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“I guess I’ll allow it,” I laughed.
The floor was sticky around the only open table. I picked up and pulled the chair out, worried that it wouldn’t slide through the stickiness of the floor.
I brought the ice cream to my warm lips, and it was sensational, as always. A small moan involuntarily escaped me as the cold sweetness fell on my tongue. Parker’s eyes narrowed on the plastic spoon connected to my lips before his gaze flickered back to my face and then to his ice cream.
“So, tell me about yourself,” I said between bites. “Who is Parker?”
“Hmm…loaded question there. Where do I even start?” he chuckled. “All right, so you already know that I’m from Texas. I was born and raised in southeast Texas and still live there. My parents are teachers; my dad teaches English, and my mom teaches Chemistry. I have two older sisters. I went to law school wanting to be something kick-ass, like a district attorney who fights crime and puts bad people away, but I ended up as an associate at a private firm for a few years. A few weeks ago, I left my firm to come on board as chief counsel for my best friend’s business. My job has absolutely dictated my life. Many people who know me well call me a workaholic, especially my sisters. They’re not wrong, and I am trying to do better. I’m only in town for a few months, so I’m determined to get to know the area while I’m here.”
“That’s thorough,” I laughed. “Usually, people give me a handful of words about themselves, and I end up having to pry more out of them. I will say, though…you don’t strike me as the type to be a ruthless lawyer. You seem too…nice.”
“I get that a lot. How about you? Who is Blake? And I expect the same level of detail.”
“Oof… where to start? Well…I’m from a small town on the West Coast in California. My dad is an accountant, and my mom is a hairdresser, so I’ve never had to pay for a haircut in my life. I’m an only child, so having siblings always seems foreign to me, but I think it would have been fun. I grew up next door to my best friend, so I think it didn’t matter either way. I studied marketing in college and moved here about three years ago for my job, which is also my life, so I share the sentiment of being a workaholic. I live with Gabby, I love to run, and I love to try new things. Although the last one has suffered since I’ve been throwing myself into my work.”
“Okay, I know this is a little crazy because we just met…but maybe…. just maybe…we could explore together?” he gave me a small smile. “I don’t know anyone here, and it sounds like we could both use motivation to step away from our workaholic ways.”
I knew the campaign would consume my life while he was here, so committing myself to spending time with a virtual stranger was a new experience. Yet there was something about him that made me want to say yes. He didn’t beat around the bush, and I was having a great time so far. He was also easy on the eyes, which certainly didn’t hurt.
Gabby’s voice echoed in my head, reminding me I needed to enjoy life more. This night had turned out great thanks to Gabby’s impulsive decision to invite him to dance, and I was thankful. Maybe it was time I started making impulsive decisions of my own.
I drew my answer to his proposition from the uncharacteristic brazenness I had felt today.
“You know what? Sure! Gabby is always telling me how I need to enjoy my life more, and she was right about today, so why not?”
“How about we meet for breakfast tomorrow, then? We can start strong by trying out a new place.”
“Actually, I go to the farmer’s market every Saturday morning. How about you come with me instead?”
“I’d love to.”
We finished our ice cream and walked around the bar district. All the bars would be closing in an hour, but right now, they were at max capacity. A while later, I dropped Parker off in front of his building.
“I had a lot of fun, Blake. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow, Parker.”
He shut the door and walked away.
I stared as he made his way around the car and tried to convince myself that it was to make sure he made it inside safely. Although, there was nothing I would be able to defend him against that he couldn’t handle on his own.
He turned toward the car, and I was glad my window was up so he couldn’t catch me staring. His lips tugged up into a smile before he disappeared inside.
Chapter Seven
Saturday morning.
Two days before.
The sun warmed my face and forced me awake earlier than I expected. My blinds were cracked open, and the sun rose right in front of my window, causing the light to land directly on my bed. The apartment itself was dead silent since Gabby had stayed at Nathaniel’s. The only noise came from the commotion of the street below.
For a minute, as my eyes met the light, I doubted whether last night had been real. Had I really spent the most fun I had in a while with a total stranger? Had I really invited him to join me on one of my favorite Saturday activities? Whoever possessed my body last night was unaware of how I typically acted. Maybe I had passed out after running at the gym from the pressure of the campaign and imagined everything.
However, when I checked my phone, I had a text from Parker confirming the time and place for the farmer’s market. The dancing, the ice cream, and the handsome gym stranger had all been real.
As I stared at Parker’s name, a text from Richard pinged.
Richard: I’ll be at your door at 7 PM. Wear something nice!
