Page 77 of Forget Me

“I asked him to keep it on the down-low. I didn’t want expectations, you know?”

“Well? Were expectations met?”

I couldn’t hide my grin. “Surpassed, actually.”

“Stop it!” He slapped my arm playfully. “Really?”

“Really. She’s amazing. I think I—” No. Ben couldn’t be the first to know I was falling for his sister. I’d tell Mimi herself when I was ready. When she was ready. When she wasn’t sending me one-word texts.

“So, what’s the problem? Why are you out here in the freezing cold dawn talking to me and not snuggled up warm next to my sister in bed?”

“I just got back from work. Besides, she, um, she’s not responding to my texts.” Now I sounded like a teenager.

“Did you call her? Or drop by her place?”

“No, I worked nights this week. And she’s not a big fan of my dropping by. She wants to be texted first.”

Ben chewed his lip. “Sometimes Mimi—both of us, really—can get stuck in her routine. In her work. That was me before Cooper and I got together. I hardly ever went out with friends. I got scared after I got laid off, you know? So I just focused on school and my job. I guess my mom’s mindset kicks in during times of stress. And Mimi’sstressedright now. She wants this job at the foundation so bad. And she’s still doing her other job. She probably feels like she can’t take her eye off the ball. She’s panicking.”

“She’s afraid of me?” Nothing scared Mimi. Even after I’d ruined her presentation, she showed up to her meeting with Jackson Jones. And she’d gone commando to Monday’s meeting. She was fierce and unstoppable as a hurricane.

“Afraid of what it might mean if she let herself go. If she let herself fall for you.” He watched Coco for a second. “There was this guy.”

“A guy?”

“Byron. She dated him at the first company she worked for. Before Synergy. Their manager left, and the controller needed to fill the job. Fast. Mimi and Byron both had interviews. She deserved it more because she’d been there longer, worked harder than he did. Still, she helped him prep for it. He interviewed first, and they offered him the job right there. Without even talking to Mimi. Turned out, he told them she wasn’t ready.”

“That cabrón!”

“Yeah. She quit after that. Dumped his ass, went to work at Synergy. Hasn’t dated anyone since. Won’t let anyone close, especially at work. And with guys she meets, it’s one night only. I mean, except for you.”

Though we’d had only one night. Were Mimi’s one-word texts her way of letting me down easy? Goosebumps rose on my arms under my sleeves. “I’d never do that to her,” I said. “I’m not like him.”

I looked down at myself, at the jacket Cooper had given me when I’d shown up in San Francisco without one. At the jeans and sneakers I wore to work.

I twisted the ring on my finger. I didn’t work in an office like Mimi. Unlike Byron, I had no college degree. No real savings to speak of. I slumped, the exhaustion of my night shift washing over me. “I’m not worthy of her.”

“No!” He clutched my arm. “No, Mateo. You’re amazing. Look at me.”

Reluctantly, I lifted my eyes to his.

“I don’t say this about everyone. Believe me, Mimi has dated some real assholes. Like Byron. As driven as she is, she thinks she’s attracted to guys who are like her. But that’s not what she needs. She needs someone like you.” He squeezed my arm. “Someone to care for her. To help her. To—to love her. You are absolutely worthy of her and never,neverthink otherwise. Do you hear me?”

His ferocious tone reminded me of Mimi. I thought back to all the times she forgot to eat. Monday, when I brought her clothes and her laptop to her meeting. She needed someone like me to support her, especially working what amounted to two jobs plus volunteer work on the weekends. I could be what she needed.

“I hear you.”

“Now.” He chewed the inside of his lip. “What are you going to do?”

Grow up.“I’m going to help her. I don’t know what yet, but I’ll figure it out.”

“Maybe”—he tilted his head—“you don’t need todoanything to help her. Just be there for her. And don’t let her push you away.”

I grunted, my mind already whirling to what Mimi needed. She’d mentioned she was worried about what to wear to the gala. I’d help her with that. After a power nap. Because right then, I would’ve face-planted into the steering wheel before I made it to the dress shop.

Ben rubbed my arm. “You’ve got this. Just remember, you’re exactly what she needs. Okay?”

“Okay.” But was I?

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