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Our favorite burrito place was jammed with people filling their stomachs with delicious beans and cheese before heading out and pummeling themselves with gin and juice. I was standing there, checking my phone, when someone behind me said, “Hungry?”
“Pardon me?”
“I asked if you were hungry.” It took me a minute to place him now that he was out of his suit and dressed down in jeans and Adidas. It was the winker from the streetcar that day after our work party. His hair lacked product, and he seemed less put together, but it was him.
“Oh, hey, um, yeah, I’m just picking up something for me and a friend. We’re running an event across the street tonight.”
“In the cube? I saw the carpet and wondered.”
“Yes,” I replied, “in the cube.”
I desperately wanted to turn back around and avoid making conversation with this person. There were four people in front of me, though, so there was no way out of it.
“Room on the guest list for one more?” he asked.
“What, you’re telling me you haven’t got at least three ladies queued up and six clubs to hit tonight? It’s the biggest party night of the year.”
He laughed. “I’m lying low. I was visiting my dad. He lives in a building around the corner.”
“Burritos to go for both of you? A dinner fit for two bachelors, am I right?”
He laughed again. “Something like that. This party, you’ll be there?”
“Wasn’t that implied by the ‘running it’ part of me explaining why I’m here?”
“Right.”
Two more people ahead of me in line.
“So, maybe I should know your name if we’re going to keep running into each other,” he said.
“Kelly.”
“Evan.” He held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.” It was cold but not clammy, and his handshake was stronger than I had thought it would be.
“Nice to meet you too.”
“Think I could get on that guest list?”
“Um, sure, I’ll make a note. Last name?”
“Crawford.”
Finally, the line moved up, and it was my turn to order. I turned my attention to the person behind the counter, hoping I wouldn’t have to answer any more awkward questions or field any more requests to attend a party at which I would already be trying to apologize to Garrett, Jen (if she even came), and Marianne without also having to fend off some fellow I couldn’t stop running into whose name I now knew was Evan.
* * *
Where was Rob? In that instant between ordering and standing there waiting to tell the burrito guy which toppings I wanted, the tears swelled in my eyes,again. I couldn’t believe how badly I’d messed everything up. I’d left the ring at home. The ring would have explained everything to this Evan character without me having to say a word. I felt Evan kick me gently on the side of my foot. “Move it along there, Kelly. Some of us need extra cheese and guac for tonight.”
“Sorry, miles away.”
“I could see that.”
The burritos were now at least being grilled, and I was about three minutes away from being free of this situation and this conversation. “Fight with my boyfriend,” I said.
“Ahh, the stress of the decision about what to do tonight. Many a relationship can’t weather that storm.”
I laughed despite myself. “You’re right, we’re over because he couldn’t stand to come to my stuffy corporate party, and he’s going off the rails with the boys tonight.”
