Page 31 of Tobias

Chapter Twelve

Tobias

Holidays are always busy in the dating industry, and Foxy’s is jam-packed. I open up my schedule a bit more, squeezing some time in for early lunch dates. It’s not needed, but I don’t hate the extra money and keeping myself busy this time of year is pivotal. I don’t need reminders of how I don’t have anyone important in my life. Normally it doesn’t bother me, but this year feels different, and I might go do something stupid like care about it.

Because Brandon hasn’t messed with my schedule, even though he threatens to whenever he sees me, I get major holidays off. I never asked for that, but he kept doing things he thought I wanted, when all I wanted was for him to be fucking nice and treat me like a human and not a piece of ass. In a weird twist of events, I owe him for getting into the professional dating scene because I became fine with people using me for my looks. I was not okay when I started this job, which is why I did everything wrong. But I will say, being paidfor this does make it easier to keep distance. I don’t have to look them in the eye during breakfast or wake up next to them in the morning. Each night, I go home to my own bed, and I don’t have to worry about awkward showers or the right moment to say, “Well, I should go.” The only person I ever spend the night with is Charlie, and that’s just… a piece of me I’m not sure I’ll let go of. It’s almost like a little reminder, something that anchors me from spiraling, letting me know it's not how I want my life to be.

I refuse to let another person treat me as badly as Brandon did. Which is why I’m crazy for contemplating what settling down and having a family would be like. I’m happy people like Theo want their perfect lives, their kids and white picket fences. It’s just not for me.

Offering to be friends was completely random and it may come back to bite me in the ass. In some ways, it’s safer. He isn’t paying me, so I can call the shots with where we go and what we do. I wasn’t lying when I said I feel he needs a friend, and maybe I need a friend too. We could help each other. Sure, I have friends from the bar, but they're younger than me and living a different life. Theo and I are closer to being on the same page. I’d also like to see this thing through with him, in the way that I want to know how he ends up. He’s a good person and deserves everything that’ll make him happy.

Also… he now has full access to my life. I could have banned him from Foxy’s, but for what? Because I crossed the line? That’s unfair. He did nothing wrong, and I won’t punish him for it. There’s just something about him that makes me want to be there for him, and that’s that.

“So, Tobias, tell us what you do for a living.”

I blink, tipping my wine glass to my lips to take a sip. It’s too sweet and I’m surely going to end up with a headache tomorrow if I have another glass after this one.

“I’m a physical therapist.” It’s much easier when dates allow me to give some truth. Mixing truth into lies makes everything a little more believable.

I reach over to take my date’s hand, linking my fingers with her long, thin ones. Her nails are long and pointy and there is no way in fuck I’d let those things near my dick. How the hell does she wipe her ass?

“Oh, that’s very nice,” Mrs. Carmichael says. I smile at her, taking another sip.

I rarely turn dates down, and I’ve always enjoyed them with everyone. Men, women, anyone in between. I don’t care. I enjoy people. Talking to them, getting to know them, putting on a show. Maybe I should have been an actor, but those hours are too grueling. Even though I love my dating job and everything that comes with it, something about today feels weird.

I can’t stop thinking about Theo, and how maybe we aren’t so different.

I’m here faking a date with a female just to get paid.

He’s faking being attracted to his fiancée just to survive.

That’s not all that different, when you dig deep.

We’re both living lies to satisfy some part of us that shouldn’t get so much attention.

Maybe that’s why I want to be friends with him. I see things in him that I also see in myself, and maybe I want to be around someone who just gets it. Someone who understands that sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do.

Of course, our situations are much different. I’m choosing to do this, and I guess he is too, only… he’s being more forced into it than me. Still, does that even matter?

“That’s why he can’t come to dinner tomorrow, Mom,” Allison, my date, says, giving my hand a little squeeze.

We prepared before this date because she was so worried that her mother would see right through it. I don’t understand why people put so much into these things, knowing they’re going to have to keep lying or explain a breakup. If they’re lying because their parents expect them to be dating, won’t a breakup just make it worse? I don’t know. Never had that problem, because my family never met any of my boyfriends. Not the casual ones when I was younger, and definitely not Brandon. Though, that was more for my family then him. I'm not sure he'd step foot on the property, never mind in the house. If it's not lavish, it's not for him.

“Ah, yes. I remember,” her mother says.

They go on to chat about some cousin’s birthday party and I zone out, absently sipping my wine and picking at my turkey dinner.

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I’m anticipating the fury I’ll get from my sister when she finds out I have a date at seven and won’t be staying for long. If only she knew what I knew about my mother, perhaps she’d be on my side and would stop giving me so much shit. No, that’s a load of crap. My mother could burn me alive, and my sister would still be up her ass. Which is why I don’t bother explaining any of it to Molly. She’ll never understand why I’m so upset and will only make excuses that will only anger me.

Allison and I see her mother safely into a taxi when dinner is done, waving and smiling as she drives off into the Seattle traffic. It’s drizzling, as it usually is.

“Oh lord, thank you so much.” She blows out a sharp breath, putting her hand on my shoulder. “Seriously, you just saved me so much trouble.”

I shrug, giving her a smile. “Just doing my job.”

“Well, you get an A-plus from me.”

“Thank you. I truly appreciate that. Are you good to get home?”

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