Page 2 of Kiren

“You’re in accounts, right?” I already knew the answer, but something inside me wanted to hold onto his attention.

He nodded.

“What are you doing for Thanksgiving tomorrow?”

“Dinner with family and relatives,” he replied.

“Me, too. It’s good food and fun.”

He nodded.

“My family’s okay,” I added. “We don’t squabble too much.”

He pressed his lips tight and nodded. “Me, too. I like turkey so it’s okay.”

All right, then. I’d barely learned anything about him, but I liked him. He didn’t ignore me, but he didn’t go out of his way to impress me.

I could work with that.

I wanted to work with that.

The more I looked at him and felt his vibe, the more attracted I became. I’d made mistakes in the past by moving too fast. Be friendly. Go slow, I told myself.

“I’ve worked here four years,” I offered.

“A year,” he replied.

“Yeah, I’ve seen you around.”

He looked at me like he was astounded. Well, who wouldn’t look at that sweet face more than once?

I smiled. “I notice people.”

“Me? Is it because of my parents?”

“What? I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t know your parents, do I?”

He shrugged.

“I didn’t even know your name,” I continued. “But now that I do, I won’t forget it.”

“So you truly just came over with a drink for me to talk to me?”

I nodded. “Why not?” Now was the time to drop the bomb and see if it hit or missed. “It’s been ten months since I kicked out my boyfriend. Can’t blame me, can you?”

Kiren’s mouth twitched. Otherwise, he made no outward response of shock. “No. I guess I can’t.”

I tilted my head, my read on him fading. He wasn’t surprised by my admission, nor offended, but he kept his walls up. It wasn’t because I’d said the word boyfriend. It was something else.

My heart sped up. One of my favorite things about being a daddy was figuring out how to connect with my boys, peel away the layers as painlessly as possible, learn their secrets and feed their wishes. I was the type of daddy who fixed, who comforted. Who spoiled.

What might Kiren think of that?

Right now, I sat beside him and talked about mundane things. Do you like sports? No. Where were you raised? This city. What kind of car do you drive? Honda CR-V. What movies have you recently seen? I stream a lot and don’t remember them all.

He did not elaborate on any of his answers. I might’ve given up and walked away then and there, but something kept my seat planted. Maybe it was the way he sipped his drink, eyes sparkling as if the flavor surprised him. Or maybe it was how he twirled the silver band on his middle finger. He needed something. Someone. I wanted to find out what, and who that might be.

I worked in the same office as Kiren. I would see him every day. It would be easy to take this one slow step at a time.

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