"Mmmm.I didn't know that."Then she shakes her head."I don't know."
"Hear me out."I hug her to me.
"I'm not administrator material."She shakes her head.
I laugh at that truth."Hear me out."
"Ok.Ok.I'll hold my tongue until you're done."
"Thank you!"I say sarcastically, and she jabs my ribs."This place is going to be ideal for what we want to do."I muse.
"Sounds like it."
"Maria, do you know where our office is located now?"I look down at her.
"You know?I don't."She confesses.
I give her the street address."It's about five blocks south and twenty blocks west.It's right in the middle of everything, and the foot traffic is incredible, but it's not a great location for a business like mine that operates with a measure of privacy.Plus, it's only one story and not large enough for all the offices a conglomeration the size of my organization needs."I muse."I could try to buy or rent the air space above it and expand, but this place is actually perfect for what I need."
"That's good."She remarks.
I smile."I've been thinking about moving here for a year now, and in that time, I kept wondering, 'what am I going to do with this prime piece of real estate?'"
She laughs."Where are you going with this story?Don't you have a hot date to get to?"
I chuckle."Yes, I do."I turn her to face me, take both of her hands in mine, and stare into her face."Maria, I want you to open your restaurant there."
She blinks.Then blinks again.Then again."What did you just say?"
"I want you to open your restaurant there."
"My restaurant?Like my dream restaurant?"
I turn my face slowly away but watch her closely."Yes.Your dream restaurant."
She falls into my arms, wraps hers around my waist, buries her face against my chest, and tries to squeeze the breath from my torso."I thought you were going to ask me to open a soup kitchen in it!Oh wow!I don't know what to say."
"Say yes."
She chuckles."Yes, of course!"She squeezes me again, and lets go, smiling the biggest brightest smile.
"Good!"I grin back."Do you want to go tour it?"
"Sure do!"She turns and heads for the front door, then she stops and says."But you said I would have an office here too.Why was that?"
"I was hoping you would take over the meal planning for the soup kitchens as well."
She cuts her eyes at me, knowing I just tricked her and obligated her.She shoves me hard, and I stumble."I would be honored to!"Then she grabs me, pulls me back, and drapes my arm over her shoulder again.We stroll out to our parked cars, with her discussing too many things at once.
"Want to ride with me, so you can keep talking?"I tease her.
"No way!I'll drive myself.As soon as we've finished, I'm heading straight to the grocery store to tell Trent!"
I open her car door, and my phone vibrates with a text.
Alfred here.Your requested update is ready.
Go ahead.
