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Lina, caught in my fervor, responded with an enthusiastic nod. "That's... perfect," she declared, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "A marriage of environmentalism and success."
I suggested I pitch the revised concept to Jess. I could feel Lina's gaze on me, her eyes glinting with a mixture of anticipation and worry.
"You okay there, Hank?" Lina asked.
I nodded, managing a small smile. "Yeah, just a lot on my mind."
"Anything else you wanted to discuss?"
"No, nothing else." I moved towards the door, my hand already on the knob when I hesitated.
Turning back, I met her curious gaze, feeling a rush of uncertainty. "Actually, there is one more thing. I... um... I was wondering if you'd like to... join me for dinner later."
A moment of confusion clouded Lina's features, quickly replaced by suspicion. "Is this... is this a date you're proposing, Hank? Or is this some twisted game of yours to mock me and toy with my feelings?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you remember our recent argument? When you claimed that you hated working with me?"
I swallowed, feeling the weight of her words. Yes, I remembered the argument, and I remembered the bitter words we had exchanged. But I also remembered the softness of her lips against mine, and the warmth of her naked body from the previous night.
"You're right," I conceded, my voice softer than before. "We had our disagreements, but... do you remember what happened after that? You know, where you and I…"
The mention of our shared intimate moment from the previous evening turned her cheeks a delightful shade of pink. I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the sight, a warmth blooming in my chest at her reaction.
I shot a quick, apologetic glance towards Mike, who was watching our exchange with keen interest, before turning back to her. "I want to be honest about my feelings. And I want to explore what this could mean... for both of us."
I watched as Lina's gaze flickered to Mike, her usually quick-witted mind seeming to falter in this unexpected turn of events. I held my breath, knowing that this next moment could make or break the possibility of our future together. Mike offered her a nod and a small, knowing smile of support.
She hesitated, her mouth opening and closing as she visibly struggled to find the words. Then she steeled herself, her eyes hardening with resolve as she met my gaze.
"Fine, I’ll go on a date with you," she announced, her voice filled with grudging acceptance.
But then the fire in her sparked, and the woman I'd come to admire for her quick wit and fiery spirit let loose. "But listen here, mister. If this indeed is some twisted game you're playing, some elaborate scheme to mess with my head..." She took a step closer, poking a finger at my chest with every word she spat out.
"I will hang your underwear from the office flagpole. I will sign you up for every cat lover's newsletter on the planet. I will fill your office with glitter, so much that you'll be finding sparkles in places you didn't even know existed. I will—"
I couldn't help but chuckle at the image of glitter-covered me, scratching my head as I wondered how to rid my office of the shiny menace. Her rant, designed to be fearsome, was disarming in its absurdity.
Unable to resist, I took a step forward, cutting off her mid-sentence, and pulled her into a kiss. It was a risk, a gamble of emotions, but I wanted to reassure her, to quell the doubt in her eyes and replace it with the certainty of my feelings.
Her surprise gave way to realization, and she melted into the kiss, her arms winding around my neck as she kissed me back. We broke apart after a moment that felt like a wonderful eternity, her wide eyes filled with a soft surprise that tugged at my heartstrings.
With a triumphant grin, I turned on my heels, leaving her standing in her office, the glass walls offering me a last glance at the scene unfolding inside. Mike had started whistling a teasing tune, nudging a still flustered Lina as he chuckled at her red face. The sight warmed me, filling me with a sense of rightness I hadn't felt in a long time.
As I walked away, my mind replayed the memory of our kiss, and I found myself already looking forward to our impending date. Perhaps, in the midst of all the chaos and uncertainty, Lina and I were onto something, a shared future that I suddenly couldn't wait to explore. And as I pondered on the possibilities, I realized, maybe, just maybe, I'd started to let a bit of that light in, after all. The light that Patrick had wanted in my life.
Chapter 19: Lina
Cradled in the cocoon of my room, I let the melancholy of the day seep in. The clouds outside seemed to reflect the turmoil brewing in my mind, the gray skies matching my turbulent emotions. Hank's invitation for a date played on a loop in my mind, a record I couldn't stop. As the anticipation of a date with Hank clashed with the ghostly remnants of past scars left by Finn, I could feel an unsettling knot forming in the pit of my stomach. It was a whirlwind of anticipation, anxiety, and fear, whirling like a storm inside me.
Mike was there, a beacon of innocence amid my turmoil. I watched as he played with his toys, his laughter piercing the somber silence of my room. But even his joy couldn't distract me from the internal storm.
Scattered around me were the doll clothes, each a testament to happier times, a time when love was a dream and not a ghost. Yet, I found myself clutching onto them, my fingers shredding the fabric in a burst of misdirected aggression. The soft silk, the delicate lace, all torn apart, much like the state of my heart.
Mike watched from the corner, his innocent eyes catching the spectacle of my destruction. The binky fell from his mouth, a gasp trapped in his throat. He crawled over to my side, a look of worry etched on his face.
"Hey, hey! What's the deal here?" He said. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
"Nothing." I retorted, my words sharper than intended. "I'm fine."
"Lina," he began, his usually humorous tone replaced by a serious one. "What’s the matter?"
