A Wonderful, Awful Idea / 4
Pairing: Pero Tovar x Female Reader (Modern AU)
Word Count: 7,489
Summary: The final event of the assignment doesn't start - or end - how you imagined.
Help from an unexpected source gives you a chance to make things right ... or at least attempt to.
Rating: M: language.
Author's Note:
Splitting this into 2 parts was the overwhelming winner - here's the first one. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you all for sticking with me on this story even when it's been extended by 3 weeks - and a few chapters.
So here I am at 2:30 am with one of those "extra" parts. Enjoy.
The title comes from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Thank you for reading!
*dividers by @/strangergraphics
Even though the party around you was in full swing, you tuned the noise out.
You’d ridden over with William and Lin, staring silently out the car’s window the entire time. Pero hadn’t picked up the phone though all of you had tried to call. By the time you parked, he’d switched it off, sending you straight to voicemail.
It made sense that he was upset at the thought that you were only agreeing to spend time with him because you were getting paid. It made even more sense that Pero’s discovery of the contract itself was enough to make him believe it was the real one. Even though I didn’t sign it. Even though there’s nothing filled in on it aside from my name.
He’d been in the “backstage” area of the venue when you got there, and the only words he’d spoken to anyone were to confirm that the earpieces were linked, and then to ask if he could handle the behind the scenes duties that day.
Christina’s security had agreed that he could start off that way, but that they’d swap everyone out after a few hours, just to have fresh eyes on the guests. You’d tried to speak to him before the crowd dispersed, but he hadn’t even looked at you. Instead, he’d turned away and headed down one of the long hallways - in the opposite direction.
You’d fought back tears at his dismissal, blindly reaching for - and taking Lin’s hand - until he was out of sight. I ruined it. I ruined everything.
The three of you headed out and into the main party room, finding a table to stand at. Lin didn’t leave your side, her arm protectively around you as she leaned her head against your shoulder. “Do you want me to stay here with you? William can manage on his own, and -”
“No, Lin.” You swallowed hard, closing your eyes. “I’ll be fine by myself. I just need to think.” She didn’t look like she believed you, but didn’t argue when William slid an arm around her waist, stepping backwards and pulling her wih him. “Thank you, though.”
“He’ll understand.” William frowned, eyes on you. “I’ve known him for years, and he’s stubborn, but he’s not … unreasonable.”
“We’ll see.” You laughed, scanning the crowd even though you knew Pero wasn’t going to be visible. “I might have fucked it all up, William.”
“It’s my fault.” He reached up to rub at the space between his brows. “I’m the one that accidentally printed up the wrong contract for your file at first. I should have shredded it instead of just sticking it in the pile of shit I need to get rid of, but I didn’t. If he would have just looked in the folder, he would have seen that -”
“Can’t do anything about that now.” You blinked back tears and then waved them off. “Just go. I’m fine. I’ll go and get a drink and walk around. If it gets bad enough, I’ll call an Uber and go home.” Lin wanted to say more, but instead of speaking, she let William lead her away, both of them turning away from you at the last possible second.
You watched them go until they disappeared into the crowd, and then you also stepped back from the table and headed toward the bar, weaving between people until you were able to get in line. You didn’t want to get drunk, but you thought that something weak would help - and it would give you something to do as you wandered around the party.
Sipping it as you mingled, nodding at people when you passed and even saying hello to a few people you knew, you tried to come up with a plan. Pero likely wouldn’t let you speak to him that night - and you didn’t want to try, because he was there to work. Christina and her team were paying him to complete a job, and you didn’t want to jeopardize that - or her safety.
But the longer you thought about things, the more concerned you got. If he was serious about quitting his job with William, then he’d need something else. And Christina’s offer loomed large in your mind. It would get him out of town. It would get him away from here.
When you caught sight of her stepping out from the back hallway into the party itself, your chest tightened. She looked gorgeous - a thin-strapped, figure-hugging dress molded to her body, the light catching on the shimmering gold and red accents sewn throughout.
It had taken you three years to break through Pero’s defenses based on a mutual attraction, but that had happened with very little interaction between you. If he works with her, even if nothing happens while he’s on the job, it…
You watched as she made her way through the crowd, stopping to talk to people every few feet. Two of her security team weren’t far behind, but they didn’t intervene. If that became Pero’s job, he’d have an opportunity to learn a lot about her without directly interacting. And she - even if he only told her bare minimum - would learn much more about him. It would be inevitable.
Finishing your drink, you set the empty glass down on a table with a few others and then moved to turn back the way you’d come. You were looking for a quiet corner when you heard your name. Of course. Spinning around to face her, you plastered a fake smile on your face and greeted Chrstina, hoping that all she wanted to do was say hello.
“I love your shirt.” She reached out, laying a perfectly manicured finger on your sleeve. “That color is stunning.”
“Thank you.” You didn’t know if she was making fun of you, or just trying to make conversation, but you truthfully didn’t care. “That dress is great, too. And your makeup is…” You trailed off when she frowned, glancing back over her shoulder and then staring at you. “What?”
“Did you and Tovar fight?” Your eyes widened but you didn’t have a chance to speak before she took your hand and tugged you toward an empty table. The men followed you, and you caught a glimpse of William craning his neck to see what was going on, but Christina didn’t pay attention. “I talked to him before, back in the hallway, and -”
“Do you really care?” You spat the words out and then cringed at your tone, immediately apologizing. It’s not her fault. “Yes. We did. There was a misunderstanding about the fact that William put me on their payroll for these last three events and he thought … he thought that I required payment to be around him. But the truth is that…” You looked down, feeling the tears in your eyes well up again. “I would have - and should have - done it for free.”
“So that’s why he’s suddenly interested in working for me.” She bit her lip, reaching across the table to touch your hand. “I thought he seemed upset earlier but he didn’t…” She said your name again, the sound punctuated by a sigh. “Have you talked to him? This sounds like something you could easily explain.”
“He won’t let me.” You gestured with one hand. “He left me at Lin and William’s, and came right here. He asked to be behind the scenes tonight, probably to keep himself away from the three of us.” You swiped beneath your eyes with your fingertips. “I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear this. Him asking to work for you is exactly what you’ve been hoping for.”
“I can tell my team to make him come out here.” She leaned in, smirking at you. “And then stay close to you. Force him to listen to your -”
“No.” You scoffed. “No he’d hate that. I just need five minutes. I need to explain to him that what he saw isn’t the truth and that I’d never be such an asshole. Maybe after Christmas, I can find a way to do it.”
“It’s going to be alright.” She nodded twice. “Give me one second.” She spun away from the table and headed over to where one of her security guys were. The two talked for a few seconds and then Christina turned back to look at you, waving you over. “Come with me.”
Confused, you let her lead you through the crowd and toward the back hallways. You passed Lin and William, watching as they stared at you, his brows knit in confusion. I have no idea either. You followed her down one of the hallways and into her dressing room, taking a slow look around at the space. “Why am I in here, Christina? What’s going on?”
She turned around to face you, putting both hands on her hips. “You’ll see.” She tapped her foot and glanced at the door. What is she doing? It opened nearly a minute later and you froze at the sight of Pero stepping through it.
“Christina, what do you -” He stopped when he saw you, and you watched his lip curl, the look in Pero’s eyes going hard. “No. I don’t know what she told you, but -”
“You work for me right now, right?” She stepped toward him, hands still in place. He nodded, focused on her. “Then I’m telling you that as part of your job, you will give her an opportunity to explain herself.” She lifted a hand, pointing one finger at him. “You will listen and you will keep listening until she’s finished.”
He reached up, pulling the earpiece from his ear and sticking it into his pocket. “And if I say no?” His voice was low, and you heard the defiance in it. “If I walk out of this room right now?”
“Then you’re in breach of your contract and you don’t get paid.” Curling her fingers in, she sighed and lowered her head. “Look, I’m not asking you to forgive her, that’s up to you. I’m asking you to listen before you make your decision.” She said his name, and then gestured back at you. “As much as I want you to work for me, I don’t want you to do it because you’re running from something.” You saw his jaw flex, but Pero’s expression was otherwise unreadable.
Christina didn’t say anything else, but when she reached the door, she turned to look over her shoulder at you, giving you a nod. Thank you. I owe you.
After she was gone, Pero finally turned his attention toward you, taking and then releasing a deep breath. “I will listen.” He moved to the dressing table and then leaned against it, arms crossed. “Well?”
It wasn’t much, but it was a start, and the fact that he hadn’t immediately left the room gave you hope. What can I even say? “I should have told you that William asked me the day before we went out to dinner if I wanted to be your date for these events.” You moved a little closer, perching on the back of an armchair so that you could look at him. “I should have told you that I signed a contract to work for your company. But I didn’t want you to think that the only way I wanted to be around you was if I got paid.”
He looked away, shaking his head. “I saw the contract. That is exactly what you are doing.”
“You saw the first version of the contract.” Reaching into your pocket for your phone, you quickly opened the email from William and forwarded it to him. “That was the version William considered standard for something like this. But I didn’t agree to that one. Check your email. I just sent you the one I actually signed. I’m telling you the truth. I never would have agreed to that first one.”
He clenched his jaw when he looked at you again, but after a few seconds, Pero reached into his pocket for his phone and tapped the screen a few times. You paused as he looked at the device, watching as he read what you’d sent to him while holding your breath. Will it matter? You hoped so, because you didn’t want to walk out of the room and leave Pero behind, still angry at you.
“I agreed to this because I wanted to. I wanted to spend time with you and I knew that this assignment would force it. I told you that at the beginning. The contract was stupid. But it covered all of our asses in case anything went wrong.” You twisted your fingers together. “Do you want to know what my payment for this is going to end up being?” He looked up and at you, still silent. “The cost of this shirt, a new pair of boots because the heel on the pair I was going to wear to the concert broke, and a haircut that was really only just a fucking trim, but was expensive as shit because I had to pay an emergency appointment fee to get in this close to the holidays.”
You stood up, closing the distance without crowding his space. Pero didn’t move, but the anger was gone from his expression, replaced instead with weariness.
“I’m sorry, Pero, that I made you feel like I only wanted to be around you if there was something in it for me. That’s something I specifically told William - in notes I wrote onto the first contract he showed me - that I wanted to avoid. I just wanted to get to know you, and if I’m being completely honest, the last two dates we went on were everything I could have ever asked for.” You wanted to reach for him, but knew you couldn’t. “I was really looking forward to tonight, and… and whatever happened after tonight, too.”
You closed your eyes, steeling yourself to say more.
“Don’t quit your job over this. I asked William not to tell you what we talked about and what we’d decided. It wasn’t his decision. The two of you have been friends for too long for this to be what ends that. Be as upset with me as you want, but don’t take it out on him.” You took another breath in, releasing it and hating how shaky it sounded. “I know how much your friendship with him and Lin means. I don’t want to be the thing that ruins it.”
He set his phone down on the table next to his hip and then gripped the edge of it with both hands, head tilted to the side as he eyed you. “Why did he ask you?” Him responding to you was a start, as was the tone of voice he used - soft and even, only a hint of venom. “Why you?”
“Lin mentioned it while we were shopping, and then William had me over to sort of … gauge my interest?” You frowned, thinking. “He said that he asked a few other people that you guys have worked with in the past, but they declined.” I shouldn’t say this, it’s just going to hurt him. “They said you were too difficult to deal with, and it wasn’t worth it so close to the holidays.”
That got a small, bitter smile out of him, which faded as you went on.
“And I think they both asked me because they’re not stupid. They know me and they know you, and they could tell that there was something there, even if we hadn’t done anything about it.” You stepped closer, knowing that you had to wrap it up. “And they were right. Everything that I said and did when we were together was the truth, Pero. It was real. It is real. I care about you, and I’m pretty sure you care about me, too, which makes all of this so much worse.”
You took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, giving him a chance to respond. When he didn’t, you nodded, looking down at your feet and then bringing your chin back up. This is it. What you said before you left had the potential to be the very last words you ever spoke to him. And that’s something I’ll have to live with.
“I’m really sorry, Pero. I wish I could go back and do all of this differently. I should have.” Giving him a smile, you nodded. “You deserve better than what I gave you.” There was plenty more that you wanted to tell him; part of you wanted to beg him to forgive you, even though you knew that it would make you look weak. I fucked up and I have to own it. “Goodnight, and have a good holiday.”
You turned away then, heading for the doorway and hoping to hear him say your name or ask you to stop. But he didn’t speak, and when the door clicked shut behind you, you knew it was over. The tears started falling then, and even though you also knew that you needed to move, to get back to the party and figure out how you were going to get home, you gave yourself a second to lean against the door to collect yourself, eyes closed.
He knew the truth - and had seen the contract that you’d actually signed. You didn’t expect forgiveness, but it was important to you that he had access to the relevant information and wasn’t basing his decisions off of assumptions. At least he knows it wasn’t about the money.
You steadied yourself before walking down the hallway and back toward the party, the sound of Christmas music growing louder with each step. And when you re-entered the main room, you saw that the lights had been dimmed slightly, making the twinkling holiday decorations seem brighter and casting a much more festive glow over the entire space.
It was gorgeous - the whole party was beautiful and absolutely perfect for the season, and a quick look around told you that everyone else was enjoying themselves to the fullest. Good. It’ll be good memories for all of them.
You checked your phone, groaning at the realization that an Uber would be at least 35 minutes out, and decided to make the most of the evening, even if you were alone. As you headed for the food tables, you caught sight of Lin and William, the pair wrapped up in each other as they swayed back and forth with other couples on the dance floor.
It made you smile - a legitimate one - and as you joined the short line waiting for refreshments, you tried to push the interaction with Pero out of your mind. I can’t dwell on it. Either he’ll speak to me again or he won’t, but tonight isn’t going to be the night he decides that. There’s nothing else I can do right now.
Taking your snacks and a fresh drink to one of the tall side tables, you put your back to the windows and took a look at the entire crowd, preferring to people watch instead of totally secluding yourself. There were others there by themselves - you watched them walk between tables and greet people, eyed them as they took in the decorations and overall festivities.
You wished you could join them. You wished that you felt even a sliver of the excitement you’d felt that afternoon while you got ready. Not happening. You chewed through a bite of your food, resisting the urge to start crying, and instead focused on trying to find Christina in the crowd. I need to thank her for giving me that chance before I go.
It only took you a few minutes to spot her, the woman laughing with people about thirty feet away, a drink in her hand. You kept an eye on her as you finished eating, turning away long enough to toss your empty plate into a trash can and pick up your drink, the cool surface of the glass chilling your skin despite the patterned cocktail napkin wrapped around it.
As you approached her, you expected to be stopped. But when she saw you, she excused herself from the conversation she was having and sidestepped toward you. “Well?” She sipped her own drink, wrinkling her nose at the taste. “How did it go?”
“Not as well as it could have, but at least I got to say what I needed to.” You lifted your glass, clinking the rim of it against hers. “Thank you for giving me that chance.” She nodded, her smile soft. “I’m really glad we had a chance to meet, Christina. I’m probably going to head out soon, so … good luck with the movie. And with your tour.” Her smile widened as she thanked you, and to your surprise, she then leaned in and hugged you.
“It’s going to be alright.” She murmured the words, pulling back before she spoke again. “You and Tovar will work it out. I don’t hink he’s going to work for me after all.” You hoped she was right, and that her certainty would translate to real life. “I’m going to go and get another drink. This one is watered down as fuck.” That got a laugh out of you - a genuine sound that made you tilt your head back and close your eyes. I needed that.
That conversation done, you spun back toward the bulk of the crowd and decided to see if you could pull Lin aside and tell her you were going to leave. But you didn’t see them from where you stood, even when you rose onto your tiptoes. Shit. I guess I’ll just text her.
You reached for your phone, pulling it out and unlocking it. You had no alerts or missed messages, but you also didn’t have service, thanks to the part of the building you were in - and the large number of people present. Ok, nevermind then. You put the device back and sighed. Going into the crowd it is.
But before you’d taken more than a few steps, the lights went off - and the music stopped.
You gasped at the sudden darkness, your grip on your drink loosening as it slipped from your hand and toward the floor. Whoops. It all happened in slow motion; you heard other people gasping and shouting, calling for their friends and the people they were with. Is something happening? Is this what they were worried about? I hope they can get to -
Your thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of someone crashing into you, the sudden motion causing you to stumble. “Hey, watch wh-” You didn’t get anything else out before you felt a pair of arms go around you, both of you tumbling toward the ground. But as you fell, you sucked in a breath, hands scrambling for purchase on the other person even though you knew that holding on wouldn’t do you any good.
When you hit the ground, you groaned - and so did the other person, their hold on you tightening even as pain radiated through your hip and knee. Someone screamed and you heard a loud crash, and instinctively, you turned your head inward, toward the chest of the person that held you as they rolled, keeping you beneath them. “I’ve got you.”
You gasped at the sound of the voice, and when you realized it was Pero, you clung to him even more tightly, his hold on you unyielding. He should be with Christina, not me. Why is he … The lights flickered back on - first the Christmas ones, which gave you just enough light to see Pero above you, his eyes wide. “Pero?”
His lips were parted, but he didn’t speak until the other lights went on, too, the room brighter than it had been only a few minutes earlier. “I am sorry.” He moved his head quickly from side to side. “I did not realize I was so close. I didn’t mean to knock you over.”
“You came to me instead of …” Biting your lip, you tried to calm your racing heart. “You’re here to protect -”
“I know.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “We need to get up off the floor.” He eased off of you and then reached forward to take your hand. As you rose to your feet, Pero’s grip tightened briefly, and a look of regret passed over his features. “I need to go and check on her.” You nodded, still unsure of what to say, and only a few seconds later he was gone, leaving you alone with your racing thoughts.
He’d come straight to you at the first sign of trouble, which meant that after you’d finished talking, he’d followed you out and into the party. It had been a few minutes since you’d parted ways, and that meant that he’d followed silently, but hadn’t decided whether or not to say anything to you until the lights going out had forced his hand. It doesn’t matter. Either way, he still…
You looked out and over the crowd, most people laughing as they tried to shake off the sudden distraction. No one is screaming. No one is fighting. You brushed your hands over the front of your pants and realized that when you dropped your drink, it had splashed all over them. “Shit.” You rolled your eyes and then looked around again, searching for napkins.
You didn’t want to go far, because you wanted to be easy for Pero to find. And if something’s wrong, he’ll need to find me fast. So you grabbed the nearest stack and began to blot at your legs, listening to the conversations going on around you.
No one was concerned, and if they were, they weren’t voicing it. As the music started again, and people began to get back into the swing of the party, you kept listening, even going so far as to pull your phone out and check to see if anything had popped up.
There was nothing.
But you spotted Lin from across the room and beelined it to her, cutting through the crowd as fast as you could. “Lin! Are you alright?” If William comes for her, he’ll get me out safely, too.
“William took off as soon as the lights came back on. Christina was on the other side of the room, though. I don’t … I don’t think he could have gotten to her.” There was no way Pero could have, either; but you didn’t tell her that. “What do you think happened?”
“I think they plugged in too many Christmas decorations, and the breakers couldn’t handle it.” You waved your hand in the air. “It’s business as usual again, right? If there was something bad happening, they’d be telling us what to do.” She nodded, but you could see that she was worried. I’m surprised William didn’t take her with him, or at least get her out of the crowd.
“I hope you’re right.” She hugged herself, and you put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. “How are you doing?” She leaned into you, resting her head against your shoulder. “With Tovar and everything?”
“Christina forced him to listen to me.” You sighed, letting go of her and moving to stand so that you could look at her while you spoke. “I told him the truth. Forwarded him the real contract. Told him that he shouldn’t quit because of me. He loves working with William, and I can’t be the reason he -”
“You will not be the reason I quit.” You shivered at the sound of his voice, both you and Lin turning toward it. “I overreacted. You and William will not be getting rid of me that easily, Lin-Mae.”
“Good.” She beamed, her shoulders relaxing. “There is no replacement for you, Tovar.”
“William is back with Christina’s team. He sent me out here to get you.” He looked between you. “She will not be coming back out tonight, so we are no longer required.” Oh. We’re done? That’s… a good thing. “Everyone is safe. The power outage was not related to anything dangerous.” Good. That’s good.
Lin stepped forward, clearly anxious to get to William, but after she took a few steps, she turned back to look at you. “Are you coming?” Despite the fact that you’d ridden over with the two of them, you didn’t need to go back the same way. Even though my car’s there. I’ll just get it tomorrow or something.
“I’ll just Uber home, Lin. It …” You trailed off as you watched Pero extend his hand, waiting for you to take it. “Pero?”
“We need to talk. I will drive you.” It felt like a crushing weight was lifted from your chest at his words, and even though you were looking at him, you saw Lin’s smile widen, her excitement almost tangible. “If you want.”
“OK.” Your heart thumping against your ribcage, you nodded. “Yeah.”
It only took them a little while to wrap things up with Christina’s team, and while they did that, you waited with Lin, lounging on the furniture that had been set up in the center of the room. Christina’s was a lifestyle that you didn’t know if you could get used to, but you had to admit that the comfort - and organization - were nice. Especially since someone else handles so much of it.
Lin hadn’t tried to talk to you about Pero. Instead, she went over the things she needed to do for the following day, typing out a list on her phone while you gave her a few reminders and pretended you weren’t still anxious about what was going to happen after you left the venue. You watched Pero out of the corner of your eye, keeping track of where in the room he was - and what he and William were doing.
Christina wasn’t there - and neither were half of her security, so you assumed that she’d already left and was headed home to her own holiday celebration. I wonder if she’s sad she didn’t get to say goodbye.
“They are coming.” Lin murmured the words, pointing. “I think we are done.” You looked up, too, watching as Pero and William headed toward you, the men deep in conversation. It was a good sign, especially considering the way that they’d left things earlier that night. They paused a few feet away and you watched as Pero rubbed at the back of his neck, shaking his head while they continued to speak.
But they parted with a laugh, William reaching out to squeeze Pero’s shoulder before they turned toward you. “We can leave.” William waved a hand in the air. “We’re officially done. There’s still a couple hours of the party left, but -”
“No, we need to go.” Lin stood, smoothing down her dress. “I can start cooking tonight.” She looked between them and then focused on Pero. “Will you still come to dinner tomorrow? We’re going to have plenty of food, I planned on you eating most of it.” That got a small smile - and a single nod - out of him, but Lin wasn’t done. “And you?” She put her hand on her hip. “You’re still -”
“We’ll see.” You briefly closed your eyes, unwilling to get too far ahead of yourself. “I’d like to, but it depends. I don’t want to make anything uncomfortable, Lin. It -”
“You won’t.” Pero said your name, pulling your attention from your friend. “No one has to change plans.” You felt yourself growing more hopeful by the minute, and when the four of you split up - thanks to Pero having parked in the back since he’d arrived early - that feeling remained.
He didn’t take your hand again as you walked through the windswept parking lot, the chilly air making you shiver. And he didn’t speak again until you were both sitting and buckled in, the heater on low as he gave the car a chance to warm up. “We can go and get your car now, or I can take you later. I don’t want to have this conversation in a parking lot.”
You thought for a few seconds and then turned your head to look at him, decision made. “Your house is closer. If I need to, I can take an Uber to pick it up when we’re done, or just get it tomorrow. I’m sure Lin won’t mind coming to get me, it -”
“No Uber. I will take you.” He gripped the steering wheel with both hands and then sighed. “Did you eat tonight? Would you like me to stop somewhere? I don’t know what’s open, but -”
“I’m good.” You resisted the urge to touch his knee as you spoke, instead keeping your hands in your lap. “But if you need to stop, you can.” He nodded and then backed out of the parking spot, heading for the exit. It was important that you let Pero lead the conversation, and you didn’t want to talk just to fill the time. Instead, you reached forward and turned the radio on low, just so you weren’t sitting in complete silence.
While you drove, you tried to figure out where Pero would stop - if anywhere. Most of the places you passed were closed, and you frowned at the sight of the dark, empty buildings. But only a few blocks from his house, Pero pulled into the parking lot of a gas station that also served food. “Do you want anything?” You told him no, keeping your eyes on the windshield. It stunned you when you felt his hand land on yours, Pero asking you to look at him without pulling it away. “I am…” He floundered there, frowning as his eyes narrowed. “Fuck. We should just go back to my -”
“Pero, no.” You settled your other hand atop his. “Go get food. We’re here. You’re hungry. It’s fine. I promise.” He agreed and kept his eyes on you for a few seconds before he swore under his breath and got out of the car, leaving you in the semi-darkness as he strode toward the front doors.
As soon as he was out of sight, you put your face in your hands and took a deep, shuddering breath. It was awkward between you - there was no denying it. But it wasn’t an angry or distant awkwardness. Instead, it was a tense one, both of you unsure what the next - or best - thing to say or do was.
While he was inside, you texted Lin and told her the plan, letting her know that you’d be getting your car later, but that if she needed to move it from the street, she could. You were thankful that you’d given her a spare set of keys to both your house and your vehicle, but you didn’t think she’d ever need to use them. I’m sure our conversation won’t be long. Just … the basics.
She sent back a thumbs up emoji and told you good luck, and just before you tucked your phone back into your bag, a message from Pero popped up.
It might be a few minutes. There is a line.
Smiling, you typed back.
Not surprised, it’s the only place open. Don’t worry about me.
While you waited, you rested your elbow against the window, chin settled on your hand. You hadn’t expected to end the night with Pero. And you’d expected even less for him to have confirmed with Lin and William that spending part of the following day together would be possible, either. That means he thinks this conversation is going to go well. You bit your lip, watching as a woman and a child crossed the parking lot. So that’s something to keep in mind, too.
A few more minutes went by, and you saw a few people walk out of the gas station, though Pero wasn’t one of them. You contemplated texting again, but didn’t want to seem pushy or impatient, and so you didn’t. Instead, you pulled your phone back out and opened up Tao Tei Solitaire, distracting yourself with the game.
Pero pulling the door open took you by surprise, as did the sound of his grumbling while he dropped into the seat and reached over to hand you a heavy bag. “Jesus, Pero. Did you buy the whole store?”
“I figured if I was going to spend as much fucking time in there as I just did, I was going to make it worth my while.” He sighed and then clicked his tongue, gesturing with his hand at the bag you held. “I bought you some things too. I got bored while I waited. If you do not eat them, I will.”
“Thank you.” Resisting the urge to peek, you instead held the bag tightly, biting the inside of your cheek. You were still getting to know him, but you were absolutely certain that Pero’s love language was food. And if he bought me food, then that means he was thinking of me and if he was thinking of me without being pissed, then …
When you pulled into his driveway, Pero opened the garage door and parked there. He got out of the car before you could and then leaned back in, reaching for the bag. Handing it over, you followed him inside and hung back a few steps while he set it on the kitchen counter and then took his shoes off, each motion methodical. “Follow me.” You also removed your boots and then trailed after him and into the living room, taking a seat on the couch - much like you’d done the last time you visited.
Silence followed, and even though you didn’t want to be the one that broke it, the longer it lingered, the more certain you became that you needed to - because he wasn’t. “Pero, I think …” Taking a deep breath, you went on. “I need to tell you again that I’m sorry, both for not telling you what I was doing and for agreeing to do it in the first place. When you asked me to be your fake date after the restaurant, I should have just left it at that. I didn’t need to -”
“You did.” He sighed, shaking his head as he looked down. “And tonight was a perfect example of that.” He gestured to your leg. “If you’d gotten hurt when I collided with you, as a contract employee, you could have gotten medical attention and not been responsible for the cost. If something had happened at the concert, the same would have been true. I should have thought of asking William to put you on the payroll, but I didn’t… because I didn’t want you to think that it was just work for me.”
He looked over at you, giving you a sad smile as he finished. We both had the same thought. “I wouldn’t have.” You held your hand out and he took it, linking your fingers together. “I’m not sure if he still has it, but I wrote a bunch of notes out on the first version of that contract, Pero. I flat out told William that I’d do the job for free if it meant getting to spend time with you. But I knew that having some sort of payment would make it look more legitimate, so that’s why I agreed to what I did.” His thumb moved in a slow circle over your knuckle. “I just wanted to spend time with you. I still do. And now I want that more than I did two weeks ago.”
There was a risk with being so honest with him, especially after the earlier misunderstanding. But I have to try.
“When I saw those papers earlier? And read your name and the amount on the line? It hurt. I was not angry, I -” He paused, thinking. “No. I was angry, but it was more than that.” He scooted closer. “I should not have made the comparison between you accepting this job and women that are paid to date men like me. I am sorry for that, because it is not the same.”
“Pero, you don’t -” He squeezed your hand, his head whipping back and forth.
“No. Let me apologize. I do not do it often, so…” That made you smile, but you only nodded in acknowledgement and waited for him to continue. “I should have trusted you. I should have listened to you and William, given you a chance to explain.” He sighed. “I will next time.”
“Next time?” You cocked your head to the side. “What’s next time?”
“I’m sure this won’t be the only thing we ever fight about.” His lips twitched as he held back a smile, and you heard the shift in his voice from apologetic to hopeful, your lips parting at the sound. “I told you before… I’m not good at this. I’m quick to judge and terrible with trusting people. I do not understand why someone like you who is none of those things would go to so much trouble for someone like me.”
“Because I care about you.” Fuck it. Not touching him is … Reaching up, you cupped his cheek with one hand. “Because I want to.” You paused and considered your next words, inhaling deeply before you released your breath and nodded. Here we go. “Because I want you, and I need you to believe it.”
The confession hung between you, and as you waited for Pero’s response, you wondered if you’d overstepped. I hope not. “We wasted so much time. I wasted so much time.” He looked away briefly, shoulders rising and falling with a deep sigh. “I was so afraid of getting hurt that I didn’t even want to give it a chance to happen.” He leaned in, eyes locked with yours. “It was a mistake.”
“Pero.” He reached up and covered your hand with his before moving it down to encircle your wrist with his fingers. “What are -”
“I am going to kiss you now.” He narrowed his eyes. “Unless you don’t want me to… and I don’t want anything in my way.”
“I want you to.” Your heartbeat was racing, and even though you were certain, your reply came out shaky. “I really want -”
He didn’t let you finish.
Pero leaned the rest of the way in and slotted his lips against yours, his hold on your wrist tightening at the same time your grip on his hand did, too. There was no time to truly enjoy it, though, because he sat back up and sighed, settling your hands against his thighs. “I can take you back to your car now, if you want.” He tilted his head to the side. “I’m sure you want to go home.”
“You trying to kick me out already?” You bit down on the inside of your lip, thinking. “It’s still early, and I’ve got nothing to do until dinner with the Garins tomorrow.” His eyebrows shot up, Pero watching you with curiosity. “After earlier, I wasn’t going to go so that you could.”
“We should go together.” He hummed, nodding. “Your house is on the way.” It is, but…
“Are you suggesting you pick me up tomorrow, or suggesting that we make a stop there tomorrow so that I can change clothes?” Just say it, you’re already halfway there. “Because I’d be open to either, Pero. But these pants aren’t as comfortable to sleep in as my jeans, and they smell like alcohol.”
“You could always take them off.” He smirked then, Pero straightening his shoulders. “Or I could help you do it.” He wrinkled his nose when he finished and then rolled his eyes. “That sounded so much better in my head. Fuck I am bad at this.”
“You’re not.” You stood, pulling on his hands to urge him to stand with you. “It’s actually kind of refreshing to have you be a little awkward about it, to be honest. I’d rather it be this way than have you so confident with your pick up lines that it feels routine.” He looked relieved at that, and when Pero slipped his hands free, you let him, moving yours to his waist. “If you ask me to spend the night with you, I’ll say yes.”
It took him a few seconds to reply. You didn’t know if he was processing your words or trying to make up his mind, but whatever it was, you knew the moment that he’d come to a decision, because you saw the change in his demeanor. “I would like you to stay.” He took a breath, his hands sliding up your arms slowly. “And I don’t mean on the couch.”
“Then you should probably eat, Pero.” You winked at him. “Wouldn’t want your growly stomach to interrupt anything.”
... I think you all know where this is going.