A few minutes later, she was almost finished. I pointed out a few here and there, because I couldn’t help myself, but Elise was the master word searcher. She finished those pages in minutes.
She sighed. Then sighed again. She was stuck on “colt.” It was always the short ones that got her.
I leaned closer, and she stiffened. Her chest rose and fell more quickly.
Normally, Elise didn’t seem all that interested in my presence. At times, she appeared almost indifferent, unless I was getting on her nerves and she called me Jackson. But despite her dating frenzy, in moments like this, I wondered…
“Bottom-right corner, one row up.” I stretched, creating distance and acting like our little moment hadn’t affected me. It wouldn’t be me making a move. I was keeping that shit locked down.
Her phone beeped, and she picked it up. A wide grin split her face.
My Elise Dating Radar went on high alert. Anytime I heard that beep, my heart raced and my head pounded, as though I were having a mild panic attack. I tipped up my chin. “What’s up?”
Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the phone. “I snagged a good one.”
My jaw clenched. “I thought you were staying in tonight.”
“He works in the neighborhood, and he’s on his way here.” She hopped down from the stool, ignoring my question.
I was the emotionally locked-up one, but here I was, upset that Elise was leaving when we were just getting comfortable. I had no right. But that didn’t change my feelings.
I mentally ran though the business establishments close by. “You’re going out with a waiter? What happened to me checking your app before you date another loser?”
“This one seems fine. And he’s not a waiter; he’s a flower deliveryman,” she said brightly.
I closed my eyes and sighed. “Yeah, he sounds great.”
“Hey.” She finally looked at me. “Being a delivery person is a noble profession. What would you do without your delivery people?”
She had me there. I was on a first-name basis with the delivery woman who worked at the Chinese restaurant down the street. Not that I was deterred. “And that’s a criterion for wasting an hour you’ll never get back? What will you talk to him about?”
She shrugged. “Plants? Sophia works in green space; I’m sure there are things we can chat about.”
“Sophia is a designer with a degree.”
Elise frowned. “Don’t be an intellectual snob, Jackson. This guy seems hardworking. And he’s cute.”
I let out a pained sigh.
She checked the time. “He’ll be here in five minutes.”
The back of my neck prickled. “What? I thought you were joking. He can’t really be on his way.”
“Well, he is. So you should leave.”
Were my eyes popping out of my head? “It’s my house!”
She shrugged. “Okay, stay. He and I will leave.”
I didn’t like that any better. “Forget it. I’m going to my room. But here…” I opened the junk drawer and shoved things around until I found what I was looking for.
Elise stared at the piece of metal I handed her. “A whistle?”
“Blow it if he tries anything.” I scratched my head. “Mace would be better, but I don’t have that on hand.”
She seemed to be holding back a smile. “Do you normally keep mace around?”
“Of course not; I’m a man. I may get hit on, but no woman has overpowered me and taken advantage.”
