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“Dinosaurs and a maze! Now that’s cool.”
“So’s this.” Oliver beamed, showing her the coffee cup’s unfolded rim. “I won a donut!”
She grinned. “I’m taking that as a positive omen for our meeting.”
“Hope so. If we do well, I’ll share my prize and buy you a BeaverTail afterward.”
“You really like them, don’t you?”
“Don’t you?”
“They’re more a summer thing for me,” said Georgie. “I have them every year at the Ex.”
Confusion clouded Oliver’s gaze.
“The Canadian National Exhibition—the CNE,” she clarified. “They have midway rides and games, concerts, but I’m all about the food, especially Tiny Tom donuts. They’re bite-sized and warm, made fresh right in front of you.”
“Sweet!”
“Very!” said Georgie. “There’s a food building with free samples, too. It’s not the finest cuisine, but it is tasty and filling.”
A wry grin curved his mouth. “Sounds like your mothership.”
Georgie burst into laughter. “It is! You should hop on sometime.”
“I’d love to.”
She shot him a grin. “Well, circle it on your calendar, Ollie. Last two weeks of August.”
Flattening his empty cup, his smile dimmed.
“Play your cards right, I might even treat you to a BeaverTail and a ride on the Polar Express—but not in that order.” Georgie glanced up at the brightening sky, her heart pounding faster. “And if we’re talking future plans, maybe we could fly to London and you could show me that maze?”
His brows rose. “Really? You want to see it?”
“Sure, why not? You’ve tackled ancient labyrinths and pyramids—I can’t think of anyone better to get us out of a mere maze!” She slurped her tea, hiding her cheeky grin. Oh, to get lost and kiss him in there!
“But I have the worst sense of direction,” replied Oliver. “If we get lost, I’ll be relying on you.”
Lowering her drink, she shrugged. “Better pack snacks then ’cause we may never make it out! It’s a good thing I’m a hugger. Gotta keep warm after the sun sets.”
“Especially when the night sky’s clear and sparkling with stars.” Oliver toyed with his empty cup. “You should see it. Takes your breath away.”
Sounds romantic. The pesky butterflies returned, swooping and swirling in Georgie’s stomach. But was Oliver being friendly, factual, or flirty? Wide-eyed and ever hopeful, she whisked her hand through her hair. If only she could get a better read on him.
There was only one way to find out.
Inhaling a staggered breath, Georgie reached out, squeezing his arm. “I bet you say that to all the girls!”
“Not all. Just you.”
Flirty! Letting him go, Georgie suppressed a grin with a quick gulp of tea. She didn’t want to appear too eager, and with the meeting looming, she had to keep all thoughts of dates and basset hounds and stargazing with Oliver to a minimum. Best to get back on track.
She sighed. “If only we could time travel and skip the meeting.”
“God, yeah,” replied Oliver. “I’d do just about anything to have it behind us.”
They walked past several storefronts and a parade of strollers on a daycare day trip. As the museum’s impressive rusticated stone and arched windows came into view, Georgie’s pulse ratcheted up another gear.
