Page 4 of Here You Are

I noticed he sat down a lot closer to me than he had been when he came in. He smells really good, and I can’t help but notice he has some magnetism.

“If I have caffeine at this time of day, I won’t sleep again until tomorrow night, hence the decaf. I actually live pretty close by; it was within walking distance for me.”

He nodded and said, “Me too; that’s why I chose it. So, that must mean we don’t live too far apart from each other. But, I’m not telling you exactly where I live because you could be a murderer.”

“Hey, if anyone is a murderer here, statistically, the male is a much higher probability.”

He laughed and said, “I’m not taking any chances until I get to know you better.”

We continued to chat for about an hour about our work, friends, and families. He is working at a tech start-up company, hence the bit of a nerdy vibe he gave off. He was very passionate when he was talking about what he is doing at work. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I liked his energy for work and found that endearing. The more I sat and stared at him, the more I started to appreciate how cute he was. The thick, nerdy glasses are a terrible distraction from the really hot guy wearing them.

We had both finished our coffees, and it felt like things were wrapping up, but then he said, “Hey, I have to stop at my office, which is right down the street, to grab something I forgot. Do you want to walk with me, and I can show you the place?”

I pause. Is this a ploy to get me alone for kidnapping, murder, or naked things? I heard something online about not going to a second location, but I can’t remember what the context was.

“Don’t worry, there will be other people in the office, so I can’t murder you there. No pressure. I'm having fun with you and trying to casually extend our time together. If you're interested.”

I was pleasantly surprised and pleased that he wanted to keep hanging out, so I accepted his invitation. We exit the coffee shop and start walking downtown toward his office. We stopped for a light, and he grabbed my hand, which took me by total surprise. Hand holding on a first date? This seems aggressive. What is he, some kind of sex freak?

We got to his office, and he introduced me to every person we saw on the way to his cubicle. He grabbed a bag from under his desk and pointed to it.

“Murder supplies?” I ask with a grin.

“Close. My gym clothes and shoes. I forgot them here and didn’t want that to be my excuse to avoid working out all weekend.”

He tells me a little bit more about his company while we make our way back out of the building. It’s really adorable how much he likes his job, and I make a mental note never to go into detail about my job, as I would sound like a complete downer.

“I feel like I have been talking your ear off today. I want to hear more about you. Let’s walk over to the park since it’s so nice out. You can tell me about the book you're reading right now.” He grabbed my hand again, and we started walking at a leisurely pace.

I start telling him a little bit about my book, but it is a happily-ever-after story, so it follows a pretty typical format.

“Oh, it’s just a light read. A HEA book, so nothing too surprising,” I explained.

“HEA?”

“Happily Ever After. Typically, the format is girl meets guy, but there is some reason they can’t be together. By about halfway through the book, they eliminate that obstacle and kiss…or other things, depending on how sexy the book is. Around 75% of the way through the book, there is a giant misunderstanding, often something someone wasn’t honest about, and the other person doesn’t give them time to explain. Around 90% of the way through the book, they come back together, and everything works out. It’s predictable, but that is what I like. If I ever read a book that doesn’t end happily, I feel a bit cheated. What are you reading right now?”

“I could basically summarize what you said, but instead of romance, I stick to Sci-Fi. Step one: aliens. Step two: total destruction of the world as we know it. Step three: a human steps in to save the fate of the world. Step four: I guess I also read Happily Ever Afters,” he laughs.

We spent the whole afternoon in the park chatting, and when it started to get chilly, we walked back toward the coffee shop so we could return to our respective homes. When we arrived at the coffee shop, we paused outside the door to say goodbye.

“I would like to see you again. Could I get your phone number?” Luke inquires while handing me his phone to put in mine. “When can we hang out again?”

I finish putting in my number and hand his phone back to him. “I’m pretty open. Why don’t you text me next week, and we can see what we both have available?”

He pulls me in for a hug, and we embrace for a few seconds longer than a typical hug.

He whispers in my ear, “I think I have a crush on you.”

I laugh a little and end the hug, awkward and sweaty-palmed. I turn to walk toward my apartment.

I hear him holler my name.”Cassie, don’t watch which way I’m walking. You can’t know where I live yet.”

I laugh and turn around to walk home. That was unexpected and fun. I think I have a crush, too.

I was completely surprised to receive a text from Luke right away the next morning.

Luke: I couldn’t wait until next week to text you. Am I playing this too uncool? Does it make me look like a stalker?