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I snort at Warren’s tone and reply with, “Well, he calls his spouse his partner, has talked about adoption before in passing and he has a LGBTQ+ sticker on his car window.”
Warren shrugs and bobs his head. “I guess that’s a pretty fair assumption.”
“Also, he’s a nice coworker and has never so much as hinted at flirtation with me.”
“Okay, so it’s not David and it’s not Mitchell. Who else?”
I sigh and feel the weight of this pressing down on me, letting out a whine, I say, “I don’t know…”
“Come on, there has to be more.”
“Oh, there are. Dozens more. That’s the issue!” Warren chuckles at my dramatics and I smile. One thing I’m grateful for is when I know I’m being silly or dramatic, Warren smiles or laughs instead of berating me. He never makes me feel small.
A waitress approaches before I can continue whining. “What can I get you two?”
Without warning, Warren stretches his arm out and his hand grasps mine, I feel a tingle zap my skin where he’s touching me and stare at the spot. “Do you have anything on special? My wife and I are celebrating our anniversary.”
I frown but try to keep up. What is he doing?
“Oh sure.” The waitress rattles off specialty items all the while I can’t help but stare where his thumb is rubbing against my knuckle.
Has it really been so long since I’ve been intimate with someone that a simple gesture like that has heat rising to my cheeks and…otherplaces?
Get a grip, Jane.
“Well, my wife has a real love for red juicy meat.” Warren’s words momentarily stun me, my eyes go wide and a laugh bubbles in my throat.
I don’t dare look at the waitress, but I do watch Warren, amazed at the way he’s able to keep his straight face.
The waitress writes something down on her pad of paper and gives us a wink and smile as she leaves. “Wait, she didn’t take our order…”
“She did, you were zoned out.” Warren smiles at me and my lungs cease functioning. My eyes dart back to our hands and Warren follows the movement, giving my hand a gentle squeeze and letting go. “Anyway, who else do we need to eliminate from Jane’s Eligible Bachelor list?”
“Can you please stop labeling everything?”
“Nope.”
“Oh my gawd,” I say through a mouthful of burger, ketchup or mustard or something most definitely dripping down my chin. I find that I do not care. This is the best burger in the universe. “This is the best burger in the universe.” I voice my thought out loud. “I declare it.”
“Declare it?” Warren asks with amusement in his voice. He’s demolishing his own burger and it makes me feel a whole lot better about what I’m doing to my poor, poor lunch.
You died for a wonderful cause, cow.
“I do,” I say, my words slightly muffled. “I declare this the best burger in the universe.”
“That’s better, Michael Scott.” He laughs at me and my eyes snap open.
“No way…” I mumble, I set the half-eaten burger down on my plate and wipe my hands, licking my lips in the process. “You’re a fan ofThe Office?”
Warren’s brows pull together. “Uh, of course. Are there people who aren’t?”
“None worth mentioning…” I say and process this new development. “None of my friends like that kind of stuff.”
“What? Good humor or great TV writing?”
I place my elbows on the table and lean forward with interest. “Wait, you focus on the writing part? Like how they come up with plots and storylines and things like that?”
Warren shrugs and if the lighting wasn’t so dark, I would swear I saw a blush rise just above the beard on his cheeks. “Yeah, I mean, I’ve listened to some podcasts and things about it.” He looks to the side, clearly embarrassed, but what he doesn’t know is that he’s in very good company.
