I needed to get that tattooed on my goddamn face so I wouldn’t forget.
Nora bounced in her seat, smiling at the waiter as he took her order, and once he left, Nora leaned over the table, giving me a full view of her back.
It shouldn’t affect me. It was a back. Everyone had one. But…the smooth skin teased me when the light flickered over it, and I focused on the bowl of nuts in the center. That was safer.
“So how are you liking living here? Fritz said you’re here for a few months, right?” Dave moved, and I knew the second Nora spotted his arm.
She let out the smallest gasp. “Your tattoo.” She reached over the table, but her fingers stopped before she touched his arm. “Wow, can I?”
“Absolutely.” Dave smiled, hard, and I couldn’t blame him. Nora’s voice was filled with awe, and I could only imagine the expression she wore as she trailed her soft fingers up his forearm.
Sweat beaded on my forehead and the drink tasted bland. I needed to leave.
“These are so beautiful, Dave. I love the patterns.”
“I designed it.”
“No!” She grinned at him, and his expression softened into awe.
My knee slammed into the table as I tried to get up.
Nora narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. “You all right, Fritz?”
“Yeah, need to use the restroom. Can I slide out?”
“Of course, yeah.” She moved, her back right in front of my face, and I finally took a breath. Not being right next to her helped ease my thoughts from going down a path that was non grata. She licked her bottom lip as she stared at Dave.
Dave arched a brow, andJesus.Did they have to eye fuck right in front of me?
“You two seem to have hit it off. I’ll be at the bar for a bit.” I forced a smile and winked at Nora, hoping that made her feel safe. She looked at me too intently, and I excused myself.
I sat at the farthest part of the bar, out of view from their booth, and pulled out my phone. Maybe getting laid would help rid me of this weird, unwanted attraction. There were a million reasons why this wouldn’t be a goddamn thing. A million and more.
But.
It was thebutthat made me look up to try to see what they were doing. Was he sitting next to her, hearing her talk about her plants and plans? Did he know her heart was golden even though it came in a weird package?
I needed to go. Distract myself from my distract Nora plan.
Fritz: hey, you okay if I head home? Not feeling well.
Nora: Oh no! yes, I’m good. Sorry you don’t feel okay.
Fritz: If you need help, let me know. Anytime.
Nora:
There. I’d freed myself, and she could be smitten with Dave. He was a great guy, and I should be happy. Yet as I got a rideshare to head home, I kept hoping the date turned out to be a disaster.
Chapter Fourteen
I wasn’t waitingup for her. It was eleven o’clock, and papers covered my coffee table, my laptop open, and a list of small businesses who focused on being green. There were six, including the coffee women—Carla and her partner. Worrying about Nora took too much effort and energy, so I channeled it to focus on being a middleman.
She still wasn’t back. It was fine. They could be getting more drinks or at his place. Fine. Great. I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to relax. I eyed the plants, refusing totalkto them, but if I were to, I’d ask them to give me some of those relaxed vibes she insisted I needed. The air did seem lighter in my place, but I pushed thoughts of plants, Nora, and her lips out of my mind.
If I were going to consider networking on behalf of Carla, I couldn’t flail around without purpose. My ambition kept me up at night, making me constantly overthink my next steps, what else I could do, and I still had that, but it was pointing me in the direction of helping Carla.
I reached out to Sam at Fast Financial. Terrible name, great business, and he agreed to give me a call to hear me out. I’d tell him about Carla, their business, and get the gears in motion. Starting with Carla was the best option. See how that went, and then maybe try it with other small businesses.
