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He scrunched his nose up. “Yeah, I could see why that would suck. Unless the jilted party then comes into your store and requests some murder flowers.”
I laughed. “Then it’s not so bad.”
His eyes lingered on mine before he studied the straw in his drink. “So, the reason you’ve been out of the dating pool and forgotten how to swim, as your friend Robbie called it,” he said, his tone casual. “Is there a heartbreak story there?”
Straight into the big questions then . . .
I laughed and sipped my drink for a second to put my thoughts in order. “Uh, no. I’d been with a guy for almost two years. His name was Nigel. We’d grown a bit stale, and things weren’t great, and then I began setting up my own business and my time for him, for our relationship, dwindled down to not enough.” I sighed. “He called it off, which I totally understood. And honestly, he did us both a favour. I still see him aroundoccasionally. He’s been with his current boyfriend for well over a year now, and he’s happy, which is good. He deserves that.”
Linden’s gaze met mine and he considered me for a bit. “That’s a good breakup story, as far as breakups go.”
I chuckled. “It is. There were no hard feelings, no nastiness. We just grew apart.”
He chewed on his bottom lip. “And now? Why are you looking to date again now?”
I felt my cheeks heat. “It’s time. The shop is doing well and I can afford to take my hands off the wheel now. My two full-timers, Lina and Robbie, are great. Either one of them could run it for me for a month if I needed them to. Not that I would,” I added quickly. “The thought of not being there for a month gives me hives. I actually love what I do, and I love going to work every day, so it’s not a chore at all. But I’m not spending every night poring over figures and data or marketing strategies or anything like that anymore. I have more free time, and—” I said with a shrug. “—there are certain parts of dating or relationships that I miss.”
He grinned and leaned in. “Like sex?”
I blushed so hard I could feel my skin burn from my scalp to my toes. I tried to laugh it off. “That’s one aspect, I guess. Though just so you know, I haven’t exactly been a monk these last few years. I mean, I wouldn’t be in the running for any playboy trophies, either.”
He laughed. “And what are the other aspects?”
I smiled at him. “Like maybe ordering some takeout, getting all comfy on the couch, and watchingHome and Gardenwith him.”
His smile was slow and wide. “Are you flirting with me, Keats?”
My face burned again, and I’d never been more grateful for the waitress to bring our food. We ordered some drink refills, and I handed Linden his cutlery.
“Oh my god, thank you. This looks so good,” he said, shoving some fries in his mouth. “Please don’t look at me for the next few minutes while I inhale this. It’s not going to be pretty.”
I laughed. “Go ahead and eat. I promise not to look.”
He wasn’t kidding about inhaling it. He was halfway through his burger by the time I’d had one bite, but it was fantastic. And it gave us a few minutes of comfortable silence while we ate.
He put his half-burger down and opted for some fries. “Sorry, but this is so good.”
I laughed as I chewed. “Don’t apologise. Honestly, it’s a skill that you can take such huge bites and yet eat so delicately.”
His cheeks went red. “You weren’t supposed to be watching.”
“I’m just kidding.” Then to prove a point, I picked up my burger and took a massive bite. “It is good,” I said with my mouth full.
He laughed, thank god.
We finished our meals, both of us smiling, watching the TV screens that showed various sporting games—American football, English football, Australian rugby league. Not that I was a huge fan of any of it, but it simply just felt good being out and socialising. The atmosphere in the bar was happy and fun and loud, and it really had been far too long since I’d done anything like this.
Linden’s phone rang; it was screen-up and I saw the name Megan. “Oh,” he said. “The real estate lady from the apartment we were at. I should take this. Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” I said. “Take it.”
He slipped out from the table. “I’ll be two minutes,” he whispered to me. “Don’t go anywhere.” Then he answered the phone as he walked through the crowd to outside.
Like I’d go anywhere.
I checked my phone to fill in some time but saw it was only work emails or messages that could wait until I got home. There were no messages from friends. Because I’d been so busy with my shop these last few years, my friends didn’t bother too much anymore. Not that I blamed them.
So yeah, maybe it was time I put my head up and looked around a bit more.
