Instead, I pulled out my phone and shot Grant a text while Tanner continued describing a situation he’d been in during an interview about modern mining practices.
Vivian
Should I leave the two of you alone together?
Grant glanced down—his phone must’ve been in his lap—then up at me with the most subtle ofdon’t you darelooks.
“So,” Tanner concluded, “after all of that, I never even got the full story I’d come for.”
“You can’t win ‘em all,” Grant said. “Hey, it’s been great talking to you, Tanner, but I’ll let you two get back to it.” He rose.
“Wait,” Tanner said.
The muscle in Grant’s jaw feathered, but he forced an amiable glance down.
“Could I get one last word of wisdom? For someone like me trying to make it in the world you’re completely dominating?”
Grant gripped the back of the chair while I looked at him with an expectant smile, waiting for him to bestow his invaluable insight upon us mere mortals.
“Um, I guess I’d say to develop an eye for story. You’ve got to look at things in a way no one else does and notice details no one else does. It’s following a lot of threads that lead nowhere until you find one that takes you to your big story. And sometimes that’s going to be a story people don’t want told.”
Tanner’s eyes were alight with awe as he took in his hero for the last time. “Thank yousomuch, Grant Wilder.”
“Yes,” I echoed. “Thank you.”
Grant shot me daggers and gave a quick nod before turning away. His spot had since been taken, though, which meant he ended up standing in line at the front with everyone else.
Was I evil for feeling incredibly satisfied? Maybe I should’ve been disappointed that my date with Tanner had been hijacked by his adoration of Grant, but I wasn’t. I liked Tanner, but I had no interest in him beyond friendship. And clearly, he was already half in love with Grant.
We chatted—mostly about what Grant had said—for another twenty minutes before I excused myself to get back to work. It happened just after Grant was finally seated again, so I left more than satisfied with the date.
Today, at least, I’d won.
FOURTEEN
When I heardGrant’s footsteps behind me on my way to the parking lot, I grinned even more widely. The thought of him sitting down for two seconds before getting up to come after me was a delightful one.
And this time, I didn’t run. I let him catch right up with me.
“You’re looking smug,” he said as we turned into the parking garage.
“Am I?”
“Soundingsmug too.”
I glanced at him when we approached the stairs. “Should I debriefyoutoday? You and Tanner really hit it off.”
He sighed. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t think I’ve ever been recognized in public. I definitely did not intend to hijack your date.”
“Me neither. But sometimes life doesn’t give you lemons, Grant. It hands you a pitcher full of sweet, refreshing, hand-squeezed lemonade.” We reached my car and I stopped near the trunk, turning toward him.
“You really enjoyed that, didn’t you?” he asked.
“I genuinely did. I’ve never seen you look so uncomfortable.”
He crossed his arms. “I’ve neverbeenso uncomfortable.”
“Oh, come on. You’re trying to tell me you weren’t flattered by Tanner’s hero worship?”
