"Don't let her freak you out," Sonya says as she puts on another pot of coffee. "It'll work out, or it won't. Either way is fine. Anyhow, by all accounts he's a great guy, so at least you know he's trustworthy."
She heads toward her tables with a full coffee pot in hand, then turns back. "I know you're quiet, Lynn. And that's fine. But you'll have to really try to speak up when you're around him. He deserves to know what you want, and what you're thinking, okay?"
I nod. "Okay. Thanks."
She flashes me a giant grin as she tosses her hair. "Hashtag-girl-power and all that good stuff, right?"
"Right." I look at her thoughtfully. She's so pretty and smart, I have to ask. "Hey – you're such a cheerleader for everyone else when they're falling in love. When are you going to date?"
She sticks out her tongue. "Blech. How about never? Yeah, that sounds about right." She disappears before I can ask why.
As I run orders from the pickup window to my tables, I'm extra careful with the bowls of tomato soup, considering what happened the last time.
Which makes me wonder. The way Ansel and I met was so random. Did he ask me out that first time out of pity? Am I remotely the kind of woman he usually dates?
Running orders and cleaning and filling endless mugs of coffee gives me time to think. Everyone already knows Ansel. They think he's a great guy. Therefore, if anything goes wrong with our relationship, it's automatically going to be my fault. The town will assume that I'm the one who screwed something up.
And they might have a point. Like, honestly, who am I? I work in a coffee shop, I design a few websites here and there, and I live in an apartment that my parents helped set up for me. I'm just getting started.
Ansel has already has a full, grownup life. Writing software, starting a company. I don't even know how many employees he has, but I bet it's a lot.
The guy actually bought a house that was way too big just because it was available and he liked it, for Pete's sake.
Even though I'm carrying hot mugs of coffee and warm plates of food, my fingers start to go cold. Just when I was just starting to mellow out, I'm even more terrified.
I'm falling in love with Ansel.
Yet I don't know how to tell him that, and I certainly don't know how to keep him. If I'm going to hold onto him, I'm going to have to find ways to dial my nervous energy down, and my positive, confident girlfriend energy up.
Just…how do I do that?
10
ANSEL
“Clear!” Corbin hollers, as the rest of us step back to watch a twisted, half-dead pine fall exactly where he planned it to.
"Thousands of perfect spots for a tree to grow, and that poor sucker had to pick a sandy patch," Braden says, shaking his head.
"It could be worse," Dash chuckles. "It could have chosen to grow at Uncle Lloyd's end, with the chemical damage or whatever it is."
It's never been clear why Lloyd's portion of the property has mostly weak, stunted trees, and relatively infertile soil. We often joke that our uncle's bitterness because our grandfather hugely preferred his eldest son Parker, our dad, to Lloyd, has tainted the soil. In all seriousness, there are rumors that a few farmers on nearby lands had used toxic fertilizer or pesticides years ago.
While the others start clearing the branches, I quickly check my phone. It's been two days since the best night of my life, and Lynn and I have been texting even more. This morning I asked her if she'd like to go out to dinner tonight, and she just responded two minutes ago.
Lynn:Actually, what if I made you dinner at my place? It's pretty small, and I'm not the best cook in the world, but I have a couple of dishes that are pretty solid.
I love the thought of her cooking for me. It's such a wholesome thing to do that I'm frankly disappointed I didn't offer first. Yet anytime Lynn takes the initiative, I'm going to support her all the way.
Me:That sounds amazing. What can I bring, and what time should I be there?
Lynn:How about around seven, and just bring your appetite?
Me:Can't wait.
Me:But I should warn you – you're gorgeous, and I'm going to kiss that pretty little face as soon as I get there.
Lynn:You're a huge flirt.
