“Hey, Ted?” Sam called.
The insulated delivery bag tucked under his right arm, he turned. “Yes, ma’am?”
What was the best way to involve someone in a person’s internal conflict? Just go for it, just do it. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Absolutely. Ask away.” He grinned because he probably thought she’d ask him about Swiss cheese or rye bread or something like that.
“Are you single?” she asked. Darn, that did not come out like she’d thought.
“No,” he said, furrowing his brows. “All married up.”
Well, that wasn’t the best start.
“I mean, I’m looking for relationship advice, and you always seem so happy.” So much better, that was so much better.
“Fifteen years together last May.” He grinned a little wistfully. “Wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Okay, so—” She gestured for him to sit at the high-backed chairs by the door. The spot that served as their makeshift waiting area.
She sat in the opposite chair and smoothed the fabric on her thighs.
He moved to the chair, but didn’t sit. He leaned against the side.
“Whatcha got?” he asked.
She blew out a breath. “I met this person, and my friends all think we should, you know, get to know each other.”
“Uh-huh.” He nodded.
“But I’m really happy on my own.”
“Uh-huh.” He nodded again.
“So I don’t know if it’s a good idea to fit someone new into my routine.”
“You wake up in the morning and look forward to the day?” he asked.
Well… “Most of the time. I mean, I think I’m happy. I move around a lot, and we all have things to deal with. So it’s not like I’m that unusual.”
“Uh-huh.” He didn’t nod at this one, but that was fine.
“But here’s this person who has the ability to totally wreck my peace, or he could be awesome. But I don’t know if he’s awesome because if I find out, he’ll wreck my peace. You know?”
“Uh. Huh.”
“Shit. I know what to do.” She stood, waiting for an immense wave of relief to splash over her. It didn’t show up yet, but she knew it’d make it, eventually. This was the right thing, so of course the relief would come. “Thank you so much. This is so much clearer. I’m going to let it go. Let him go.”
The idea of him.
“Huh,” Ted said, readjusting the delivery sack under his arm. He gave her a salute as he walked to the door. Then he stopped, like he wanted to say something more.
“Glad I could help,” he said, finally.
“Me too.” She strode to her workstation at the counter to get going on the Sharpie sorting. The colors wouldn’t un-mix themselves.
Ted moseyed out the door, the someone’s-leaving jingle bells tinkling as they moved against the glass of the inside door. She focused on the task at hand.
Life was so much simpler when a girl could focus on one thing at a time.
