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“Man, I really suck at this guessing thing. I know those two are releasing books soon, so I figured maybe they were cover hunting.” She taps her finger against her chin again, and I can’t help but admire how cute it is when she purses her lips in thought.
“Oooo… don’t tell me it’s for Ashley Fairchild.” I blink once, signaling yes. “Holy fuck! We totally emailed this morning. Funny thing… I’m her assistant.”
“Wait, so you’re W. Sanders?” I point at her.
She smirks knowingly. “In the flesh.”
“Well then, it’s nice to meet you, Miss Sanders. Since you’re here, any chance you want to take a look at the mockup cover I made right before you walked in?”
“Heck yes, I do.” I pull up the couple I’d found on a stock photo website. He’s got short cropped hair. He’s in a suit. His suit is unbuttoned and tattoos peek out. She’s a blonde with dark low lights, blue eyes, and skinny physique. Her back is to the camera and he’s facing her, looking longingly into her eyes, like he’s feeling a little more than just mutual attraction.
“Wow, Oliver. This is exactly how I pictured them when I read the book for Ashley. It’s perfect, and I think she’s going to love it.”
“So, I should go ahead and send it to her?”
“Yes!” Her face lights up in the prettiest way, and I can’t help but stare at that perfect smile.
We spend the rest of the afternoon talking about everything book related. She’s clearly into the romance community. I learn that Willow is a personal assistant for a couple of different authors. She’s obviously very good at what she does, and you can tell she loves it. Her smile is radiant, and I want to bask in it.
“Okay, okay, okay, less about me.” She’s bouncing in her seat like an adorable little Christmas elf, and it makes me grin. “Tell me about you, Oliver.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Whatever you're willing to share. I take it you're some sort of graphic designer guy, if you’re working on book covers and logos, right?”
“True. I own my own company. Do pretty well for myself.”
“That’s amazing. I love working from anywhere. It’s almost the best part of my job.”
Here comes the question I’ve been dying to ask her since she walked through the door. “So, I have to ask. How was speed dating last night?”
“Truth? It was horrible. I got talked into it by my friend, and honestly, I don’t see how you can find your soulmate with just five minutes of talking.”
“I don’t think they mean for you to find your soulmate in five minutes. More like find someone who interests you and hang out or hook up. Get to know them. Find out what they like, what they do, etc. You have to spend time with someone to know they’re right for you.”
She laughs. “So you don’t believe in love at first sight, huh?”
“Love at first sight, no. I believe in attraction at first sight or lust, even, but not love. Love takes time to cultivate. Time to grow.”
“Fair enough. So how about you? Have you found love?” She blurts it out, but then slams her mouth shut, almost as if she didn’t mean to ask it.
“No. I haven’t found my perfect someone yet.” Her eyebrows furrow.
“But… weren’t you here with someone the other night?”
“Oh, that was Tessa. My sister.”
A blush of embarrassment covers her face, and I can’t figure out why. “Uh… I thought you two were together. You just looked like the picture perfect couple.”
“I love Tessa, but yeah, no. Wait, is she why you said no to coffee?”
She nods her head, “Yeah,” and clarity sets in. It all makes sense now. I’d have assumed the same thing had the situation been reversed.
“I’m definitely glad you showed up today then, so I could clear the air. I’m one hundred percent single, and I’d love to take you out on a date.”
Her smile is a bright beacon, and I want to revel in the perfectly imperfectness of it.
“Well, good, because I’d love to go. The only question is where?”
