"Yeah, you need to get that," she said, pinching her fingers on the screen to zoom in. "That's a good one. It's halfway to his knee."
"Mhmm." Nodding, I toggled back to his message.
Mr. Nine: See? No exaggeration.
Magnolia: Thanks for keeping it classy.
Mr. Nine: That's how I roll, lady.
Magnolia: I like how you roll.
Mr. Nine: Yeah?
Magnolia: Yeah…maybe we could get coffee or something.
Mr. Nine: Come on. Come on!
Magnolia: What? Isn't that what you want?
Mr. Nine: Coffee? No, lady. I don't want coffee.
Magnolia: Oh. Okay.
Magnolia: Listen, I'm not down for a hookup. Sorry, no. I want to have a clothed conversation out in public, preferably with food and drink as a means of distraction and self-defense.
Mr. Nine: Oh my god. You thought I was asking to skip the coffee and go straight to sex.
Mr. Nine: Facepalm.
Mr. Nine: No. I meant I'm good for more than a beverage. Let me buy you a meal. Food on a real plate and a beverage or two. Real knives to stab me with, should it come to that.
Mr. Nine: It won't come to that, I swear.
Mr. Nine: I'm good for a lot more than a dinner and drinks but let's start with the real plates.
"Do it,"Andy ordered. "Say yes and tell him you're free on Thursday."
"Why Thursday?"
"Thursday because it gives you two days to prepare and him two days of anticipation, and if it goes well, you can make weekend plans. Friday is too much pressure, Wednesday is tomorrow and that's just too quick, and any other option is too distant. You'll lose momentum if you wait until next week."
"Goddamn," I muttered. "You are gifted."
She shook her head. "Exceedingly strategic." She glanced at my phone. "Thursday. Book it."
Magnolia: How does Thursday sound?
Mr. Nine: Like I'll be seeing you.
Magnolia: Yeah. You will.
Magnolia: For coffee.
Magnolia: Or something like that.
Mr. Nine: Oh, really?
Mr. Nine: You're back on that bullshit?
