I’d gotten a replyapproximately three minutes after I’d pressed send.
Molly,
I just didn’t want you to think I was trying to set you up. Iknow you hate that.
~E
I might have had aglass of wine before I responded. I also might have felt like poking the bearasusualagain.
Ezra,
I’m into grandpas. I want you to set us up. Also I’m reallyinto baked goods. So, I might just use him for his pastry connections.
MM.
He’d emailed backimmediately.
Molly,
Duly noted.
~Ezra.
I had beenirrationally disappointed with his email, expecting more from him. But then thenext day he’d sent a box from one of the coolest French bakeries in town filledwith macaroons, chocolate croissants, fruit tartlets, and several differentflavors of eclairs.
The note thataccompanied the box said,I haveconnections too, ~Ezra.
I’dgrudginglyshared with the people around me and tucked the note away in my desk. And thenspent the rest of the day trying not to overanalyze pastries.
Last Saturday, he’dsent a work-related email that required thought and effort, and a whole gamutof skills that I pretended I didn’t have during the weekend.
I’d shot back aquick email that had said:
Ezra,
Dear Mr. Workaholic,
I know you have heart palpitations when I don’t let you work,but it’s the weekend! Take a break. You deserve it. More importantly, I deserveit.
XOXO
MM.
He’d written backalmost immediately.
Molly,
There is no rest for the wicked. The weekend is when I makethe majority of my money.
~Ezra
But you do deserve a break. I’ll talk to you on Monday.Unless you wanted to stop by Bianca tonight so I can stay in business. I’llsave a table for you.
I hadn’t stopped byBianca because I didn’t think it was a real offer, even though my insides hadgone squishy and I’d been unable to stop smiling for the rest of the weekend.Plus, I knew it was almost as popular asLilou, sowalking in the door without a reservation was not even an option. I probablywould have been assassinated by vengeful foodies up in arms that I cut thewaitlist. They would have poison-darted me from the bushes.
It was now Monday.And when did Ezra email me? At 5:45 in the morning! He was crazy. Andobnoxiously adorable. And apparently had no life outside of work.
I had always foundthat an annoying quality when I’d been setup before. I didn’t understand whymen always seemed able to commit to their jobs, but not a woman. Wasn’t a loyallife partner better than paperwork or promotions or prestige? Wouldn’t theyprefer to get laid rather than meet deadlines? Wouldn’t they rather have afamily than a corner office?
