“Vivian West?”
My head snapped up, and I found myself looking at Tanner in the flesh. He was smiling like in his pictures, no hint of reserve or guardedness in those eyes.
“Sorry I’m late.” He took a seat as I started to rise to shakehands or hug or however people greeted each other outside of work these days.
I sat right back down, grateful he hadn’t seemed to notice. “That’s all right. Monday mornings are always crazy.”
“Right?” He shook his head and slipped a backpack from his shoulders, setting it next to him on the floor.
I firmly avoided Grant’s eye, secretly wishing Tanner hadn’t chosen to wear a backpack on our date, like he’d just come from study hall.
“Gosh, it’s so great to meet you,” he said, smiling widely at me. There was something so genuine about him. It set me at ease.
“Likewise.” I let him get settled for a minute. “Tell me a little about yourself. You’re an investigative writer, right?”
“Yep! It’s my passion. I’ve always loved stories. For a while, I tried writing them—fiction, you know?—but then I realized…it’s the real ones I love. The ones that exist but have yet to be told.”
“That’s a cool perspective.” I suppressed the urge to look at Grant, whose motivation for journalism could be interpreted as a massive chip on his shoulder. “How long have you been doing it?”
He sat back. “Well, technically, it’s just a side gig right now. I’m hoping I can leave my current job in sales to go full-time, but…it’s a grind. I’m still waiting for my big break.”
Once the waitress took our orders, I asked Tanner about his current project. He was finishing up a story about a nearby town’s disappearing road repair fund, and even though the subject didn’t get me going like it did him, I appreciated his passion. Not many people got excited about data and statistical models, so I couldn’t really judge anyone else’s interests.
“What about you?” he asked. “You work at Matchify, right?”
“That’s right.” I couldn’t tell by the phrasing if he knew I was the head of Matchify or if he thought I was one of the general employees. Being overeager to tell people I was the CEO wasn’t a good look, though, so I didn’t clarify.
“And you’re doing some sort of story right now, yeah?” he continued. “You mentioned someone shadowing you.”
I forced my gaze to remain fixed on him. “That’s right. He’s doing a story on the company and wanted to see the Matchify process up close.”
Tanner’s brows went up, and he leaned in. “Is he here? Right now?”
I nodded.
He looked around like he’d be able to spot a journalist as easily as he could spot someone in a biker gang. His eyes roved, then suddenly fixed on a spot over my shoulder.
He went still. “Whoa whoa whoa whoa. Wait.” His gaze darted back to me. “Is the journalist shadowing you Grant Wilder?”
The way he said Grant’s name, you’d have thought he just spotted Brad Pitt.
I turned and met Grant’s gaze. His expression was puzzled, like he knew we were talking about him but didn’t understand why.
“Yeah. That’s him.”
Tanner’s eyes grew rounder. “Grant Wilder is the GOAT.” His focus flicked to Grant, then to me again. He suddenly looked hesitant. “Do you think…would it be okay if I shook his hand?”
“Oh, um….” I gave a little shrug. “Yeah, why not?”
Tanner clearly felt he was in the presence of true greatness. Who was I to keep him from meeting one of his idols?
“I’ll be right back,” he said, all nervous energy.
I turned slightly in my seat to watch the interaction.
Grant looked every bit as surprised as I thought he’d be, but he took the hand Tanner put out and smiled graciously as he shook it.
Near as they were, I couldn’t quite hear their conversation thanks to all the other people chatting around us.
