It’s unlike me to not be connected to my inbox throughout the day.
There’s a quick note from Royce saying he’s finalizing details for our meeting, and he’ll call when he’s sure.
Part of me wishes the meeting would fall through. Whenever I think of Royce, I picture the sloppy-drunk version. We all have our bad nights but it seems like quite the move at a work event. I closed my laptop for the night and called Viv.
Our check-in turned into hours on FaceTime. I might’ve lost sleep, but it’s one of my favorite ways to pass time.
She told me about her most recent dating disasters. A man who couldn’t stop saying bro, from last week, and a woman who spoke in baby talk this week. I don’t know which is worse. I can always count on Viv to have some wild story about something that happened to her. Only Viv would have interactions like this.
Sometimes I’m jealous of how Viv approaches dating. She’s confidentand cool and able to talk with anyone. I envy how she doesn’t beat herself up when it doesn’t work out. She’s excited for opportunities and getting back out there, no matter the most recent disaster.
Actually, I’m jealous of how she approaches life. She seems to rarely second guess her decisions or plans. She doesn’t seem to overthink or run through all the possibilities of what could go utterly and terribly wrong. I wonder what that’s like.
I would have no idea what to do with my brain if it wasn’t for running through fake scenarios whenever I had a moment of downtime.
We also may have found a way to salvage our vacation. Well, sort of. She’s going to try to reschedule her flight and stay here at the lodge for a couple of days. It’s far from our ideal vacation but it would give us the chance to spend some time together. It might only be for a day or two but that’s better than nothing. I make a mental note to check with Bea on a possible room.
After eating a “decent breakfast,” in Holland’s term, I do some light stretching. He told me to eat more than I would on a typical morning. You don’t have to tell me twice. I’m ready to carb up for this hike/walk. No matter the nerves, I’m looking forward to moving my body. I’m used to taking a spin class almost every day and the lack of movement has made my muscles tight.
As I stretch, my mind goes over what I should expect for today. I looked up as much as I could about hiking this specific trail. And everything I found echoed Holland—it’s almost a walk, and perfect for beginners. Seems like, overall, that hiking is walking with different levels of roadblocks and difficulty.
I check the weather a final time and change into my hiking attire. I grab everything Holland asked me to bring and check them off in my notes app.
I head down to the lobby a few minutes early to chat with Bea.
“Miss Ivy! Look at you,” she squeals. This woman always seems to seeme first.
“Do I look the part?” I do a quick spin.
“You look very outdoorsy!” She beams.
“Can you do me a favor? I have a friend who might make a last-minute trip out while I’m here. Do you have any available rooms?” I’m not sure what my expectations are. This place is buzzing with people. Holland mentioned multiple events this week. Even if they don’t have any open rooms, Viv could stay with me.
“We for sure will have a room for them! Is this a girlfriend or a loverrrr?” She says lover in a fifth-grade teasing sort of way. She’s a bit nosy but I kind of love it. She’s funny. Wholesome. But nosy.
I notice a small gold clip in her hair that looks like a dragonfly. How many themed hair accessories does she have?
“A girlfriend, not a lover. My best friend and I were supposed to go on vacation, but I had something come up for work at the last minute.” I give her a little more info.
“I’m sorry you’re missing your vacation. Working is just one part of this crazy life. Make sure to have some fun.” She nods to the door.
Holland is a few steps into the lobby. He’s wearing a gray form-fitting long-sleeve shirt and navy shorts. My eyes drink him in from top to bottom. I blame it on his shirt choice showing specific bulges, dips, and details. It’s also the first time I’ve seen him out of a flannel button up.
“Hello?” Holland interrupts my mental checking-him-out session.
Bea laughs in front of me. She knows exactly what I was doing.
Why am I so embarrassing? I’m sure my cheeks are red. Like maroon. No hiding it. Again, I blame it on the not-flannel-shirt.
I finally scrape out a “hi” that comes out sounding weird and kind of like a question. This isn’t what I would call bouncing back.
“Ready to hike?” Holland asks, pretending like I wasn’t so deep into check-out mode my brain didn’t register he was speaking to me.
Not trusting my mouth, I emphatically nod my head yes. He walks out to his truck and I follow.
I turn and wave to Bea. She sends me off with a wink.
She’s not helping.
