At 11:53, I collect my keys and purse and walk toward the elevator, moving faster than I usually do.
I bump into Edie.
“Where you going so fast?”
“Out,” I say.
She clocks me immediately.
“With who?” she asks.
“An old friend,” I say.
“Is it a tall friend? A lanky friend? A rich, basketball-playing friend?” she asks.
I frown at her. “How the hell do you know that?”
“Because he’s downstairs looking like a whole goddamn snack.”
I let out a breath. “Oh God. Here we go.”
“If you want to stay gone the rest of the day, I got you. You got anything pressing? I’ll cover for you, girl.”
“I’m just going to have lunch with him. Nothing else is going to happen. Guaranteed.”
“If you say so.”
The elevator dings and the doors open. I step inside, and as the doors close, I let out a slow breath to calm myself.
Nothing is going to happen. For sure.
But I’m still excited to see him, even though I don’t want to be.
His back is turned when I step off the elevator. He’s right at the entrance near security.
I slow down as I walk toward him.
I’m not about to run into this man’s arms. My body wants to, but my mind refuses.
He does look like a snack.
He’s not overly dressed up, but the man can wear some joggers. He’s very casual,wearing his branded sponsorship gear. His biceps look a little bigger. He’s filled out some. He’s growing his hair out a little.
He turns around and smiles wide when he sees me, and my insides melt.
There’s something about a person lighting up when they see you that just makes you feel... something.
“Hey,” he says, walking toward me and awkwardly giving me a hug.
We didn’t used to greet like that. It would be a full-on kiss, and I can see him hesitate, like he wants to do more and stops himself.
“Hey,” I say.
“You ready to go?”
I nod, and he leads the way to the car.
“I know you only have an hour,” he says as we get in, “so we’re just going to go righ across the highway to The Hideaway Cafe.”
