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ChapterNine
BERNIE
After tyingup my duck boots, I grab my coat, drop the small ring of keys that hangs on the wall next to my door into my over-the-shoulder purse, and lock up behind me. On Saturdays, I check the team’s PO Box at the post office. Given that it’s mid-January in Chicago, it’s not my favorite thing to do. I waited until after lunch to head out in order to give the temp some time to rise. But I’ll treat myself to a large mocha at the café near the post office, making my trip worth it.
The team is taking the day off, something that’s the new norm since Dex and Morgan got married two months ago. Before he met Morgan, it was Team NoMad almost twenty-four seven, and we all lived for it. But I won’t complain that since my teammates all found love, we focus a little less on gaming. Which means that our practices have become more valuable and important.
Walking to the elevator, I get a reminder on my phone telling me not to forget that my pole lesson was canceled. Liz went on a much-needed vacation, so I opted not to have a class with another instructor and took the week off. I’ve been working with Liz for weeks now, and I’m absolutely loving it. I’m not sure I’m going to move out of the private lessons and into a group class, mostly because I’m not really big into groups when I don’t know anyone. Also, you gotta let it all go when you’re working with the pole, and it’s hard for my mind to get there when other people are around.
I clear the reminder on my notifications screen and move to pocket my phone so I can put on my gloves, when my text alert dings. I pull it back out and see a text from Wade.
Well, this is unexpected. I haven’t heard from him much, and honestly, it’s made me a bit grumpy. After that awkward visit in my apartment the morning after the wedding, he never made good on his rock climbing date—err, I mean, not date.
I’ve gotten a few texts here and there about how he’s slammed at work and still wants to take me climbing, but he never follows through with a date and time for when we can climb. I was right not to allow myself to get excited at the prospect of time with Wade. Heck, I’ve hardly seen him.
If it weren’t for his texts, I would have thought something had happened to him. The last time I saw him in real life was at the New Year’s Eve party we all went to at The Bar, a hole in the wall little place we frequent. It gives you a real MacLaren’s vibe fromHow I Met Your Mother. We’ve been going there weekly for years, attending parties and even hosting them.
But on NYE, Wade was back to his old self, spending most of the night ignoring me. It threw me for a loop, that’s for sure. Talk about a total letdown.
Was I expecting to connect with him like we did at the wedding? Maybe.
Was I expecting to let a little liquid courage help me get my flirt game on and maybe see if I could nudge our platonic friendship in another direction? Again, maybe.
If I confirm that was my plan, then it will just make me all the grumpier that none of it went as planned.
He showed up an hour before midnight. I’d only spent the whole night constantly glancing at the door, waiting for his expected arrival. Then when he did arrive, it was like he purposely kept as far away from me as possible, only to find me after the ball drop to tell me Happy New Year and then head out. Talk about a party pooper.
I had briefly thought it was time to get Matt on board with helping a girl out to make Wade a little jealous since it had worked so well at the wedding, but ultimately, I decided that just wasn’t my thing. I’m not into deceit, and I don’t love the idea of yanking Matt around when I know he’s been harboring a crush.
So fast forward to today, I’m surprised that I’m hearing from him. Swiping open the text, I’m expecting another excuse. Or maybe he’s decided to put me out of my misery and tell me that he made a mistake asking me to go rock climbing all those weeks ago. While my heart wants to spend more time with him, my head is hoping he’ll just rip off that Band-Aid.
Wade: Hey, you free tonight? Last minute private lesson canceled, so I can snag up the time.
Oh, wow. So, okay, I wasn’t expecting this.I start to type back a reply but delete my eager response. No, I need to think on this. Plus, it’s really cold out here, and I need my gloves on. I follow through with shoving my phone into my purse and then put on my gloves.
He can wait for my answer until I’m in the café getting my mocha.
I dwell on that text the full ten minutes it takes me to get to the café. Stepping inside, I whip off my gloves and pull out my phone. If I say yes to going with him, then I’m setting myself up for disappointment when he decides we’re still just friends. But on the other hand, what’s one night of time with him? We are friends, and friends can hang out without it being a date.
I bite the inside of my cheek.I want it to be though. Ugh.
Staring at this text, I decide the hell with it. I’ve wanted time with Wade, just the two of us, for years. Maybe I’ll even figure out that I’m not as into him as I thought.
Me: yeah, I’m free.
Wade: Sweet. We’ve got the place to ourselves starting at 4. I know that’s not much time. Can I swing by and get you around 3:30?
Me: Sure, I’ll be ready.
Wade:
My eyes bug out at his words. I’m so confused right now. I get the feeling that he’s just being nice and doesn’t really mean this is a date.
I don’t want to be this girl. The girl hung up on a guy who isn’t interested. If only I could play it cool. But I’m borderline socially awkward, and my lack of experience in the dating world is proof of that.
I try to shake off my wish-washy attitude and order my mocha.
I make it into the post office about five minutes before they close, and I smile and wave at Barb, who glares at me for coming in so close to the end of her day. But Barb likes me so her glare turns into a half grin, and she waves back while grumbling to herself. I always forget that the post office isn’t open all day on Saturdays. I thought about getting our PO box moved to another post office, since this one isn’t open twenty-four seven, but I really like seeing Barb and the other workers here, so I don’t mind not having all—day access.
