“What’s up?” Livisays. “Sorry I missed your call, I was closing up the shop.”
“How’d it gotoday?”
“It was great. Wesold out of everything twice, but luckily I’d already had stuff in the oven sowe never had empty shelves.”
“Wow, that’sawesome!” I say. We always sell out of the first batch of baked goods, butselling out of the second one is kind of a toss-up. “So everything went well?”
“Yep,” Livi sayscheerfully. “You don’t need to worry about a thing.”
“Cool,” I say. Iglance around, but no one is paying any attention to the girl who is sittingalone talking on the phone. “So, I’m having a good time, I guess.”
“You guess?” Livisays. “What does that mean?”
I sigh. “Theinformation is great, and I found some cool new things for the shop, but I justfeel so … I don’t know – alone.”
“Want me to hop onthe next plane to Phoenix?” Livi says. I can tell it’s mostly a joke, but Ihave no doubts that I if I said yes, she’d actually do it.
“No, I’m okay. Ijust feel awkward because it seems like everyone else here brought co-workerswith them, so I’m walking alone and sitting alone and eating alone.”
The waitress bringsmy salad and gives me a warm smile. I smile back, knowing it’s rude to be on myphone but it’s kind of too late now. The salad looks pretty damn good, and Itake a bite.
Livi says, “Well,look on the bright side. Aren’t business trips supposed to be boring? Think ofit like an extra long work meeting and not like a vacation.”
“Good advice,” Isay, as I stab my fork into a piece of arugula lettuce. “I can’t believe I’macting like this. I mean, normally I’m so great with stuff like this. But forsome reason, I’m feeling incredibly alone and that’s not really like me.”
I used the wordsfor some reason, but I know the reason.The reason is that I had a flirty interaction with a gorgeous guy, and now he’sgone and my stupid heart won’t stop thinking about it and wondering what mighthave been if only I’d gotten his number. That one stupid coffee andconversation has totally screwed up my thought process. If I hadn’t met Gabethis morning, I’d probably be having a wonderful time on this trip.
Livi and I talk alittle more, and she tells me about how her scumbag of an uncle can’t keep atenant in the house he’s renting out. It used to be Livi’s grandmother’s house,before she died and he inherited it. He doesn’t want to fix it up at all and ischarging too much rent and people keep breaking their lease and leaving. Wefind this hilarious, because he’s an asshole. He’s the reason Livi was homelesswhen I first started hanging out with her.
Then we talk aboutGran a little, and how she would have loved the new strawberry shortcakecupcakes I recently made for the shop. Her grandma was such a sweet woman, andI regret not talking with her more before she passed.
I’m starting tofeel a whole lot better, thanks to talking to Livi. She lifts my spirits up andmakes me forget all about Gabe. I’m about to tell her that, but then I hold mytongue. I never told her about meeting him in the first place, so I certainlycan’t say, “Thanks for the chat. You’re making me forget about that hot guy Imet earlier.”
A shadow falls overmy table, and I look up, expecting to see my waitress. I feel bad because I’mstill on the phone which is totally a rude thing to do to your server. My voicecatches in my throat.
The person standingin front of me isn’t my waitress. It’s Gabe.
His lips break intoa grin. “Mind if I sit down?”
“I don’t mind atall,” I say.
“Huh?” Livi says onthe phone.
“Um, I have to go,”I tell her. “I’ll call you later.”
I hang up the phoneand smile at Gabe, who has changed into dark wash jeans and a black shirt thatconfirms what I assumed earlier—that he’s completely jacked. And it works onhim, the whole muscle guy look. He pulls it off gracefully and not like somebig meat-head jock.
My stomach tinglesjust looking at his budging shoulders.
“Hi there,” Imanage to say. And in another miracle, my voice actually sounds normal. Not likeI’m a nervous freak.
My waitress stopsby and asks if he wants something to drink. He orders a Coke, then turns to meonce she leaves. “How was your first day of the convention?” he asks.
“It’s gettingbetter,” I say.
And then my heartraces. That was an incredibly flirty, bold thing to say.
And yet, I justsaid it.
