“How do you know?”
“I’m thinking about getting my master’s in couples counseling.”
“Really?”
“It would only help me run my business even better. Knowledge is always power.”
“I see…”
“No, I don’t think you do, Mi. What are you so afraid of?”
“I didn’t say I was.”
“It’s written all over your face.”
“You’re an interpreter of my emotions now?”
“Women are easy to read.”
“Enlighten me.”
With an amused expression on his face, he countered, “I’m fine means you’re losing your shit. Don’t worry about it means I’m fucked. When you sigh, it means the world is coming to an end. When it’s that time of the month, you eat chocolate as if it’s your last meal. Also, you turn into raging emotional wrecks where all reasoning goes out the fucking window. It’s one of those things where you just have to cry it out.”
“Wow.”
“Oh, I’m not done.” He chugged down his shot, slamming it back down on the table. “Go ahead means you better stay your ass home if you know what’s good for you. Do I look fat in this? Means you better lie if you value your balls. I don’t want to talk about it means you want to talk about everything.”
“And you’ve never had a girlfriend?”
“And now you understand why.”
He signaled the waitress for another two rounds. “Plus, if you come with me, you could be my wingman and help me find a fake wife.”
“A fake wife?”
“Yes. I need a fake wife. Unless you would you like to apply for the position?”
“Being your fake wife isn’t exactly a life goal of mine.”
“Your loss.”
“You think you can actually pull off being happily in love with a stranger? Happily married none the less?”
“Yep. I’m a good actor. It’s how I get laid so much. I can do anything I set my mind to. If I’m going to sell the dream of love, than I’m going to have to sell my perfect marriage too.”
“You’re awfully confident in your acting skills.”
“Women are easy. They’ll believe anything you tell them as long as you look into their eyes.”
After hearing him say all this, and still thinking about leaving with him, I questioned my sanity and how much I had to drink.
“But I am being serious about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Your face did light up like a fucking Christmas tree when you were talking about St. Thomas. You should consider it and at least you would have a friend in the area.”
“A friend? Is that what you are?”
He smiled, leaned into the table, and set his arms down in front of him. “Do we have to put a label on it?” He raised his eyebrows with a cocky smile.
“I’m not going to lie. Your suggestion does sound awfully tempting and appealing.”
“I’m full of—”
“It? Yes.” I nodded. “I agree.” Thinking about it for a second, I asked what we were probably both thinking, “What do you think Leo would say?”
“To have someone look after you? I think he’d appreciate it or…” He paused, leaning back into his chair. “He’s going to murder me for suggesting it. Honestly, it could go either way.”
I grabbed another shot while handing him his. “I’ll think about it. When does the summer session start?”
In another huge gulp, he drank his shot. “Right after graduation.”
“Yeah…” I lifted my empty glass in between us. Breathing out the liquor, I rasped, “I’m going to need more of these.”
He clapped his hands together and stood. “That’s the spirit. I’ll be right back.”
My mind drifted the entire time he was gone, thinking about St. Thomas, about Leo, about my future, about his. Thought after thought assaulted my brain in a matter of a couple of minutes. I never considered an island for grad school, but now that the thought was put into my brain, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Could I do this?
Just pick up and move to an island?
“All right, Mi, we’re not here to contemplate our futures and wallow in our own self-pity. We’re here to celebrate our paper and get fucking shitfaced. Comprende?”
“You speak Spanish now?”
“I get by.”
“Is there anything you can’t do?”
“I can’t spend the night. I hate cuddling. It makes me hot, you know, hotter than I already am.”
“So humble.”
“I can also kick your ass in a game of darts.”
“I don’t know how to play darts, so that’s probably true.”
“Well then, Miss Mila, step into my office and let me show you the way.”
“How noble of you.”
He extended out his arm, leading the way to the dartboard that was in the back of the bar. Cain got everything ready before handing me three darts. “Here you go. You need to stand here.” Grabbing my shoulders, he placed me maybe eight or nine feet away from the wooden board that was hanging on the wall.
“Now what?”
“Now we practice. Take the dart and chuck it at the board. The closer you get to the bullseye which is the middle red circle, the better score you’ll have.”
“Okay.” Holding the dart like a pencil, I raised my hand and threw it in the direction of the board. It wasn’t even close to hitting a number, my dart bounced off the rim and fell to the floor.
“That was pathetic. Were you even trying?”
“Hey! That’s not very encouraging.”
“You’re right. Where are my manners? Let me help.” He quickly stepped behind me and molded his body to mine.
“That better be your cellphone that is digging into my ass, Cain.”
“Mi, you can call it whatever you want.”
“Cain!”
“All right, all right, I’m joking. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.” With his right hand, he grabbed mine that was now holding the second dart while the other hand gripped onto my hip. “You need to be one with the dart, Mila. Do you feel that?”
“I don’t know, I thought it was your cellphone but now I’m not so sure.”
He chuckled, “You need to loosen up. You’re too stiff. You’re playing a game of darts, not about to be fucked in the ass. Relax.”
“I’m relaxed.”
“This is your relaxed?”
I shook it out, wiggling my body.
“Do that again, except this time squirm a little to the left.”
“Cain!”
“I love it when you scream my name.”
I giggled.
This idiot!
“We’re going to do this together. You ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
In one fluid motion, he rocked his hips into my ass and shot the dart straight into the bullseye.
“Ahhh!” I shrieked in excitement.
“We make a good team.”
“We did it!” I instantly turned around and jumped into his arms. Cain didn’t hesitate, lifting me up off the ground.