He looked like he wanted to ask something, but after a moment he took a sip of champagne and shook his head. “No, I’m driving down to the city tomorrow, since I don’t have more classes for the rest of the week. My mom always makes this traditional Haitian dish called Soup Joumou this time of the year to mark the start of the Holiday season. Soup Joumou is traditionally made on New Year’s Day to celebrate Haitian Independence Day, but at some point in college my mom started making it in the fall. All the guys and their families go.”

I assumed by guys he meant his three best friends, Nesto, Camilo and Juan Pablo. They’d all grown up together in the Bronx and now Patrice and Nesto had coincidentally ended up here, but the other two were still in New York.

I looked over at him and smiled, noticing that his expression lightened just from the mention of his friends. “Sounds like fun. Are you staying for the whole weekend?”

He stood up and grabbed this plate as he answered me. I guess we were wrapping up the evening. “I’ll be back Saturday.” He extended the hand with which he held the plate. “This was great. Thanks for the food and the wine. I would’ve probably just caved in and had a burrito for dinner.” He made a face and winked at me, and my dumb heart wanted to burst just from that.

I stood with my plate and walked with him to the kitchen. “It was nothing. I was glad to have someone to eat with. Most nights I just eat standing up in the kitchen. It was nice to set the table.”

He leaned against the kitchen counter, once we’d cleaned up and I sat down on the island right across from him. I was intensely aware of his body. Then again, I was always hyperaware of Patrice whenever he was in the room.

We were so close, but I could not touch. I was practically vibrating with the need to run my hands over his chest. To kiss and nip at his skin like I’d done before. I had to close my hands into fists, because the temptation was almost overwhelming. After a moment I cleared my throat to say something, anything, to break this tension.

“So will you stay with your parents when you go to the city?”