Page 16 of The Love Comeback
“I do well for myself, yes,” I say, trying to stay humble—and vague—about my finances. “My brother said that you’re a model. What kind of modeling do you do?”
“I do independent modeling gigs, but lately it’s mostly been fitness-related,” she answers.
“Oh, that’s cool,” I reply. “I don’t really know much about models. Honestly, I’ve never really dated one.”
“Yeah, it shows,” she snorts, just as the waiter sets down her glass of wine and my milkshake. She swoops up the wine glassand takes a long sip of the red liquid, looking at just about anything but me.
“I got us tickets to the circus after this,” I say, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans. “I thought it might be fun.”
“The circus?” She laughs as she sets down her glass. “Are we ten years old?”
I nearly choke on the air I just breathed in. “Um, what?”
“The circus is for kids,” she huffs. “But okay. Can you at least take me home to change first? Because there’s no way I’m going to the circus dressed like this. I thought we’d be wining and dining tonight. That’s what a high-caliber woman like me deserves, you know.”
“Of course,” I agree, my insecurities rising to the surface and making my stomach do somersaults. And suddenly I no longer have an appetite for my milkshake. “I never meant for this date to be any kind of insult. I thought maybe it would just be different from the norm around here.”
She scrunches her nose. “I see.”
I don’t know how to read this woman. So I opt for silence for a few moments, and thankfully, the waiter comes with our pizzas, setting them down in front of us.
“Thank you,” I tell him, while my date stares down at her food like it might reach out and eatherbefore she can eat it. The waiter gives me a weird look and then walks away.
Zena downs more wine.
“So, what was your childhood like?” I ask clumsily, picking up a pizza slice and folding it so it’s easier to hold.
She sets down her glass of wine and glares at me. “Why do you want to know about mychildhood? Do you think you’re some kind of therapist or something?”
Okay, this isnotgoing well.
“I’m just trying to get to know you,” I reiterate. I mean, isn’t that the point of a date?
“How about you tell me howyouwere raised, then,” she retorts, taking a long sip of her second glass of wine. Meanwhile, my untouched milkshake is starting to melt. “Because I’dloveto know how you ended up becoming a millionaire who thinks it’s okay to take your dates to trashy pizza parlors.”
The insult stings. How is Mallory friends with a woman like this? Is The Wedge reallythatbad? Of course it’s not bad. It’s the best, most authentic pizza in this city. Plus, Colton and Ella loved it.
I take a deep breath. “I just like authenticity.”
“Huh.”
“Not everything good is luxurious and not everything luxurious is good.”
“You must’ve been raised by poor people who fed you a lot of McDonalds.” She says the words in a joking manner, but quite frankly, it’s not funny.
Because it’s true.
“My parents worked really hard for my brother and me, and it’s because of them that I’m even able to play hockey. They worked multiple jobs to make sure we never went without. I think that’s powerful, and not something to be ashamed of.” There’s an edge in my voice, but that’s because I’m officially annoyed. And hurt. And I want this date to just be over.
“Oh, sorry.” She cringes a little. “I didn’t think you actually grew up poor. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made that comment.” It’s the first genuine sounding thing that’s come out of her mouth, and I start to relax again. Maybe she’s just nervous, too.
“It’s okay,” I lighten my voice. “So, your family must’ve been well off, then?”
She nods, finally picking up a piece of her pizza. “My mom and dad were real estate brokers in Los Angeles and New York. They made a killing, and our nanny was literally the best person in the entire world.”
“That’s really cool.”
“Yeah, she made a killing, too. Maybe that’s what your mom should’ve done instead of working dead-end jobs. It would’ve made everyone’s life a lot easier.” She thoughtfully takes a bite of her pizza, and I try not to frown at how insufferable she is.
