She walked into his apartment and looked around. And she had to admit, except for Leo, he had exceptional taste when it came to interior decoration.
“Nice place,” she said as she slowly walked into his living room.
“Thanks,” he said, taking her jacket.
What she didn’t know was that behind her he was looking at her perfect curves, lusting after her.
“Oh…thanks. I brought this,” she said.
“A Pinot…it will pair perfectly with what I made.”
She turned around and looked at him.
“It smells amazing…whatever it is you made.”
“Duck breast with pomegranate citrus glaze,” he said and she raised an eyebrow.
“Sounds…complicated,” Macy said turning around to look at him.
“Not at all. It is a family recipe…my grandmother used to make it for me before a big day or a test. Let’s just say it has been passed down,” he said smiling. “I’ll get the glasses.”
She nodded and leaned back on the couch as he walked to the kitchen.
“So, I hate to jump into this, but I have to ask since it has just come to my knowledge,” Macy started as he walked back to where she was.
“What has?” he asked.
“The fact that your parents are the RFH Advocates Racines.”
He exhaled loudly and shook his head. “That was something I was hoping never to discuss.”
“Are things that tough?” she asked and he sighed as he sat down. She looked at him as he poured two glasses of wine.
“My family and I…we have a strained relationship,” he started as he handed her one glass. She took it and looked around the room.
“This room screams trust fund baby, no offense,” she said.
“You really have no filters, do you?” he asked laughing and she shook her head.
“That was probably why I never got adopted.”
He laughed and she shrugged.
“Wait, you’re serious?” he asked and she nodded.
“Yes, very much, actually.”
“I’m sorry…I didn’t…I wasn’t…” he started speaking, but he just couldn’t find the right words.
“It’s okay. Really…I think I am the one who needs to watch their language.”
“Your language is just fine, Macy,” he pointed out and she sighed.
“I have no filters. You said it yourself.”
“You’re who you are and that is good enough for me,” he said as he raised his glass. “To…”
“New beginnings?” She was smiling.
He nodded.
“New beginnings.”
She took a sip of her wine as she looked at him.
“Come with me,” he said in a soft voice and she got up. She followed him to the kitchen where he had a small table all set up. “I hope you like old school RnB.”
She smiled.
Until that moment, she had not realized that he had Marvin Gaye playing in the background all this time.
“I do,” she said in a soft voice as he pulled out a chair for her. “Especially this album.”
“Really?” he asked raising an eyebrow. “You actually know what album this song is from?”
She nodded.
“I Heard it Through the Grapevine.”
He smiled. “I’m impressed,” he pointed out and she shrugged.
“Our foster parents were big fans of original Motown artists…actually, Smokey Robinson fans really. So Leo and I got to listen to a lot of Marvin Gaye and the likes growing up.”
“Leo?” he asked as he sat down across from her.
“My foster brother…my best friend. Roommate…” Her voice trailed off as she picked up her fork. “He is the closest thing I’ve got to a brother. He is actually the only family I’ve got.”
Victor looked at her and took a bite of his food.
“Tell me about it. Your childhood,” he said and she shrugged.
“There isn’t much to tell really.”
“Then tell me the little there is to tell.”
She took a bite of her food and looked at him. He was actually quite the chef.
“This is amazing,” she said and he smiled.
“I wish I could take the credit, but like I told you, it’s an old family recipe.” He took another bite. “You were telling me about you and Leo.”
She nodded and took a long deep breath.
“I never met my birth parents. For as long as I remember, I was in the foster care system. And it was hard especially in the group home until Leo came over.” She smiled. “He was obnoxious as far as most people were concerned, but to me he was just a strongly opinionated person. Maybe he had some attitude but that’s just him. That’s his personality and we just…clicked. Me being this socially awkward girl and him being this talented loud little artistic boy.”
“So, Leo’s some kind of artist?” he asked and she nodded.
“Yeah. He has been ever since I knew him….he began sketching this amazing pieces some years back and I asked him to get someone to look at his work.” She took another bite. “He is a jewelry designer.”
“A jewelry designer, huh? Sounds interesting.”
“It is…I’m actually wearing one of his pieces right now,” she said gesturing at her silver chain with an infinity pendant. It was a simple design, but the way Leo had designed the piece was made to look like a rustic piece of jewelry from a museum, an artefact.
“He is good.”
“Yeah, he is. He is still struggling to make things work with the fashion industry.” She took another bite.
“And how is that going?” he asked and she smiled.
“Progress is slow but steady.”
“Good for him,” Victor said nodding. “Sounds exciting.”
“It is.”
“So let me get this straight,” he started as she took a sip of her wine. “You are a bus driver and he works in the fashion industry?”
She smiled.
“He has been trying to get me to leave that job for the longest time. But,” she shrugged. “I like what I do. It’s simple and firefighting is the perfect way for me to give back to the community.”
“That’s why you volunteer with SFFD? To give back?” he asked and she shrugged.
“Well, I am most definitely not doing it for the money if that’s what you’re asking.”
He laughed as she reached for her glass one more time. She took a sip and looked at him over her glass.