"I don’t do that..." I shrugged my shoulders with the pretense of innocence. "Much," I added, and my answer made us both burst out laughing.
Nick didn’t have to say much after that. His gaze made it clear that it was time to get to know the other men waiting, and to tell the truth? I couldn't wait for them to make their way up the stairs.
I hugged him tightly, and about thirty seconds after I released him from my strong grip, he was gone, and another set of footsteps sounded coming up the stairwell.
"Oh, I remember you!" I pointed my finger at Mason Wilson, who smiled at me with pure joy.
"Because I'm so goddamn hot or because I'm a chef and a fellow cooking enthusiast?"
"I can't believe it. How do you know I love cooking so much?"
"Do you think I'd show up to meet the woman I intend to marry without making a thorough online investigation in advance?"
"So you're basically saying you Googled me. It's a bit creepy, don’t you think?"
"I don’t. I think it shows I'm taking this thing seriously. I wanted to learn more about you like I do when I go to a job interview, and anyway, don’t pretend like you didn’t do the same. That Nick guy asked for my social profiles, and I know you did some digging of your own, so..."
"So… Did you like what you found out about me?" I quickly found a way to escape his justified claims.
"I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t."
"I'll be honest, Mason. I'm trying to figure out what I feel about all this." What I don’t doubt looked like a goofy grin crept onto my face as he took my hand in his. "I just spoke to that Nick guy you mentioned, who by the way is my best friend in the whole world, about some similar situation."
"About mutual online investigations?"
"No, about you admitting to do or think something that I might not like."
"And did you come to a conclusion?"
"No, but I think I'm starting to realize that I shouldn’t be so overwhelmed by every little confession."
"Seriously? Did I overwhelm you? Why? What did you dig out on me online?"
"I didn't have to do much digging, Mason. You pretty much revealed everything on your application form."
"Ohhh, Naomi! If you think I've revealed everything to you in that form, you're in for a big surprise down the road." He brought both my hands to his mouth, kissed them softly, and suddenly, the sound of my door slamming behind him seemed like the most exciting thing I could hope for.
How did I not realize sooner that every door slam actually opened an imaginary door for a new guy to come up and meet me?
"Hello? Who's coming up the stairs now?" I asked in a very uplifted mood.
"I am, just give me a few seconds." A sharp Latin accent sounded from the stairwell, and I turned to mush as I faced Emilio Fuerte's green eyes.
"Emilio!" I announced happily. "You must tell me how your last name is pronounced."
"Fu-where-tez." He announced each syllable separately.
"Fuerte?" I repeated after him, and his smile hinted that I was successful in pronouncing his surname.
His dark tanned skin made his bright eyes shine and shimmer. His chiseled cheekbones were adorned with a scruffy beard. I looked at him. All of him. It was as if he called me to lay my hands on every piece of him, and I swallowed hard, hoping I could keep it together in front of one of the most handsome man alive.
"So, Naomi, did you read what I wrote about myself?" Dear Lord, that accent…
"I did, but I only remember part of it." I chose not to tell him it was because I didn’t need to.
"Ouch." He grabbed his chest. "That's insulting. I hope we’ll get a chance to talk so I can remind you, or tell you some more about me because you really should know that everything that's happening here tonight is absolutely me."
"What does that mean?"
"Do you remember I wrote that I live life like it was a movie?"
"Oh, right!" I hoped lying about not remembering his application would help hide the fact that I was ecstatic about the slight chance I'd marry him.
"Well, I meant it. This thing you're doing…" He looked around for a few seconds then came back to point his panty-melting eyes at me. "A love story that'll start in such a brave move is exactly the kind of movie I want to live in."
"And if I do something that doesn't fit your script, then you'll direct me, right?" I felt that he could use a little pick-me-up. "If I remember correctly, that's what you wrote in your application. You're willing to make it perfect, as long as it's pretty close to being perfect, to begin with, right?"
"Oooh... You do remember what I wrote!" His smile caused waves of passion to rise from deep inside me, and for a moment, I really did want to make a movie with him, though it would have probably been more accurately described as a sex tape.
"So should we set a date for later on tonight on my balcony?" I blinked excessively at him.
"You say when, and I'll report for duty!" A soft yet powerful kiss landed on my cheek, and then Mr. Fuerte entered my apartment.
"Naomi Fuerte…" I whispered to myself and felt stupid testing out his surname next to mine.
As new footsteps started up the stairs, I experienced a pang of regret I hadn’t had that conversation with Nick earlier in the evening. Suddenly, I wasn’t fearing the next guy coming up, I was looking forward to him!
"I see you're already smiling. That's a good thing… I think," said a man I didn't even remember seeing in the list of twenty-five candidates I approved.
"How can me smiling be a bad thing?"
"Well, I guess it's always a good thing for you, but it might be problematic for me."
"How so?"
"Well, if the guy that was here before me left you in such a good mood, that can be a bit of a challenge for me to top, I mean—"
"Don't worry. He made me laugh, and it was at my expense, so we're okay."
"Oh, if that's the case, we're better than okay! We'll turn out great."
"Why is that?" I got tired of having to ask for clarification to his half sentences while not even knowing who the hell was he, and I waited impatiently for him to introduce himself.
"I'm not known for my sense of humor, so I'm relying on your ability to make yourself laugh as the lifeblood of our relationship," he said, however, proved he could make me laugh after all when a slight smirk appeared on my face.
It was strange that he shook my hand and went into my apartment with promises of a deeper conversation later on, but not before he told me he was a pediatrician at one of the big hospitals in the city, yet without telling me his name.
In accordance with Nick's advice, I decided to associate his behavior to the excitement and not to assume he takes himself too seriously, or me too lightly.
"And now... Coming up the stairs... Weighing one hundred and eighty-seven pounds... Reaching just over six feet tall... A renovation contractor, the manliest of the men... Please give a warm welcome to... Benny Segal!" The next man, who I assumed was Benny Segal, had decided to announce his arrival in a way that he probably thought would be amusing, though I found it to be simply arrogant.