Page 47 of Last Night Was Fun

“But this is good,” Beth said. “He’s happy to hear from you and he’s interested. Smiley face is a good sign;missing youis obviously a good sign. Keep going.”

With a nod, Emmy turned back to her phone and tapped out the next message in their plan.

I’ve missed you too. Sorry for the short notice, and I know this is coming across as suspiciously convenient on my end, but you’d be doing me a huge favor.

I’m happy to do you a favor.

They both inhaled matching sharp breaths. Beth squealed and gripped Emmy’s arm. “See, I told you!” she whispered, like Axe Murderer might somehow hear them.

“Okay. Okay!” Emmy said, trying to gather herself and suddenly brimming with excitement more than nerves. She let out a little yelp when her phone whooped with another new message from him.

When you say travel...

She bit her lip, hoping the distance wasn’t a deal-breaker.

Yeah, about that... The wedding is in Cancún. I totally get it if that’s out of the question on such short notice.

Beth clucked and swatted her arm as soon as she hit send. “Stop giving him an out! He’s ninetypercent there already!”

“Sorry.”

His typing dots appeared, and Emmy stopped breathing.

Cancún? I think I could swing that. But, Bird Girl, you realize this means we’re going to have to meet, right?

“YES! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Beth cheered and shook Emmy’s arm so hard she almost dropped the phone.

The grin on Emmy’s face was equally large and delirious. She rode the thrilling high to push through the more immediate and intimidating next step.

Yes. I do realize that. And I want to. Maybe tomorrow? Then we can discuss travel plans.

That sounds perfect. Where?

Beth punched her arm with another excited gasp. “Oh, that’s a good sign! Letting you choose! He’s not going to murder you!”

Emmy would have rolled her eyes if she wasn’t positively vibrating with nerves. She knew the perfect location in Balboa Park. Someplace public but intimate. Safe but picturesque. Easily accessible but off the beaten path.

The Botanical Building at Balboa Park. By the lily pond.

Sounds perfect. Around 7?

See you there.

Emmy collapsed back against the couch with a profound exhale. The buildup of nerves from the past weeks rushed out of her in a giant and welcome whoosh for clearing the obstacle that had had her spiraling. She could feel a new set of nerves prodding their way closer, but she’d deal with those tomorrow.

She shot off a text to her sister:Wedding date secured.And then added the most significant event she’d had in a long time to her calendar.

Axe Murderer @7pm Balboa Park

Of course Tuesday turned into a marathon of never-ending work. The day passed at an achingly slow pace, all because Emmy couldn’t wait to get to the end of it. At least Gabe’s sour mood seemed to have lifted. Even though he hadn’t voiced it, she thought maybe he’d forgiven her for the scene on the pier. Or at least gotten over it. He was remarkably amiable while their team pounded away at their keyboards all day. He even found her a new marker when the one she tried to use on the whiteboard was dried out.

And then he tried to tell her the equation she’d written was wrong, and, when he leaned in close enough, shemightnot havemoved the uncapped marker in her hand, to rub against his shirt without him noticing. Whatever. He had a dozen more pastel polos where that one came from.

Emmy had taken Thursday, Friday, and Monday off, which was not ideal given the trade deadline and the race for a promotion, but Piper’swedding had been on the books for over a year, and she’d cleared her time off with Alice ages ago. That meant she was working extra hard for three days this week before she jetted off to Mexico for five.

But her attention had waned. She couldn’t stop thinking about Axe Murderer and their pending date. What would he look like? What would his voice sound like? Would she get the same butterflies in her stomach she got every time he texted her when she finally saw him in person? The gravity of the step they were taking threatened to consume her in a pit of nerves, but she wouldn’t let it. Instead, she held on to the thrilling sense of hope her sister would be right and knowing him in real life would be even better.

Once they clocked out for the day, Emmy headed home to change. The ballpark, Balboa Park, and her apartment all existed within a two-mile radius. She had plenty of time to make it from one to the other to the next before her meeting at 7:00, but she wanted enough time to put on the outfit she and Beth had chosen the night before and fix her hair from pulled-back office bun to something a little more flirty and free. She could have easily walked to the Botanical Building from home but didn’t want to undo all the work she’d done and show up frizzy and sweaty in the warm evening air. When she was ready, she summoned a rideshare and set off feeling like she was seconds from exploding in a supernova of nerves and excitement.