While this chapter has nothing to do with the classic dance of the tango, it certainly takes two people to hold up the charade of fake dating. Whether you are seeing eye to eye, or you are at war and are doing so for the same common goal... it still takes two to carry out the plan.
For one might stumble over their words, and at least they have the other to help them out. At this point, I am beginning to understand just why Adam picked Luis to carry out his plan.
Considering Adam is the one person who knows me the best, he must have figured that pairing me up with someone who can stay calm and collected at the best of the times, would be the best partner for this dance.
The plan that Luis came up with, to wait a little while longer and emerge from our room a little disheveled was a brilliant idea that certainly solidified that we are a couple... As fake as the charade may be.
I have to admit, that he is also a pretty good actor. He plays the part of the doe-full-eyed boyfriend, so well that one might believe that he is actually an expert at the game.
There have been a few times that I have noticed him smiling at me from the corner of his eye. He actually seems to be having a ball.
As the two of us are sitting, sipping drinks with my parents at the table by the large pool, I catch another smiley gaze in my direction and can't help but smile back. Luis is sitting right beside me, my parents are across from us.
"So, Luis..." My father says, noticing this display instantly, "What are your intentions with my daughter?"
Ouch! While my mother has been talking the poor man's ear off about marriage and children, he has been diverting the conversations easily like a professional.
But there is no escape when my father asks that question... He used to be a well-respected lawyer until he became a well-respected judge.
I see another bead of sweat line the poor Hipster Blues Brother's face as he wipes it away, subtly. While the temperature is hot, there is no doubt about it, that was clearly a sweat drop of nervousness.
My father has also caught the gesture and is now awaiting his response. But, whatever his response may be, my dad's final observation will be judged on just why he is acting nervous at this point.
"My intentions?" Luis asks.
"With my daughter..." my dad replies.
Luis shuffles in his seat nervously and then looks at me as he reaches out for my hand. His eyes are pleading with me for assistance. Like I said, it takes two to tango. While Adam may have been the conspirer behind this plan, Luis and I are the dancers.
But when it comes down to it. I am the one who needs him to play along in order to save my own dignity. I cannot leave Luis stranded in the middle of the dance floor to be torn apart by my father... the judge! In turn, I take hold of his hand and smile up at him, doing my best to keep up the charade.
"You seem nervous, Luis!" My father probes, "Don't look at her... look at me, as you answer." Luis looks back at my father and as he tries to muster his confidence.
There is still a hint of nervousness in his voice as he says: "That's the thing, it takes two to tango. I only looked at her when you asked because whatever my intentions may be, it doesn't mean a thing if she doesn't feel the same way as I do. Our relationship is strictly about equality."
This has my father stumped. I can see that he wasn't expecting Luis to answer that way. Still, my dad won't back down. "I asked what your intentions are... I will ask the same of her in a minute..."
Damn, I thought Luis had that one in the bag! Still, I smile at him and then I even plant a kiss on his knuckles for moral support.
He smiles and addresses my father, "Well... if I gave you the truth in full detail, sir. I could be ruining one hell of a surprise for Nicky and I don't want to do that... Not until the time is right. But I can assure you that my intentions... well, let's just say that I'm in this for the long haul..."
Oh crap! I've forgotten how to breathe... shit! How do I breathe, again? Did he just give my parents the assumption that he wants to marry me?
It is at that point that I want to abort this mission. This is a bad plan! Adam, how the hell did I let you talk me into this?
The looks on my parent's faces are as if they have just won the lottery... Well, if they were normal people and they won the lottery. Now they are looking at me. There is an amused expression on my father's face.
"Nicole? What are your intentions with this young man?" he asks me.
My breathing, while it has returned... it has returned with a vengeance! I am actually very aware of my heart which is currently beating out of my chest.
Do you remember when I said that honesty was the best policy? Well until this moment I have always endeavored to live with that motto. I have always been so honest that sometimes it has been crippling.
Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we learn to deceive... Wasn't it even one of the ten commandments? Thau shalt not lie?
God, I don't know! I don't go to church!
But this chapter is that it takes two to tango... I will not leave him stranded like this. I look up at Luis again and then rest my head on his shoulder. I think I've surprised him with this gesture.
My mother might have told him about the time that I forgot my lines in the high school play and I had to improvise... What she left out, was that the play was a real hit!
Right now, I needed to improvise. "My intentions?" I ask, playing dumb.
My father nods so I continue with: "I love him! That thing that he said about equality, I mean that's the one reason that it has taken me so long to find someone! I agree with him. It takes two to tango."
Rewind, Nicky... Did you just say the L word?
No, I didn't...
Yeah, I think you just did!
Oh, shit! I did. They are all hanging on that word.
All of a sudden I feel cold. I'm staring down at my hands, that are still holding onto my fake boyfriend's hands.
You're in the deep end now, girl. Look up at them all and smile... Do it, now! You've come this far! You may as well bring it home!
I look up at my parents and force a smile, fortunately, my nerves do the job for me. I giggle nervously.
"I think this causes for a celebration, Di!" my father says to my mother. "Let's leave these two lovebirds alone for a little while. We have an anniversary dinner to prepare for."
The two of them stand up and leave Luis and I quietly sitting at the table alone, as they go inside. When we are sitting out of earshot, I look up at Luis ready to explain that nasty little bit of improvisation that involved the L word.
"You're actually pretty good at this," he says with a smile. "I wasn't ready to hear the L bomb just yet... but you really brought it home!"
"Oh. thank god! Because I was really freaking out back there. It's a good thing that you're gay or that could have gotten very awkward."
He kisses me on the forehead and hushes me under his breath, in case we are overheard by the gardener who is currently passing by. It is this exact moment that makes me cringe.
That's because it is the things that Luis said to my father that make me sad to think that not everybody feels that way. I mentioned earlier, that so many men are offended by feminists. A lot of the time it leads to inequality in relationships.
But all anybody whose anybody really wants in a stable, supportive and loving relationship is the ability to feel like an equal to their partner.
The fact that Luis hits the nail right on the head and he is nothing more than my fake boyfriend makes it all the more frustrating and actually very sad to think about.
But, I need to shake the moment up a little. Remembering that I am wearing my matching black bra and underwear, I decide it's time to do something a little reckless.
I begin to unbutton my shirt as I get to my feet and stand in front of him.
"What are you doing?" he asks, practically looking mortified.
I have to admit, mortification on this guy really suits him.
"What does it look like?" I ask, "I'm going for a swim!" I step away from him and pull off my shirt, throwing it down on the table beside him.
"You're not wearing a bathing suit!" he says, doing his best to avert eye contact from my black lace bra.
"So?" I ask as I unbutton my jeans and step out of them, placing them on the chair where I had been sitting.
"Your parents are inside and you are about to go swimming in your underwear... Doesn't that strike you as a little bit impulsive?" he is still sitting in his seat trying to avoid looking at me altogether.
I walk toward the pool and dip my toes in to check the temperature. I call back to him. "My underwear match, relax... they could easily be mistaken for a bathing suit... and hey, some women wear less!"
Without a second thought, I jump into the water making a large enough splash to spray him from where he is sitting. I rest my elbows on the edge of the pool. "Are you coming in, lover boy?" I ask.
He raises his eyebrows at me as if I am crazy. I know that look. Nonetheless, he pulls off his shirt and his shoes and jumps into the water in his jeans.
"Seriously? You left your pants on!" I laugh at him.
"Unlike you, I'm not entirely comfortable with wearing nothing but my underwear in your parent's pool." He says as he is merely inches away from me with a large smile planted on his face.
He pushes his hair back with both his hands and there is something special, in the moment, that we share.
One thing that Adam continues to tell me, is that I have really bad gaydar. Most of the time he is right... Okay, make that one hundred percent of the time, he is right.
That is because I have a habit of falling for the unattainable. I swear that I am cursed. But there is a split second that I think that maybe Luis is not gay.
Sure, the guy can dress, he knows designers and he loves décor. He isn't even an alpha male. Not to mention that he has known Adam for a long time and Adam isn't one to lie to me.
But there is a moment where the two of us are playing in the pool. It is innocent and fun... But, it feels that there is certainly something there.
As he picks me up onto his shoulders and dunks me back into the water I let out a shrill scream and then take out my vengeance, laughing hysterically as I push his head under the water. There is most definitely something there.
Though as quickly as it appears, I shake the thought away, knowing that the only reason that I feel this way is because we are finally seeing eye to eye on something.
For the next hour, we play like children in the pool, pretending to drown each other and really just enjoying ourselves for the first time that we have known each other.
Until we are brought towels, which we drape around ourselves and go upstairs to get freshened up. Still wearing my towel over my underwear, I raid my suitcase on my bed, to find a fresh change of clothes, as he finds his own.
I pull out an elegant pink evening dress and hold it up to him to see what he thinks.
"That's pretty," he replies. "Just how many people are coming tonight?"
"Knowing my parents, there will be a few... so, wear a suit!"
He flashes me a smile as I gather up a change of underwear and prepare to leave the room and head into the adjoining bathroom.
As I go to leave, the flashing of my phone grasps my attention. I pick it up to see that I have received two messages and a missed call.
One message is from Adam:
'Hey, Nicky. Message me when you can. Love you!'
The second message is from an unsaved number:
'I managed to pull a few strings and got your car out of the impound lot. Jaime.'
I sit down on the bed beside my suitcase and my mind flashes back to the moment that I told him all about my problems. I check the missed call and sure enough, it is his number.
"Hey, are you alright?" Luis asks me.
"I'm fine! You can shower first if you like, I need to make a call."
Luis smiles over at me and then makes his way to the adjoining bathroom, closing the door behind him. I press call on Jaime's number and wait for him to pick up the phone. He picks up after the first two rings.
"Hello?" he says, clearly baffled that I am actually calling.
"Hi, Rockstar!" I say.
I hear him give a quick chuckle under his breath and then he says "Hey, yourself. Did you get my message?"
"I did... Why did you get my car out of the impound lot?" I ask, trying to sound casual but there is a stern tone to my voice that I cannot shake.
"I felt that you needed a break. It was nothing, really."
I sigh quietly, but he clearly picks up on it.
"Why? Shouldn't I have done it?" he asks, sounding apologetic.
"No, you didn't need to because I would have handled it when I got back to New York."
"I don't doubt that you would have had it handled, Nicole... But, I wanted to do something for you."
Sometimes I need to just say 'thank you' and move on. Why must I make a big deal out of everything? "We're not together, Jaime," I say.
"I know we're not. I just... I just thought that you needed a break. Look, I should go. I'm at work so I'll chat with you later, okay?" Without a further word, the phone call is over.
I bite down on my lip and don't realize that Luis never turned on the shower head until he is standing right beside me.
"Maybe I should ask again, is everything alright?" he asks me.
I look up at him. He just heard the entire conversation, so 'everything is fine' will not cut it this time.
"It's just some guy... I told him yesterday that I don't think we should be together and I found out that he just pulled some big gesture without me asking," I reply, honestly.
Luis sits down beside me, "Men, huh? What'd he do?"
I can either be open and honest about my entire life with Luis, or I can leave him in the dark. I really don't need to burden him with every issue in my life right now.
Besides, Luis is doing me a big favor as it is and we are not actually dating... So, he doesn't owe me a thing, if anything, I owe him. I shake my head, "don't worry about it. It's nothing I can't handle."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. Now, if you don't go for that shower, I am going to take one instead."
And there you have it... While the tango does take two, once again I am subconsciously trying to dance by myself.