“No. We can go over our schedules the next time I see her.” This man was so unplugged from socials he couldn’t even respond to a text message.
“Okay, but Idowant you to text me,” I said.
“Text you what?” he asked.
Hopeless man.
“Our plans,” I said. “Good nights, good mornings, and how-are-you's are nice too. Even if you see me at work, I’d still like to hear from you.”
He smiled and wrapped his arm around me. “Why? Do you miss me?”
“No.” Not desperately.
“Well, you’ve got me a little while longer.”
Right. Another month or two, he’d pretend to be mine.
He laid his head on my shoulder, his warmth weighing me down in a pleasant way. “This thing is soft,” he said.
“It’s a pillow collar,” I mumbled.
“Perfect for naps. Why don’t you ever sleep during lunch?”
“Because some loud guy keeps sitting with me.”
He chuckled and adjusted to lay his meaty palm on my leg. “I won’t bother you too much. Can I have another carrot though?”
“Sure, if it’ll keep you quiet.” I held one up and fought the urge to tap his lips with it.
“I don’t take bribes,” he said. Still, he snapped it up with his teeth.
My imagination raced with the image of him pulling at my underwear with the same blunt confidence.
I drew my fingers and my fantasy away from him.
In this little booth, Zack didn’t feel like an accessory. He wasn’t here to ward off my ex or pump up my brand. He was just my friend. Or boyfriend, at least looking from the outside in.
What would it take to make our arrangement real…and more permanent?
32
Phone A Friend
Zack and Shelby spent all week figuring out a time we could meet, and finally came up with a weekday none of us were working. He’d texted me in general besides the plan updates, though. He’d send me sunrise pictures from when he was shoveling or update me on random family things. At home, I could soak my feet and chat with him on speaker, but tonight at work, I had to sneak into the sorting area to text him at all. The blinking green light on my phone was a beacon to something wonderful. I cleared away the social app notifications and opened our texts.
I crossed my ankles to keep my thighs pressed together. I couldn’t tell if we were flirting. Even if we were, what was I going to do? Invite him to hook up in the break room? Ask him to meetme at my place for a movie? It was too risky the day before our big plans.
I chuckled and leaned on the sorting counter.
