Page 51 of The Cask

“What makes you extremely happy and on the flip side, what makes you mad?”

I wasn’t expecting that question. “Knowing that I’m making my parents proud. That makes me extremely happy,” I admitted. Clearing my throat, I took a sip of my water.

“And what makes you mad?”

I held his gaze. “Disrespect.”

He nodded. “Got it.”

“What about you?”

“I’m happy knowing that I’m in a position to take care of my family. Someone lying to me makes me mad.”

I nodded. “And when was the last time you cried?”

“Aw man.” He let out a short laugh. “Maybe a month or so ago.”

“Why?”

“I’ll save that for a real second date.”

I gestured around. “How is this not a real second date? Is this the second time we are sharing a meal? Is it just the two of us?” I shrugged. “This feels like a second date to me.”

“This isn’t the second date I have planned for you.”

“So, you have to be in control of the environment before you share certain parts of yourself,” I observed.

His eyes locked in on mine. “Aren’t you doing the same thing?”

“How do you figure?”

“You only give me a little of you at a time. Small doses.”

“Maybe you can only handle small doses.”

“No, I can handle a lot more than you think. But maybeyoucan only handle giving me small doses.”

My chest felt tight.

Clearing my throat, I stared at him. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything. But I’ll start with something small… how long have you lived in Richmond?”

“Since I was five.”

“And you lived in Atlanta before Richmond?”

I eyed him. “How did you know?”

“You said your dad knew the manager of Alessandro’s from Atlanta, so I put two and two together.”

“Oh! You remembered that?”

“I want to know you so I’m listening to whatever little bit you tell me.”

“You’re one to talk,” I argued, switching the focus onto him. “You clam up every time family is brought up.”

“You’re changing the subject again,” he pointed out.

---