The Proverbial Mr. Universe (20 page)

By five in the morning Nick was in his studio. He began to mix new paint, looked at the large, blank canvas before him. He wasn’t able to muster motivation, not one ounce of inspiration to continue his work. It seemed like there was a lack of passion for his craft and a fear crept in his mind, that there was a possibility that his creativity had dried up. If that had been the case where would that leave him?

He felt his heart thump hard and closed his eyes, breathing in the air deeply. He wasn’t empty. He could sense there was so much going on in his head and in his heart … maybe he felt disconnected with himself. The only thing he had on his mind at this very moment was the brunette with the smart mouth.

He looked at his watch, wondering if Olivia would be at work by now. Maybe they could meet for lunch. After all, last night she did volunteer her number. It rang three times and went to her voice mail. He hated talking to a machine. His heart started to pick up the pace and his palms began to sweat.

“Ah … Hi, Olivia. It’s Nick … just calling…” he cleared his throat “…ah … I was just calling to see how you are … Anyway, call me back. It’s Nick … Bye.” He tapped his phone on his head.

Ugh, get a grip.

The phone rang and he was eager to press the answer button.

“Hey … you.”

“Hi, Nick? Sorry, I missed your call. I didn’t hear my phone ring.”

“That’s okay.” There was a short pause. “I know there’s some sort of waiting period before calling a girl after the first date … but I’m not the kind that follows the rules too well.” He paused again. “It’s just that I had such a good time last night …”

“So did I,” Olivia added. “I’m going to be at Café Orleans later on. Would you like to meet up for lunch?”

“You took the words right out of my mouth.”

“Sure, that sounds great. I’ll meet you there in half an hour?”

“Alright, sure …”

There was an awkward moment of silence. He was trying to find something clever to say to keep her on the line a little longer. He heard the sweet sound of her voice from the other end.

“So what are you doing?” she asked.

“Right now?” He looked back at the canvas that he just completed.

“Yes.”

“Well, I am talking to this incredibly beautiful girl.”

There was another long pause.

“How’s that going for you?” He could see her smile in her voice.

“Honestly, I’m so incredibly nervous …” He laughed.

“Do I make you nervous, Montgomery?”

“I …” He sighed. “You know you do.” He ran his hand back and forth through his golden hair. “I like you … and I don’t want to mess things up. I never met someone quite like you before.” He placed his hands over his eyes. Maybe it was best to reveal a little less of himself to her, but when it came to Olivia, he couldn’t help himself.

“Oh, that’s so cliché …”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, that’s the sort of thing you say to a person when you’re first getting to know them. You always think they are different and unique … until you find out they’re not.”

“Are you always this pessimistic?”

“I’m a realist.”

“You had to go and ruin the perfect moment.”

“I’m sorry, Montgomery. I just don’t want you to think that highly of me. I promise, you’ll be disappointed.”

Nick frowned at her words. It felt like Olivia was just building another wall between them. She was trying to discourage him, intentionally or not, but Nick wasn’t a guy who was scared off easily.

“I’m all kinds of imperfections,” she added.

“What, you’re not perfect? Hmmm, now this is going to be a problem,” he said, “because I only date women who are perfect.”

She laughed.

“I guess Mr. Fancy Pants really did a number on you.”

She was silent.

“Look, Olivia, imperfection is not necessarily a bad thing. Everything has an imperfection … some sort of flaw that’s always been there. If you look at it long and hard enough, at some point you’ll find it in everything. Our imperfections make us who we are … it gives us uniqueness. Personally, I think imperfections are a real and beautiful thing.”

She remained quiet, taking it in, or maybe she thought he was lame … because with Olivia he never knew which way it was going to go.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“What makes you think I’m thinking of anything?” She laughed softly.

“Oh, I could hear those wheels turning in that beautiful head of yours,” he said.

“Are you always like this?”

“Like what?”

“So … I don’t know … proverbial.”

“What can I say? I guess I have a proverbial heart.” He paused. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No. I rather like that about you. It’s just you’re …”

“What?” he said, leaning onto his desk.

“You’re not what I imagined,” she replied

“Now that’s sounds so cliché.”

“Touché.”

“So what were you expecting?”

Olivia laughed.” I don’t know. You have this raw edge about you, but then when I talk to you, I’m surprised you’re not what I expect.”

“Yeah, well don’t be fooled by my neglected, scruffy appearance,” he said, rubbing his jaw.

“No, that’s not what I meant. You’re honest, thoughtful … a sweet guy.”

He chuckled. “Ugh, nice guy, eh? Shoot! That’s going to hurt my reputation.” When she didn’t make a sound on the phone, he said, “Listen, Olivia, everyone has many sides to them. One side is for everyone to see and the other parts we want to hide from the world. The side we hide, what we don’t want the world to see, it’s our most vulnerable side and it is our true self. Our dreams and passion our beliefs. This part of ourselves we hide because we are afraid if we show it to others, we might not be accepted by them. I guess you have a way to bringing that side of me out.”

“Surely, Montgomery, I can’t be the only girl that brought that part of you out?”

“You’re the only girl so far that I wanted to show that part of me to.”

He heard her sigh on the other end of the line. He was hoping that he somehow touched a nerve, hoped he could somehow make her understand what effect she had on him, how for a very short time she had impacted his life in the most extraordinary way … that he felt alive, and that was something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Hmmm, maybe this is too soon to have this conversation, I don’t know, maybe we should talk in person. But there is something else you should know about me. You know I just recently got out of a long-term relationship, and you have to understand I don’t want to rush into another relationship.” She paused. “So I hope you can understand …”

He had expected to take things slow. Which he agreed. After all, he didn’t need another hole in his heart.

He frowned. “And since we’re being honest with one another, I have the tendency in rushing into things. That’s probably why nothing ever works out for me.” He rubbed his jaw again. “Look, my point is that maybe sometimes you can’t rush into things you want to last a lifetime.”

“Okay, Montgomery, how is this going to work? If you rush into relationships and I take thing slow … how do you suppose we will ever find ourselves on the same page?”

“I guess I will have to realize that you are worth the wait, and you will have to realize that I am worth jumping in with your eyes closed. Somewhere in between is where we’ll find ourselves.”

“Y
ou’re unbelievable. It’s only been two months and you’re already sleeping with someone else,” Dario said.

An awful tightness had come over Olivia’s chest. This was just like Dario to try to hurt her with his words, but she didn’t feel the need to clarify why Nick was in her apartment. They were on their way out to dinner when Dario surprised them at her front door, claiming he needed to get something in his office. When Dario asked to speak to her in private, Nick offered to wait for her in the lobby.

“Like I said, I was on my way out …”

“What are you doing with that guy? I can’t believe you’re belittling yourself after you had someone like me.”

She crossed her arms in front of her, deciding he wasn’t worth her breath. “I don’t think it’s any of your business. Just get what you came for and go already.” Olivia walked out of the room, but Dario followed right behind her.

“I accept the fact that we are not getting back together … fine! But what do you see in that guy?” He pointed his thumb at the door, which Nick waited patiently behind.

“I don’t need you to tell me who I can or cannot see …”

“It is clear that you need someone to tell you, especially when you’re about to ruin your life.”

Olivia laughed sarcastically. “Ruin my life? Nick is a great guy, which is more than I can say about you.”

“The guy is a loser,” he said under his breath, walking back to what use to be his office. Furious, Olivia followed behind. She knew he was trying to hurt her, get her to doubt her judgment.

“He’s not a loser! You don’t even know him.”

Dario frantically looks through his drawer. “And you do? How long have you known him?”

She remained silent as the muscles of her jaw tightened.

“Just what I thought. Open your eyes, Liv. What do you think he wants from you? Can’t you see he’s just using you? He sees this place, he knows your daddy is rich. He’s only taking you for a ride …”

“Yeah, I know, right? He’s nothing like you,” she said dryly.

He studied her for a moment. She knew now that Dario was only interested in her because who her father was and where his career could go.

“I may not know him that well, but I know he’s not using me.”

“Don’t you realize people like him don’t fit in with people like us, Olivia?”

She smirked. “People like us? Well, I’m tired of people like us … guys like you …”

“Well, this might be hard for you to understand, but I still care about you. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“That’s very noble of you, since you’re the one who cheated on me.”

He threw the papers that he had in his hands back on his mahogany desk.

“I never cheated on you. How many times do I have to tell you? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“But you admitted it the other day.”

“When?”

“You said you were sorry for fucking things up.”

“Yeah, for not being a better boyfriend, but I never told you I cheated on you.”

She put her hands up. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing! It doesn’t matter to me. Just get out!” Olivia walked toward the front door. She didn’t have to subject herself to his abuse any longer. She wasn’t afraid of Dario, and she felt at ease knowing Nick was behind the door waiting. But just before Olivia got the door open, Dario placed his hand in front of her to prevent her from going.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. You’re just using him to make me jealous … you only want to get back at me for what you think I did.”

“Ha! Don’t flatter yourself,” she replied.

“I don’t care what you do in your personal life, Olivia, but this is still my home, so I appreciate it if you don’t allow him or anyone else in here again.”

Before Olivia could say anything more, Dario walked out, nudging Nick’s shoulder before continuing down the hall. She didn’t know how Nick just stood there, calmly watching Dario disappear, because his eyes told a different story. They only softened after a moment when he turned to look at her.

“Are you okay?” He walked back into the apartment.

“I’m sorry. He’s normally not so …” She rubbed her forehead.

“Asshole-ish? Don’t make excuses for him.”

“How much did you actually hear?” Olivia’s voice went up a notch.

“Enough.”

“Listen, I understand if you want to cancel our plans.”

“Why? Because of Mr. Fancy Pants? No, forget him.” Nick shook his head. “It will take more than your ex saying a few stupid words about me to ruin our night … unless you let him.”

She bit her bottom lip. “Maybe we should do this another time. I won’t be much company.”

“Well, a girl still needs to eat, right?”

Olivia knew he was going to pick up on it. She didn’t want to cancel plans; simply she didn’t want him to go. She had been so mortified and embarrass of what he might think of her to once have been associated with an ogre like Dario.