A Fare To Remember_ Just Whistle_Driven - Vicki Lewis Thompson [43]
“If I promise to buy a dozen every Friday, will you teach me?”
The banter lasted until a few other customers showed up, leaving Mario and Rachel to shuffle over to a nearby mailbox, where they perched their coffees and enjoyed their familiar early-morning conversation as the city that never slept fully embraced being awake. Honking horns, blaring sirens and the rumble of a million commuters provided the background music Rachel dearly loved. Mario worked the night shift, but on his way home, he nearly always stopped by to see Iris as she was opening and would oftentimes pick up one last fare from in front of Rachel’s building on his way back to Brooklyn. More often than not lately, that fare was Roman. And chatty as Mario was, Rachel realized that he might have some elusive information about her mysterious lover.
Question was, would he share?
“So, Mario. Where did Roman go this morning?”
He eyed her suspiciously. “Some meeting Uptown.”
She knew that already. “Where Uptown?”
“You want the specific address?”
She shrugged indecisively.
“He had me drop him off just north of Central Park.”
Mario’s voice dipped a bit. They weren’t best buddies or anything, but Rachel knew a dodge when she heard one. “Dropped him off? Not at a specific building?”
Mario pursed his lips. His eyes narrowed and he scrunched his bushy, salt-and-pepper eyebrows over his kind, but shrewd, brown eyes. “Why you asking so many questions all of a sudden?”
She expelled a breath, not realizing she was holding the air so tight in her chest. “Roman and I have been seeing each other for almost four months, Mario, but I don’t know a thing about him. He’s so secretive. Guarded.”
“This didn’t bother you before,” he said, grabbing his coffee cup again and downing the last of the potent brew.
Rachel took another ravenous bite of her breakfast. “It bothers me now,” she replied, her mouth overstuffed.
Mario grinned. “Things getting serious?”
Rachel nearly choked. “No!”
Liar. Liar, liar, liar! Truth was, Roman had been around too much lately. Before, he’d come and go with such irregularity, Rachel hadn’t invested much in him or their interactions. Naturally free-spirited, she hadn’t craved commitment and consistency from the men in her life. Not, at least, until Roman started showing up more often. Now she couldn’t seem to take her mind off him.
Mario’s doubtful gaze forced her to amend her denial. “How can things get serious if I don’t know anything about him?”
“Did you ask him?”
She rolled her eyes. Of course she’d asked. Roman simply had very persuasive means of turning her attention to other matters. Like sex.
“He’s elusive,” she replied.
“Elusive? The last thing you need is a guy with something to hide. Dump him,” Mario offered.
“Just like that?” Rachel couldn’t believe she was objecting. She’d kicked other guys out of her life for lesser crimes than keeping their personal information close to the vest. “What do you know that you’re not telling me?”
“Nothing. I just think you should cut your losses before you get hurt if this Roman ain’t being straight. There are a lot of great guys out there, Rachel. Maybe you need a little help finding one.”
Rachel frowned. Mario had a reputation for matchmaking, but so far, he hadn’t attempted to work his magic on her.
“I’ve never had trouble finding men, Mario, but thanks for the offer.” She finished up her pastry, her mood dampened. “I can’t believe you think I should dump a perfectly amazing guy just because he won’t tell me details about where he grew up or where his parents live now or what company he’s currently working for as a media consultant.”
Mario shook his head. “Guys who are so secretive usually have something big to hide. Maybe he’s married.”
Rachel swallowed and the light and flaky meat pastelito thunked to the pit of her stomach. “He’s not.”
“You know that for sure?”
“It’s one of the few questions he’s given me a straight answer to. I don’t think Roman lies. I think he avoids telling me more than he thinks I need to know.”
“And that’s not good enough anymore?”
Rachel