Page 93 of To Tango, with Desire

“How about a date? Tonight. You and me, a couple of pizzas. A chance to talk?”

He placed a gentle kiss on my nose. “Sounds perfect.”

TWENTY-FIVE

ZANE

“When was the last time you did this?”

I looked over at Amira, who was lounging on the sofa in her sweatpants and a tank top. Her hair was down, her face makeup free, and not for the first time, I was struck by her beauty. It wasn’t just the reddish hue to her hair that captivated me or her cat-like eyes that stopped my breath. It was her innate grace and goodness that struck me.

She was brave and bold. With kindness in her heart that I knew should be cherished. She didn’t do things to manipulate. Her response to what she’d learned today hadn’t been calculating. I knew that her reaction had stemmed from her desire to know the truth.

But seeing her and Kade on the sofa had struck a nerve. For a split second, I’d felt like time had reversed, that the past was playing out again like some horror flick, a special screening just to torment me.

But Amira was nothing like Chloe. I knew it as well as I knew my own name. But my heart? Fuck, my heart hadn’t quite recovered from the shock, it seemed.

“Chilling and eating pizza on the sofa,” she clarified.

I blinked, glancing back at her. Stay in the present, man. “I think it was the week after we were married. But before that? I honestly can’t remember.”

“Did you get to do much of this growing up? I mean, once your mom had settled in her job.”

“Sometimes Kade and I would have a movie night. But that was when we were younger. Before that, no. I didn’t even have a television growing up. It would always be at a neighbor’s house that I’d get to watch something. I think my mom was relieved when I would go over to hang out with Kade. It kept me off the streets. Kept me out of trouble. I think Omar and my mom bonded over being single parents. When they started dating, it felt natural.”

“I didn’t realize they were together. How old were you when they began seeing one another?”

I chewed my slice of pizza, licking at the sauce off my finger before answering. “I must have been fifteen.”

“Did you feel weird about it?”

“By that stage, we’d known Omar and Kade for a while. I saw how easy they were together, so even though I couldn’t stomach the idea of my mother dating, I knew that Omar was going to take care of her.”

“Was it odd, given she was working at the house?”

“At first, yeah. But Omar encouraged her to upskill. She began studying, part-time community college. He wanted her to get administration experience, to get a better job.”

“And did she?”

My smile was brief but heartfelt. “About six months before her heart attack, she did. She studied so hard in between working. I think, given that they were romantically involved, it felt odd for her to take a wage from him. Made things awkward.”

“I can imagine he didn’t want her to work by that stage.”

“She never confided in me about that stuff. That was her private business, but she did say Omar was encouraging her to study, to get her credentials up to scratch.”

“I’m sure she would’ve been proud of all you’ve achieved.”

I often wondered what my mother would have thought. Parisa Nasser had been a practical woman. I knew that our life, the lack of money, the hard labor, had taken its toll on her. She’d always encouraged me to work hard and not get caught in the wrong crowds. But growing up rough the way I had meant that I’d learned how to defend myself from a young age. It was either that or get your teeth kicked in.

They’d all thought that given my father had been an addict, that I was a sure bet to become one too. Even though I’d seen deals happening all around me, I’d never gotten involved. I’d learned to stay alert on the streets and to run like the wind when there was trouble. When I’d gotten older, I’d learned how to stand my ground, to defend myself when I was backed into a corner.

“I’d like to think she’d get a kick out of my success. She was a dreamer and no doubt would’ve been proud when I made my first million. Knowing her, she’d have thought trying to be a billionaire was just plain greedy. But back then, I had something to prove.” I could see the question in her eyes. “I made my billions after I broke up with Chloe.”

“I bet she’s regretting that decision.”

“Her loss.”

Amira leaned forward. “It really is.”