AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I know a great Asian fusion place here in town.
Suddenly, I feel unsure. Is he asking me out on a date?
Are you asking me out, Alex?I text it back with sincerity and curiosity.
He takes a while typing and retyping his message, and when he finally sends it, it’s pretty anticlimactic.
Maybe.It’s followed by a devil face.
Bella’s footfalls storm out of the bathroom, and she enters the living room searching frantically for something.
“Have you seen my purse?”
“It’s on the kitchen counter!” I jump into a standing position and store my phone in my pocket.
“Okay!” She grabs the purse and then the keys. “Let’s go!”
We hop in the car and then we’re out and about in minutes. The magazine we work for is The Investigative Observer and their building isn’t too far away, but she steps hard on the pedal anyway. I’d be hanging on for dear life if I weren’t so entranced by Alex’s display of interest.
When are you free?he texts.
Bella looks at me out of the corner of her eye and says, “What’s he saying?”
My heart thumps in my chest. She would have to know, preferably sooner rather than later, if I started dating her brother, but I don’t know what her reaction would be. I have a feeling it wouldn’t be a positive one.
“He wants to ask me out,” I say, again, not lying.
“…and?” she asks, very elongated.
Pressing my phone against my chest, I bite down on my lip. “I’m not sure I want to.”
“Why not?” Bella inquires me, indignant. “Didn’t you say he’s handsome?”
“Bella, a guy being handsome isn’t everything!” I place my phone back in my pocket. Alex can wait. I'm wrestling with my thoughts, trying to understand my own reservations. “I’m not sure I believe he’s really the person he shows himself to be!”
We arrive at work, and Gail immediately calls us to her office, not to scold us for being late, but to give us a new assignment — to cover the work of a retired doctor who now volunteers over forty hours a week at a local community health clinic.
As we head over, thoughts of Alex linger in the back of my mind. When we arrive, I realize it is near the part of town where Alex saved me from that kid with a gun. I remember how I’d immediately felt safe when he arrived.
Even though I can’t forget about him saving me, I get distracted with work and completely forget about his texts until we arrive home a little later than usual. Bella is in her pajamas and socks watching TV, while I’m in the kitchen preparing zucchini pasta for dinner.
My phone dances over the counter with the vibration, and when I grab it to check, I see it’s a new text from him.
Are you still there?
I text him back.
Yes, I’m sorry. Had a busy day. How was your day?
Busy too,he texts.You didn’t answer my question. Did you receive the message?
I add some salt into the sauce and then text back.
I did. Sorry for not answering. Alex, I… I don’t know if I want to continue with this conversation.
I keep staring at my phone, but he doesn’t reply as quickly as I wish. After a solid minute, I give up on waiting and go prepare some salad, and his answer only comes when the dressing is mixed and tossed.
Please, don’t break my heart.His text hasa sad face emoji at the end.
