What’s on the menu?”
I look in the fridge, double-checking I have all the ingredients. “Homemade pizza with a cauliflower crust. Sound good?”
“Hell yeah. Can I help?”
“Sure, get that knife and start chopping the veggies while I start on the crust.”
While we cook, we drink our wine and talk but I can’t relax, even with the wine. It feels like Theo’s eyes are following my every move. He chops the vegetables slowly and deliberately, but every time I look up from the mixing bowl, I find him looking at me.
I turn my attention back to the dough, finishing it up and flopping it onto a floured surface to roll out. I lean down to the tray below the oven to grab the pizza pans.
“Have you ever cooked before?” I ask as I look back over my shoulder and catch him staring straight at my ass.
“I mean, I’ve microwaved stuff,” he says without missing a beat. “Even toasted my own bagel a time or two.”
It’s normal to look a woman’s ass, pretty sure even ninety-year-old men look. It’s like they can’t help it; their eyes can sense there’s an ass in the area and seek it out to take a peek.
“There’s this great cooking class just down the block from here. I go there on the weekends sometimes just to get out of the house and learn new recipes. I like to pretend I’m on Master Chef when I’m there and I knock Joe Bastianich’s socks off with some complicated, amazing recipe. That man…” I let out a whistle.
“Really?”
“Mmm-hmmm. Not sure what it is about that man but let’s just say I’d let him dip his biscotti in my coffee, if ya know what I mean.” I snort. I don’t know what’s gotten into me; must be the wine.
Theo smirks and just shakes his head again before saying in that deep, syrupy voice, “I think Joe might be old enough to be your daddy.”
I’m tempted to make a naughty joke about daddy issues or calling him daddy but the air between Theo and me already feels thick with tension and I might actually end up throwing myself at him.
“You’re more than welcome to join if you’re ever bored on a Saturday. Most of the people in class work in pairs, but Penn would never go with me so I’m always on my own.”
“I’d love to go with you.”
A huge smile spreads across my face. I’m not sure if he’s just agreeing to be nice or maybe he really is that bored he wants to learn to cook on a weekend. Either way, I’m not holding my breath that he’ll actually join me. I’m always trying to get him to do things with me or inviting him to places. He really is fun to be around… when he’s not ripping people’s heads off at work.
“Okay, veggies chopped, crust rolled out,” I say grabbing the jar of sauce and handing it to him to open.
“You a pepperoni or sausage kind of guy?” I hold out both.
“Pep.”
“Me too.”
We assemble our pizzas, then pop them into the oven.
“Top off?” I ask as I reach for the bottle of wine.
“Mmm, yes, please.” I top our glasses off, return the bottle to the fridge, then follow him over to the couch.
I pick up the remote and turn on the TV, stopping on my current favorite reality show. It’s trash, I’m well aware, but I need something mindless after work to just unwind. As the pizzas bake, I fill Theo in on what’s happening on the dating show. I know he honestly couldn’t care less but he feigns interest anyway.
“So who out of these guys is your pick?” he asks.
“Honestly… I like the host of the show. I know he’s probably closer in age to my dad but damn he’s fine. Maybe you’re right about those daddy issues.” I giggle, taking a sip of my wine. I’m about to say something I shouldn’t about liking older men but the timer on the stove goes off, alerting us that the pizzas are done.
“Stay, I’ll grab us some plates.” I pull the bubbling pies from the oven and slice them up, placing a few each on our plates before bringing them back over to the couch.
“Thank you.”
He doesn’t waste any time, devouring the pizza and wiping away a stray string of cheese that dangles from his chin. I’m about to do the same when he reaches over and slowly removes the cheese from my lip with his thumb before bringing it back to his own mouth and licking it off.