“Fine,” I grumbled, sliding two slices of vegetable pizza onto my plate. I set it on the coffee table, watching him grab the remote and start flicking through Netflix. I went back for our drinks before sitting next to him on my plush sofa. I was a minimalist when it came to décor, but I loved my house. Cool gray walls, modern furnishings, and just a few pieces of art made me feel calm when I was home. Clutter made me anxious, so this suited me fine.
“Are you going to explain?”
“Yes, my impatient scientist. Tonight, we’re going to dive into the mind of a woman,” he said, in an announcer’s voice at thebeginning of a documentary. He winked and took a huge bite of pizza.
“Please tell me what you’re talking about. I swear, you’re slowly killing me.”
“Behold, my friend. The world of the romcom.” His arms were wide in front of him, pointing toward my TV as he scrolled, apparently looking for something in particular. “Every girl loves them, swoons over them, and repeats the lines like they’re the most brilliant prose in the world.”
Turning to face him, I said, “That makes no sense. I have no idea what kind of movies Leyla likes other thanThe Princess Bride.”
His eyes sparking with excitement, he put the remote down and answered, “See what I mean? You made me watch that movie twice in college because she mentioned it being her favorite. I tell you, man. I know exactly what kind of movie she likes just from that.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I guess so.”
“No guessing. Did you use the line I told you to from the movie?”
I furrowed my brows, trying to remember if I had all those years ago.
“No, not back then. I missed my chance after she started hating me. But I said it on my first day at Earth Organix, thinking she’d see me differently because I remembered it. She looked surprised but said nothing. Luke seemed amused by it, though, so apparently, you were wrong,” I said, no longer trusting he knew what he was talking about.
“Man, that’s weird. Girls love that line. I mean, who could resist slipping in an ‘as you wish’? Sheesh, she’s going to be tough to crack.” He grabbed the remote and resumed his search.
“Iwouldgive you my tried-and-true movie move, but I don’t think you could handle it,” he said around another bite.
“What move?” If it meant winning Leyla, I was in.
“TheDirty Dancinglift.”
I turned to face him. He was still speaking a foreign language.
“TheDirty Dancinglift?”
He smiled. “Works every time. If I want to impress a woman, I take her dancing and lift her up like they do in the movie.”
Tilting my head, a memory came to me.
“Did you do that last month? You know, when you hurt your back and were laid up for three days?”
His smile faded, and he cleared his throat. “No comment.”
Okay. Lifting was off the table.
“Finally. That’s the one. No one, and I mean no one, can resist this movie,” he said, leaning back.
Two hours later, I was uncharacteristically blinking back tears when the movie ended. Mike was laughing at me, pointing his finger and nodding his head.
“See, what’d I tell you?”
“Shut up. It was just a cute ending,” I said, batting away his finger.
“I’m telling you, man. Girls loveYou’ve Got Mail. And you and Leyla? Dude, this is your story. Enemies to lovers, wooing her masterfully. It’s chef’s kiss,” he said, making the sign with his fingers and lips.
“I can’t deny it was a good movie, but what can I use to help me win her over?”
“Easy. Tom Hanks found out Meg Ryan was Shopgirl. So he used that secret to win her heart, just like you’re going to. It’s a little different, I know, but it’s the same premise. You’re not telling Leyla it’sheryou’re secretly interested in, so you charm her. Bro, you’re going to woo her.”
“Woo?” I asked, my eyebrows low.
