CHAPTER TWENTY
Amy
When we arrived at the Italian restaurant, Mateo ran around to my side of the door, and opened it for me. He was such a gentleman—but for some reason, that actually irked me a tiny bit. He also picked the restaurant, kept calling me “baby” and he pulled out my chair. It was only our second date and thank god he’d not tried to kiss me. Not that I wanted him to, because I kind of didn’t but still, what the hell was wrong with this guy?
I was completely on edge . I started tapping my foot below the table. I had no idea where these feelings were coming from. Mateo was handsome, sweet, and even a good dresser but something was off. Maybe it was with me. After ordering, he reached for my hand. I pulled it away abruptly, making excuses to leave the table. “The little girl’s room,” I muttered .
A few minutes later, I splashed water on my face and stared into the restroom mirror while I dabbed my face dry with paper towels. Then it hit me. The house! I was seriously having a nervous breakdown over the house, which made no sense whatsoever. Someone had paid off the mortgage, freeing it from the bank. That was good news, wasn’t it? But who? Mateo had said he had a friend, but he never explained more, so I didn’t give it another thought.. I didn’t want to be indebted to him though, especially if I wasn’t sure about pursing a romance. If it was him that found a way to save my family home… I didn’t want to think about it. The thought made me queasy. We hardly knew each other, not that that sort of thing had stopped me from throwing myself at Brock, but then look where that got me?
Ten minutes later, and over a bowl of pasta, I put down my fork. “I need to ask you something and I want you to tell me the truth. “
He put down his own fork and stared at me, looking confused. “Of course.”
“Did you pay the mortgage on my home?”
A half grin spread across his face. “Not directly, no. There’s a few…non-profit sort of organizations that I kinda have an in with. That’s all.”
“And one of those…non-profits… paid off my mortgage?” I was trying to get my head around this. “What sort of non-profits?”
“They’re for families who’ve been in fires actually, but I have a friend who…”
“Wait. I haven’t been in a fire.”
“I know but you needed the money and I thought…”
“Oh my god! You didn’t, Mateo. Tell me you didn’t take money from a fund for people who lost everything. From family members who may have even died a horrible death. Seriously?” My heart raced out of control, my pulse erratic. I wasn’t sure if I was more upset with Mateo and what he did, or the realization that I was part of such a shameful scam.
“I’m…I’m sorry. I thought… I…I…” His smile drooped. I found the stuttering even more unattractive. “It…it wasn’t me,” he cried with a panicked tone. “I…I just wanted to help.”
I threw my napkin down and waved for the waiter. “I’d like my portion of the check please,” I said, trying to sound calm. I was so damn angry, my entire body rigid. If I sat here much longer, I was going to throw something. “Never mind,” I said. Rustling through my bag, I pulled out two twenties and threw them on the table. “Keep the change.” I grabbed my coat off the back of my chair, shoved my arms through it and got up.
He was still blabbering and making excuses. “I…I’m sorry, Amy. I just knew you were going to lose your house and I wanted to help so I told…I told..I told my friend about it.”
“Yeah, well there are a lot more people who need your help than me,” I spat grabbing my purse that was draped on the back of my chair. “I can’t believe you did this. We’re over, Mateo. Over.” I pushed in my chair and squeezed between another table to leave.
Halfway to the door, I paused. I still didn’t know who fronted the money. Who was this mysterious friend and why would anyone do that for someone they’d never met? I turned on my heel and stomped back to the table.
Mateo rose to his feet hurriedly.
“Who?” I asked. “Who pulled the strings? Who embezzled money from some charity on my behalf?”
“I’m…I’m not supposed to say.”
“Can you at least tell me was it someone you work with?” He didn’t say anything although his face revealed all. I knew how tight firefighters were. I knew what a brotherhood it was. Hell, they probably shared all their sexual encounters with each other. I thought about the sirens Brock blared as he drove me home that first night.
I’ll bet they all know about me.
The fear in Mateo’s eyes revealed what I needed to know. “I thought as much,” I said. “That is so underhanded.” My fists clenched at my sides. “It’s also illegal and just plain dumb.”
Several people swiveled around in their chairs to gawk at the crazy lunatic yelling at her boyfriend. “Well, you can tell him for me,” I said, waving a finger at Mateo. “Never mind I’ll tell him myself.” I stomped out of the restaurant, but then turned around before reaching the door. How would I get home? I could walk but it was four damn miles. I went back inside and asked the hostess to call me a cab.
Then, thinking better of it, I canceled the call and began to walk. Maybe if I had enough exercise I would calm myself the hell down.
***
By the time I arrived home, my feet were killing me. I’d called Jane from my cell halfway to pick me up, but not before getting three blisters the size of nickels on my feet and a sliver in my baby toe when I took off my sandals to walk barefoot the rest of the way.
“So why do you think he did it?” Jane asked.
“I honestly don’t know. All I can come up with is he wants to keep me on the side for quickies. Apparently, I’m not good enough for a serious relationship, but I’m good enough to suck his dick.”
Woo, that’s low,” Jane said. “Do you really think so?”
“No,” I said with tears in my eyes.
“So what are you going to do? I mean, you can’t give the money back. The bank already has it right?”
I sighed. “Yes.” What was I going to do? Nothing to do, I admitted to myself. The house was free and clear. “Well he at least owes me an explanation.”
“Maybe he did it because he loves you. Did you ever think about that?”
My heart did a flip. “Then why did he break up with me? Why say all that stuff to push me away?”
“Because he’s scared,” Jane said. “Don’t you think it’s at least possible?”
“I suppose,” I admitted. “But still doesn’t make sense.”
“Well, calm down a bit before you go rushing over there. Okay?”
“I don’t know, Jane. If I calm down, I’m liable to just forget about it and be happy I still have my home.”
“That’s true.”
“And then I might even start to think he did me a favor and I don’t want to think that.”
“Also true.”
Tears pricked behind my eyes. “If he does love me…No! I can’t let myself think that. He told me it was over.” I nodded my head up and down slowly. “And I have to move on. In order to do that though, I need to face him first.” I dropped down in a chair and groaned. “Fuck! Why is life so goddamned complicated?”
“That’s why they call it falling in love,” Jane said.