Page 42 of Meet You Half Way
He huffed a laugh as he stepped back, still with his hands holding my arms. “No,tesoro,” he replied, a smile of pure fondness on his face.
“How did you know?”
“Well, Mateo, there are exactly two names you have mentioned in all your time growing up here on the coast. Andyou always spoke of one of those names very differently than the other,” Dante told me.
“Nick,” I guessed, shoulders slumping.
“Yes, Nick,” he agreed. “He broke your heart recently, yes?”
I could only nod, a little overcome by how this conversation was panning out, not to mention Dante’s exceptional observational skills.
“I knew,” he continued. “I could tell and your heartbreak has been breaking my own heart, Mateo.”
“I’m sorry,zietto,” I sighed. “I’ve tried so hard to keep everything inside.”
“I know and that is not healthy for you. I tried to get you to talk to me but I knew you weren’t ready so I didn’t push,” Dante told me.
“I appreciate that,” I told him.
“And so Jamie? You think maybe he could help mend that broken heart of yours?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted with a desperate laugh.
“I met him you know,” he told me and I looked up at those words. “I don’t mean the day of my cardiac arrest. I have few memories of that day other than your angelic face at my side. No, Jamie came in to see me a few days after I was admitted to hospital. And I knew then that he would be perfect for you. Such a lovely, kind man.”
“And so handsome, yes, I know,” I said, face finally breaking into something like a real smile.
“So handsome,” Dante agreed. “Handsome enough for our beautiful Mateo.”
“Yes you’ve mentioned that enough times.”
“Just trying to plant the seed,” he grinned.
“Don’t worry, the seed has been well and truly planted. I’m just not entirely sure what to do with it.”
“Would it be too soon to invite Jamie around for dinner with me and Giulia?” Dante asked kindly.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “We’re not … together or anything like that. We’re just spending time with each other.”
“All good love stories should start like that,” Dante nodded. “As friends first. Love and all the physical stuff can always come after.”
I huffed another laugh. “I think that ship sailed early on.” Much earlier on than I was prepared to admit to my kind but slightly traditional uncle.
“Ah,” Dante replied with a wise nod. “Well, it’s never too late to build a solid foundation. So, what do you think?”
“I’ll mention it to Jamie,” I agreed.
“Bene. And do you think it would be okay if I told Giulia? She will be so pleased.”
A dash of alarm filtered through me, one I recognised as an old habit from years of carefully concealing the truth. The net of people in the know had widened considerably this morning but I also knew I could trust myzietta.
“Yes. You can tell her,” I said.
“Good. And then maybe we can have a talk about how we tackle your parents, huh?” he dropped, shifting that panic up into high gear.
“Maybe,” I admitted.
“No matter what, you know you’ll always have me and Giulia in your corner,si?” Dante told me, face serious. I felt my eyes start to prick and my throat clog up. I could only nod, waiting as he patted my cheek affectionately before he turned and moved back to his desk.
