“Around ten or maybe eleven tonight. I’m not too sure, we don’t have a lot of reservations yet.”
“All right, I should be able to get you then. Just text me when you’re done.”
“Okay. See you later.”
“Later, Love.”
I hang up, trying to control my blushing. When will I ever stop feeling like this every time I hear Damian’s voice...? I still don’t really feel too great because of what happened earlier, though. I need some fresh air. I grab my things and exit the restaurant. Bobo is right there waiting for me, phone in his hand and his back against the car. He stops smiling when he sees my expression.
“Bad day?”
“Mh. I’ll explain later.”
He nods, and we both get in the car. I open the window to enjoy some fresh air. Gosh, I needed this...Getting away from the restaurant helps me finally calm down a little. I still resent Damian a bit about what happened. If only he hadn’t gotten engaged to that woman...
Hanging around and having a cup of tea with Boyan makes me feel better. I tell him in detail what happened with Alessandra earlier, and Boyan is proud of me for standing up to her. Overall, it feels great to enjoy a cup of tea while chatting with my friend. For ten years, I never had any friends to hang out with. All I had was my abusive brother and a pack that hated me. Now, I can freely talk about trivial matters, and Bobo will listen. And I have Tonia, Elena, Liam, and even Danny, too.
When Bobo takes me back to the car to head back to work, I feel a lot better already. I’m playing with my necklace, watching the scenery. Bobo, too, is humming to some Latino music coming from the stereo.
“Bobo? How did you meet Daniel?”
I’ve been wondering for a while now, but with everything going on, I forgot to ask. The big guy smiles at my question.
“In a nightclub, a few months ago. I was working, delivering documents to someone. I noticed Danny just when I was about to leave.”
This is the first time I see Bobo smiling so much. It seems like this is a fond memory for him, so I’m even more interested.
“What was it like?”
“...Love at first sight. He was dancing, and I just fell for him right there. It was the first time I ever felt like this.Nothing else mattered; it was as if he was the only one in the room. I still remember it all perfectly. The music, his clothes, everything. I just thought, I wanted this guy, bad, right then and right there. I would have kissed him in the middle of the crowd if we hadn’t been total strangers.”
I laugh, a bit amused by that last sentence said with such an honest face. That’s my Bobo, so straightforward and blunt. He keeps driving, but I want to know more now.
“What about Danny, then?”
He sighs. “It took a while for him to accept me. He didn’t want a younger lover, so he tried to ignore me, but it was my first time wanting something or someone so much, so...”
“You were persistent?”
“Quite so. He eventually gave up after a few weeks.”
A few weeks? Oh my gosh, Bobo sure is persistent! I chuckle, imagining Bobo’s relentless pursuit of Daniel’s heart. The two of them are just so adorably cute when they’re together... I totally get why Elena teases Daniel so much. He’s the only person I know who can blush redder than me!
Bobo smiles at me. “What about you? How is it with the Boss?”
“We are fine, I guess. I just wish I could overcome my fear of physical relationships once and for all...”
Bobo is the only one who knows, aside from Tonia. He was a bit disappointed about me not telling him sooner about Marcus, so I ended up telling him all about what I remembered and my traumatism.
“You want to be with him?”
“Of course, I do. But, every time we start... touching each other, I just get those cold shivers, and bad memories come back. The worst part is, I don’t even remember exactly what happened, how far Marcus went, and when I... supposedlystab him. I know he didn’t rape me, but whenever Damian wants more, I just...”
“Nora, it’s okay. With what happened to you, it’s completely normal to be scared. Just take it slow, treasure yourself, and build your trust with the Boss, Nora. Put yourself first. You deserve it, okay?”
I feel tears coming back again. Bobo notices, and parks on the side of the road. Without saying a thing, he hugs me and lets me cry all I want. After a while, I breathe in, trying to calm down.
“What if that woman is right, Bobo? What if Damian was better off with her instead of a mess like me?”
