AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He laughed.
“And when you applied for your position with us, how did you prepare?”
I rolled my eyes, but said, “I looked up popular IQ and personality tests online and practised on them.”
He tried not to laugh; his lips pressed together in a grin.
“Terry said you got the highest IQ test result in any he’d ever seen.”
“Your point?”
“You’re tenacious and competitive, Trolley Girl. And that’s not a bad thing to be.”
I stared down the table at our coworkers and said nothing.
“Sometimes,” Michael said quietly, “it takes a stranger to see what you are unable to see in yourself.”
“Speaking from experience?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I see a courageous woman who has seen and done some hard things and survived. I see a beautiful butterfly who is only just now emerging from her chrysalis. The world is your oyster, Trolley Girl. You just have to reach out and take it.”
“And now you’re practising for Hallmark,” I said.
He grinned. “I spend my weekends hanging around the gift card aisle at the supermarket hoping a certain someone turns up and rescues me.”
I laughed.
“You don’t need rescuing,” I said. “Your ego will prevent you from drowning.”
“And my big feet,” he said deadpan. “I have very big feet. Good for kicking in water.”
I raised my eyebrows at him.
“Really?”
He tapped his shoe against mine under the table.
Then leaned in toward me and said, “You know what they say?”
“About big feet? And a big something else?” I said, trying not to laugh.
He shook his head, and mock gasped.
“No!” he said, in exaggerated tones.
I smiled.
He smiled.
Then I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “What do they say then, Suit Guy?”
He looked at me. And I looked at him.
And then he said, “That chocolate fish can’t swim, of course.”
I burst out laughing, garnering the attention of the people nearest us at the table.
I waved their queries away and returned to my meal.
Sometime later, Michael said, “How about we catch a movie together when we get back?”
A forkful of risotto hung between the plate and my lips, and I said nothing.
“OK,” he said softly. “Next time.”
