He stops walking before turning to face me. “I don’t know as many people here yet. I don’t have as much draw on my time.”
“You must have a lot of friends back home.” Thomas is such a friendly and social guy, he’s probably got plans every night.
“I have a good number,” he says, but he pauses again like he’s really thinking about the question. “I think maybe I just feel busier in New York because everything around me is busier. Does that make sense?”
“It’s a stimulation thing,” I tell him. “When there’s a lot of outside stimuli, people can get overwhelmed.”
As though I’ve just given him the key to understanding me, he asks, “Is that why you don’t think you’d ever enjoy living in New York?”
I forgot I already told him that. “This might sound crazy, but big cities sort of squoosh my aura.” The rain lightens up slightly, so I pull his arm to cross the street with me.
“Your aura …” he repeats.
“Yeah, you know, the energy field around a person.” I explain, “The body is just the vehicle. It’s not us. And it’s claustrophobic enough being stuck inside of it.”
“So, what you’re saying is that big cities squoosh your soul.”
I love that he understands this. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
We walk into a rather crowded diner. “Is this too busy for you?” Thomas asks.
I shake my head. “It would be if the street was crowded with people and I’d already been bombarded with other energies. But I’m calm going in, so I’ll be fine.” I’m surprised I confess this as readily as I do.
Thomas takes my answer in stride and doesn’t comment. We approach the hostess stand and by the time it’s our turn, there’s only one table left in the restaurant. It’s a booth in the front window.
The hostess says, “You’re lucky this one just opened up.”
“It’s very nice,” Thomas tells her. While he takes his coat off, his gaze is diverted to something across the room. He looks disturbed.
“You okay?” I ask him.
Thomas offers a flimsy wave before turning toward me. “I need you to start the fake girlfriend angle tonight. Now, in fact. My boss is sitting over there.”
“Constance?!” I half gasp and screech at the same time. Suddenly my aura is beyond squooshed, it’s nearly snuffed out. “Maybe we should go.”
He shakes his head. “No way. I need her to see us together. Hopefully, that way, she’ll stop hounding me.”
“Yes,” I say, “but I don’t want to talk to her. She’s mean. She made me feel like a fool.”
“So, get even.” Instead of sitting across the table from me like a normal person, he scoots in next to me. Which is both crowded and lovely. His shoulders are so broad, they touch mine, and I instinctively lean in toward him.
“Get even how?” I manage to croak.
He tips his head toward mine like we’re full-on canoodling, and whispers, “Show her you have the man she wants.”
Stabbing hot awareness fills my body. It’s like I’ve just been attacked by a colony of fire ants. “Conceited,” I tell him. But he’s right. I wouldn’t mind showing Constance up. “Would you like me to crawl onto your lap?” I tease.
Thomas’s face turns red in what might be embarrassment, or it might be returned interest. I can’t tell. “I don’t think you need to do that. Just hang on my every word like I’m the most fascinating man you’ve ever met.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I laugh.
He leans closer to me and exhales into my ear, “I really would.” His hot breath causes goose bumps to pop up all over my body. Talk about overstimulation. For a person who strives to keep balance, I’m failing.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Neither Thomas nor I heard the waitress approach, and we both jump at the intrusion into our little bubble.
“What would you like?” Thomas asks me.
I smile up at the waitress. “I’ll have a diet cola, please. With three slices of lemon.” I’ll only use two, but two isn’t one of my preferred numbers, so I order up.
