Apples, cheese (for “sophistication,” aka bait)
Brie
Sea salt crackers
I stood up and paced the tiny office, plotting angles. Ben was a puzzle, but he wasn’t unsolvable. I just needed the right combination of comfort, quiet, and ‘ope, fancy meeting you here’.And yes, I would sayopebecause I was a Wisconsin girl, not a Floridian. It’s what we did.
I wasn’t even trying to flirt, not really. Okay.Maybe a little.But mostly, I wanted to know what he looked like without the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. I wanted to know what it would sound like if hewere to really laugh.
He was carrying something. That much was obvious. He didn’t wear it openly, but you could see it in the way he stood, the way he held back every time someone came close.
And maybe I was foolish, but I believed a few well-placed gestures, a sparkly fire, and a little gentle ambush could crack through even the most fortified walls.
I reached for my phone and sent a quick message to Sienna.
Me: Do NOT tell Ben anything. But also, don’t schedule anything for the fire pit tonight.
Sienna: What are you planning?
Me: A vibe.
Sienna: Oh God. That sounds romantic.
Me: It’s not.
Sienna: Liar.
Me: If he runs, it’s your fault.
Sienna: He won’t.
Me: How do you know??
Sienna: Millie called. She’s been watching him like a hawk. She says he’s twitchy in the interested way.
I dropped the phone on the desk and covered my face with both hands.
Great. Fantastic. I was planning a subtle-not-subtle lakeside date for a man who may or may not have the emotional availability of a dry eraser, while our town’s resident matchmaking grandma watched from the shadows like a benevolent stalker.
Totally normal.
Totally fine.
I peeked through my fingers at the planner still sitting open, and I smiled. Whether it worked or not, at least I’d tried.
