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“I’m great. You?”
“Great. Shocked. Excited.”
“Yeah, it sounds like we’re going to be meeting each other tonight.”
“That’s what I’ve been told. Is that okay with you?”
“It’s amazing. I’m embarrassed I wasn’t the one to invite you, though. Josh, Kat, and I are sitting in a bar at the moment. We were talking about flying you here for a double date, and I said, ‘Hell yeah, let’s do it!’ I went to the bathroom, thinking I’d be the one to call you when I got out, but I guess Kat took matters into her own hands. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, please don’t apologize. It’s sweet of you to even think this way, but I took it as Kat fixing us up, which seems totally normal to me.”
“Yeah, that’s my point.” Henn clears his throat. “I’m saying Kat doesn’t need to fix us up, because I’d like to ask you out myself. Let me do that now.” He adopts a more formal tone. “Hello, Hannah. I’d love to feast to my stomach’s delight with you tonight in Las Vegas, if you’re available and interested. Would you like to come out here and dine with me . . . and Josh and Kat?”
I giggle. “Yes, Henn, I’d love to. Thank you.”
“Awesome. I can’t wait to meet you.”
My entire face feels hot, not only my cheeks. “Same here.”
“Sorry if I was tongue-tied yesterday,” Henn says. “I’m not the best at conversing with a beautiful woman. My brain kind of freezes.”
Henn called me beautiful.
Henn called me beautiful.
“No, I’m the one who turned into a Golden Girl when we spoke. That’s what happens to me when I talk to a . . . handsome man.”
There. I did it. It took every ounce of my courage, but I managed to return Henn’s compliment and confirm my interest in him without stammering or choking.
“You didn’t sound like a Golden Girl to me,” he says. “But if you did, I guess that’s my thing. I honestly really like the way you talk. It’s unique and fun. Indubitably.”
There’s a pregnant pause, during which I can only hope his smile is even half as big as mine.
“Thank you. I really like the way you talk, too. I’m looking forward to talking to you in person tonight.”
“Awesome. Can’t wait.”
I clear my throat. “I guess I should go. I don’t have much time to race home and pack before my flight.”
“Oh, yeah. See you soon, Hannah.”
Kat’s voice says something in the background and Henn replies, “Okay, ya lunatic.” To me, he says, “Kat’s jumping up and down like the floor is lava, demanding to speak to you before I hang up. I’ll see you soon, Hannah.”
“See you soon, Henn.”
There’s a slight pause and then Kat’s voice shrieking, “We’re all set! While you were talking to Henn, Josh called Rebecca and she’s thrilled to add you to the Vegas account.”
“Am I on speaker phone?” When Kat confirms I’m not, I whisper-shout, “Henn is so sweet and swoony! Kitty, he made a point of asking me out himself! I’m floating on air right now!”
Kat snickers. “By the looks of him, he’s feeling the same way. That boy is currently sparkling like a vampire in the sun.”
“Can he overhear you?”
“Nope. We’re at a noisy bar and I’m clear on the other side of the room. Banana, he’s blushing and smiling from ear to ear. He looks like a schoolboy with a crush.”
“Aw, how sweet.”
“Your chemistry is going to be through the roof in person. Mark my words.”
“Stop. I don’t want to get my expectations too high.”
“Silly girl. I’m telling you this is a match made in heaven.”
“Stop. Seriously.”
“Fine. Text me when you land. I’ll be waiting for you at the curb.”
“Thank you!” My phone buzzes and I look down. “Rebecca just texted me to come back to the conference room for some great news.”
Kat bursts into gleeful laughter. “Woohoo! Call me on your drive home to tell me everything she said. Roger?”
After almost two years of friendship with Kat, I’m well aware of the response I’m required to give to that question. “Rabbit!” I shriek happily. “I’ll call you as soon as I get into my car!”
“What did you mean when you said word on the street is that Henn is a good kisser?” I ask. As promised, I’ve called Kat from my car during my drive home to pack. “Do you know Henn’s ex?”
Kat snorts. “No, I gathered that intel by kissing Henn myself.” Kat laughs when I gasp. “Don’t worry, it was right in front of Josh and nothing too hot and heavy. All in the name of research.” Kat tells me the full story, which in a nutshell is that Josh, Henn, and Kat were hanging out and drinking cocktails the other night, when Henn admitted he’s not confident with his flirting game. In response to that humble admission, Josh and Kat started giving Henn advice, including the gem Josh bestowed about the importance of a first kiss. Well, one thing led to another, apparently, and Josh wound up urging Kat to kiss Henn for instructional purposes. “And to my shock,” Kat says, “when I kissed him, I found out Henn didn’t need a single pointer from me or Josh or anyone else. That nerd can kiss.”
