His eyes drop to my chest and his smile widens. “Just wondering if anyone needs a motorboat?”
“You’re an animal, you know that, right?” I say, laughing. There’s something a little strange and awkward that happens to me when I realize Dex and I are kind of flirting with each other—I make this kind of snorting high-pitched nervous laugh that I have to stop by covering my mouth with my hand.
He smirks and walks away with a saunter. “Just call me back when you need one.”
Another weird snort bursts out of me. If it were anyone else but Dex, I’d probably be mortified in front of them, but it’s Dex and our Netflix binge somehow bonded us. I roll my eyes and look back at Julia. She’s still gawking at my shirt. “So, anyway. You look kind of sexy today and I have a great idea.”
“What idea is that?” I ask
“Dinner, after work. Let’s go out. I’ll have Nate call one of his friends and we can double.”
Julia’s just chock full of bad decisions lately. “I think maybe I’ll pass on dinner.” I stand up and collect the rest of my article to bring to Gail for final edits.
“Please,” she whispers with a tight flat-lipped smile that makes me sit back down.
“Julia? What’s wrong?”
She darts her eyes around quickly and sighs. “It’s just that sometimes I find Nate and I don’t talk a lot. We have sex constantly.” She twists her fingers together. “And, I like that part, but I want us to have other things in common. Please. I know he mentioned to me when he came over after work the day I took off, that he had a great friend to set you up with. He promises it won’t be drunk Henry.” She takes a sip of her tea and gives me a puppy-dog stare over the rim of her mug. “Pretty please?”
I sigh and wave a flippant hand at her. “A quick dinner. And just because I have to eat something, not because I need you or your boyfriend to set me up on a date. Again.”
She claps her hands happily, but I feel awful. Why does everyone think trapping me in an awkward social situation with someone of the opposite sex is the only way I could get a date?
For the rest of the day, I sneak glances at Dex’s desk, waiting for him to come back. I want to tell him what Julia said about Nate to see what he thinks of it, but he doesn’t come back from his fieldwork.
At five o’clock, Julia pulls on her jacket and whistles at me. “I’m running to the ladies’ room, you almost done? I told Nate 5:30.”
I nod and watch her walk away then glance at Dex’s seat one more time. Still empty. We’ve only ever corresponded through emails before, and only about work, but I decide to send him a quick text.
Jane:Hey! It was quiet without you here. Guess where I’m headed…
Dex: Strip club?
Jane: NO! Jane asked me to double with her and Nate.
Dex: Not with that drunk guy from the dinner thing, I hope?
Jane: She promised it wouldn’t be. But this is why I’m texting you: she begged me to go because she feels like her and Nate have nothing in common!
Dex: That’s not good.
Jane: Yeah, I thought that might make you smile.
Dex: Why?
Jane: Because you like her.
Dex: Yeah, she’s okay. But she makes too many fake porn sounds during sex.
Jane: LMAO
Dex: Do you think she really came?
Jane: I don’t know.
Dex: But you did, didn’t you? ;)
Jane: You are so bad.
