Page 56 of One Bossy Date
“Yeah, yeah, you were.”
Inside, we sat at a corner table with our iced coffees. His black, mine with almond milk and sugar.
“So…tell me about your work,” I said, realizing that I actually knew very little about him.
He sat back and grew serious. “I’ve got a very important presentation coming up.”
“You do? What’s it for?”
“It’s a proposal my team and I are putting together. I’m trying to get property investors interested in green construction.”
“Wow, cool.” I lifted my eyebrows. “How does that even work?”
He chuckled. “I’ve got a whole presentation that explains it quite well.”
Nodding, I smiled. “Touché.”
“In a nutshell. We reuse material as much as we can—recycle building components and source everything locally. Chile is rich in mineral resources, especially copper. The country’s mines produce more copper than any others, roughly over five million metric tons per year. That’s a lot.”
I sipped from my straw, watching him talk collectedly about his work. “How did you decide to go that route?”
“I started implementing this method in South America a few years ago.”
“South America?”
“Yeah, mostly in Chile. That’s where I was before my dad died about ten months ago. I’ve got my own company there.”
“Oh, and then you had to return to the States to take over the company here?”
He nodded. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“Unfortunately? So, you didn’t want to come back?”
Tipping his head to the side, he seemed to ponder his answer. “It’s always good to come home to see my family. My dad and I grew apart, but he supported me following my dreams. I wanted to be here for the funeral, for my mom, and for the company. Ares and Hades needed a new home since they were my dad’s. My mom claims she can’t handle two dogs.”
“Oh! Is that where they’re from? I wondered about their names…”
“Yeah, my dad took them in as rescues because he wanted to retire. They were neglected guard dogs and already had their names.”
“I see.” I nodded, smiling at the thought of the two rascals being rescued. I also felt bad for having judged Anders so harshly when I’d first heard the names.
“But, the city isn’t exactly where I want to be.” His shoulder lifted, and he snuck in a sip of coffee before continuing. “I prefer it out there in Chile, where life is slower and more meaningful. It’s a country that’s fascinating to me, due to its geographic isolation, diversity, and rich culture. Did you know that the oldest mummies in the world are from Chile, even older than the Egyptian ones?”
“By how much?”
“By two thousand years.”
“Wow.”
“It’s fascinating. It’s beautiful there. Chile is one of the best places on Earth for stargazing.”
“Oh, I love that. Looking out into the starry sky is captivating. A bit scary at times when I realize how small we humans really are. But there’s also some comfort in knowing that one’s problems won’t turn the entire universe upside down.”
“Yeah, it’s enchanting. Less humidity means better visibility, and the lower level of air pollution in Chile also plays a role. Observing the Milky Way from the Atacama Desert is incredible.”
I’d never have figured Anders as the star-gazing type. Or one to take care of his dad’s rescue dogs. I would’ve never thought they weren’t his originally—he loved them so unconditionally. How patient he’d been with my nervous self today, showing me how fun riding a motorcycle was. He was a completely different man from the one who’d stumbled into my shop on that stormy day. Or maybe not. I hadn’t bothered to look behind the grumpy façade back then.
“Now I understand why it must suck to be back here. I guess you have a lot of responsibility here too, but maybe less compared to when you’re there? No family expectations or anything to stress you out?” I thought of my own stressful family, and Anders smiled and shook his head.