AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Stunning?” she repeated, with a self-conscious laugh. “Today is wash day, and I do not look my best. This is what I look like in my down time.” She shrugged.
“That suits you.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You don’t have to lie.”
“I meant what I said.”
“With the wild, uncombed Afro and everything?” she asked sweetly.
“You forget, I have Black sisters. Seeing your hair like that is nothing new to me. I’ve seen straight hair, curly hair, braids, and head wraps. Your natural hair is beautiful to me.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Marissa lowered her gaze.
Bruno was certain if her complexion was lighter, he’d see a blush on her cheeks.
She began to pull items from the bag. “Are you going to tell me what happened on the date?”
“Where do I begin? Casey and I had a somewhat good conversation—at first. I expected the experience to be the same as at the mixer when we seemed aligned. We connected. She had a great sense of humor. She laughed at my jokes and told some of her own.”
“I’m bracing myself for the ‘but,’” Marissa said cautiously, placing a fry between her lips.
Bruno lost his train of thought for a second. She had a full lower lip and slightly thinner upper lip. Both curved and distracting, they looked pillowy soft.
“We weren’t a good fit,” he continued.
“Could you provide more details? Did the conversation become difficult at any point? Was she rude or unfriendly? I need specifics, the way you gave me for Deanne. Not only because the information would help me narrow down the options where your future mate is concerned, but also because feedback would be beneficial for Casey, to let her know where she could improve for the next date.”
“She was neither rude nor unfriendly. Casey is a liar.”
She frowned. “What do you mean? How do you know she lied?”
Bruno relayed the examples, and her eyes widened.
“I’m sorry. She must have been trying to connect with you.”
“I believe so.”
“What else?”
“How do I say this? She was a little more aggressive than I expect or desire at this point in my life.”
“How so?”
“She told me that she swallows.”
Marissa coughed and pounded her chest.
“That was also my reaction,” Bruno said dryly.
She stared at him. “How did that come up?”
He explained the lead up to the sexual come on.
“Well, um… this is good information. I appreciate you sharing your feedback with me. I’ll be sure to convey—in the kindest way possible—your comments to Casey. I’m no longer sure if she’s the right kind of candidate for our male clients. Lying is definitely problematic. By the way, I have some bad news about Sasha,” she said, a pained expression on her face. “Her ex-fiancé came back in the picture. That was the ‘scheduling conflict.’ He wants her back, so she asked to be removed from the list.”
“Too bad.”
Was it really, though? That seemed like the right response, but Bruno wasn’t so sure. He liked Sasha well enough, but at the moment he wasn’t particularly anxious to see her again.
