Me: Yes, but as a bitchy queer, I still like an argument.
Gideon: You should go to therapy for that.
Me: Touché.
I hesitated, then decided to be bold.
Me: I need your drink order, sir.
My heart jumped against my rib cage when the dots started up again.
Gideon: Triple espresso with extra cream and a shot of hazelnut.
Thank God.
Me: I’ve already inappropriately laughed, so I’m not going to comment on the sheer volume of caffeine you’re having me order for you at 7:43 in the evening. I’ll merely ask if the hazelnut syrup is enough or if you need any additional sugar.
Gideon: My caffeine consumption is between me and God. And yes, the hazelnut is sufficient.
Me: And where exactly am I bringing these drinks to?
Gideon sent me his contact card, and I realized his house was only a few blocks down.
Me: I’ll be there in a bit.
I walked up to the counter, and Josie, still feeling bad about the incident, comped the coffee and agreed to let me leave my car parked out front. Andrea joined us a few minutes later.
After hugging me, she went right to the heart of the matter. “Are you sure you want to see a guy who can’t handle dogs? You shouldn’t date a guy out of a sense of guilt.”
I shrugged. “I am genuinely gutted that I hurt him, and I’m sad we didn’t get to finish our date. Like, as dramatic as it sounds, that was the best hug I’ve ever had in my entire life.”
She went all heart eyes and reached for my arm. “Wait, do you fit against him like a puzzle piece?”
“Shut up. You read too many romance novels.”
“Oh my God! You totally fit against that mean guy like a puzzle piece.”
“Fuck off,” I grumbled, smiling as she hugged me again.
“Whatever. You love me.”
“Yes, I do. But now I’ve got to apologize to a guy who looks like he’d give Ed Gein a run for his money,” I said, then muttered to myself, “And, at some point, convince him to marry me.”
“I totally heard that, Mr. Puzzle Piece. Judi and I are going to have a girls’ sleepover since I doubt you’ll be going home,” she said, picking up Judi and giving her a snuggle.
“Ha.” I grabbed the drink from a still guilty-looking Josie.
Andrea gave me another once over. “I know you’re all hot for him, but are yousurehe’s not going to kill you?”
“Honestly, at this point, I’d kind of deserve it.”
FOUR
Gideon
Now that myheart rate had come down from the ceiling and the adrenaline dump had cleared from my blood stream, I felt like a tool for leaving the way I did. I was normally a pretty chill guy, but dogs remained a sticking point. The first thing I did when I got home was look up Alfie’s profile again and, sure enough, I’d missed it.
Right there, under family therapist, it said he was a volunteer at Little Ones Rescue. He didn’t just have a dog, which would have been hard enough, but he rescued and utilized them in his practice.
