the motivation to prove something, to myself and to others. To prove that I could do this. That I could move far away from my comfort zone and survive in one of the toughest cities in the world. If I can do that, I can do anything.
"I went there for a job." I look down at the napkin in my lap, smoothing the crisp white linen. "Not to prove something."
"Liar."
His response causes my anger to spike, like he lit a match, setting off all my insecurities, things I didn't want him, or anyone else, to know.
My eyes shoot up to his. "I'm not lying, and I'm offended by your comment. I went there for a job and because I've always wanted to live in New York. You don't even know me. You shouldn't be making assumptions about me."
"Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" he says, holding his hands up. "I didn't mean to upset you. You're right. I shouldn't have assumed."
I set my napkin on the table and get up. "I'm going up to my room. I have a lot of work to catch up on."
"Wait—you're leaving?" He shoves his chair out and gets up.
"On the house," Tom says, appearing at our table holding a bottle of wine, a big smile on his face. He looks between Aiden and me. "Don't tell me you're leaving." His smile drops, making me feel terrible.
"Of course not," I say, smiling at him as I sit down.
"We were just stretching our legs," Aiden says. "After all that sitting in the car on the way here we needed to get up and move a little."
I almost laugh at his excuse, but instead I clear my throat and put my napkin back on my lap.
"You should take a walk after dinner," Tom says. "The shops closed at five but you can stroll downtown and look in the windows. Each store puts up little twinkle lights." He pours wine in a glass and sets it in front of me. "Lois just loves it. She thinks it's romantic. Makes me walk down there at least once a week." He pours Aiden a glass of wine.
"Maybe we'll give it a try," Aiden says, his eyes on mine. "What do you say? Up for an after dinner walk?"
"We'll see." I look back at Tom. "Thank you for the wine."
He gives me a wink. "I couldn't let you two have a romantic dinner without a little wine."
"Oh, it's not like that," I rush to tell him. "Aiden has a girlfriend."
"Is that so?" Tom looks at Aiden, then shakes his head. "I guess I just assumed this was a date. Well, the wine is still yours to enjoy." Tom turns to leave, then turns back to Aiden. "Why didn't you bring her?"
"She was busy this weekend."
Tom nods, then walks off.
"Should we toast?" Aiden asks, lifting his wine glass.
"What are we toasting to?"
"Unexpected encounters on country roads. A wonderful dinner. And strangers becoming friends."
"That's a lot to toast to."
"It is." He holds up his glass. "So?"
We clink glasses and I take a sip of the wine.
Aiden sets his glass down. "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean to upset you."
"Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have got so upset. You hit a nerve. It's my own issue. There was nothing wrong with what you said."
"You want to talk about it?"
"I really don't. Tell me more about you."
"Would you like to hear about my failed attempt to play high school football? I don't find it that funny but my friends seem to. They make me retell it now and then just for their own amusement."
"Why?" I smile. "What's so funny about it?"
"Many things, but it mainly involves a jock strap. If you'd rather not hear this before dinner, now's your chance to back out."
"I'm all in. Let's do it. What's the story?"
As he tells it I pick up my wine, swirling it in the glass as I look across the table at Aiden. He's everything I could want in a guy. I love talking to him and just being around him. Even when he makes me furious, like he did this morning, or just now when I was about to leave, I still like him for some unexplained reason.
Maybe it's good we met. Now I finally know what to look for in a guy. I need to find a guy like Aiden. A guy who makes me feel the way I'm feeling now. In a city of eight million people, I should be able