Iris opens her mouth and then closes it. I can see the indecision all over her face.
“What is it?” I ask.
“I was just about to ask you a dumb question, but then I remembered the answer.”
“Right…”
Iris doesn’t ask dumb questions. She never has.
What was it she was going to say?
“All right, I better get back to my office. You know where to find me if you need me,” she says as she gets up.
“Later,” I say absentmindedly.
As she walks out the door, my mind starts to spiral.
What the hell is going on with Iris?
I swear, lately it’s as if I don’t know her. Iris and I have never kept secrets from each other. We’ve only ever been open and told each other everything. At the end of the day, she’s my person. She’s the one who never drains my battery. When we aren’t together, I’m constantly thinking about her and wondering what she’s doing. I have to stop myself from picking up my phone and calling her at the end of the day once we’ve gone our separate ways, just because I want to hear her voice.
But now she’s dating and keeping secrets. I fucking hate it.
I want to ask her what’s wrong. I want to beg her to confide in me like she used to, but I can’t. I can’t push her.
Which means my hands are tied.
My phone rings across the room, pulling me out of my thoughts. Standing, I walk across the room.
“This is Max,” I say as I pick up the phone.
Work. I need to focus on that and nothing else.
Chapter
Five
IRIS
“Areyou sure you don’t want dessert?” Ivan asks me once more.
I know he is clinging to this date for some reason, but the chemistry isn’t there. He isn’t the man for me. Not only does he seem to be intimidated by my position at work, but he has nervously chattered on and on about his pet bearded dragon all night.
I don’t mind him being nervous, but I already know lizards are a hard no for me. He would never get rid of his lizard, and I would never ask him to, but I can’t be around them. They are one of my biggest fears.
Give me a spider any day. It’s a no on any reptiles.
“I really should be going. I have an early meeting. It was lovely to meet you, though,” I tell him as I leave my napkin on the table and stand.
“I can walk you to your car,” he tells me as he rushes to stand, knocking the table.
I feel bad for the guy. I want to like him. I really do, but I don’t, and I can’t change that.
“Ivan, you are a sweet guy. You are going to make a wonderful boyfriend one day, but be honest with me. Do you even like me? Like as more than a friend,” I clarify when I see him poised to say yes.
He thinks it over for a second before he shakes his head no.
“Exactly. This was a great date. It has nothing to do with you or me. We just aren’t compatible. Now I am going to put some money down on the table to cover my half of the bill because I don’t want you to pay for me when this felt more like friends. I want you to go home and cuddle with Lizzy.” I suppress the shudder at his bearded dragon’s name. “She probably misses you. One day, you will meet a girl who will love Lizzy as much as you do. Keep trying and don’t get discouraged.”
