Page 6 of Kiren

“Did you suspect, though?”

He stood silent for a few seconds. “I hoped. I liked talking to you.”

“Does that mean you’ll go out with me?”

“I haven’t dated in a long while.” He frowned. “Don’t you know who I am?”

“Beyond your name Kiren, no.”

“Dobbs is my last name.”

I frowned, thinking. “Wait. Are your parents Mike and Angie Dobbs? Who own this company?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t know.” I paused. “Should I have?”

“It matters to a lot of people, and here at the office people talk. I didn’t want anyone to know, but someone leaked it from HR. Now everyone knows. Does it matter to you?”

“No.” Maybe that was why he was so alone? People were intimidated by being too close to the son of the company owners.

His face went from confused to pleased, eyes widening. “That’s good. Then, yes, I accept your invitation.”

My heart sped up again, excitement taking over. “Excellent. I’d love to go out to lunch with you.”

“Today? On our lunch hour?” he asked.

“If that’s okay?”

“Well, I—I guess that would be nice.”

“And in case you don’t like me, you’ll only have to spend one hour with me.”

His eyebrows narrowed. “Not like you?”

“Just in case?”

“Max, I already like you. I’m super afraid you’re not going to like me.”

“No worry there. Can’t you tell? I already like you, Kiren.”

4

Kiren

Max was tall, with straight dark hair and craggy silver but cute sideburns, the sort of guy I sometimes dreamed about sweeping me off to a secret place where lovers made love on the beach all day and dined by candlelight at night.

I might be little, but I was romantic, too. I sometimes watched Hallmark at Christmas, though I never told a soul. There were even a few gay romances from that channel. I especially loved the sort of formulaic story with an always happy ending. When I was in pain and healing, those sorts of stories made me feel better. They distracted me, kept me from succumbing to depression.

I couldn’t wait for lunch.

We met in the lobby at noon.

“I’ll drive,” Max insisted.

I didn’t mind. My little side loved it.

“Usually, I eat with members of my team,” he said. “I like to eat out… away from the office. But today they’re on their own.”

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