Page 23 of Now That We Don't Talk

She rolls her eyes. “You say that now, but you’ll be thanking me when you fall in love.”

“We’re going to dinner. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

She gives me a hug and rushes off to find Dallin. I look over to see Mac still surrounded by people and clearly loving every second of it.

The barbeque is winding down, so I decide to make an early escape. Admittedly I don’t want any more run-ins with Mac. I'm already bothered by how attractive I find him.

One of the things I love about my job is how easily I can lose myself in it, letting it drown out everything else around me. I truly enjoy getting into the data, research, and solving problems. Sometimes hours go by, and I completely lose track of time.

The sound of my phone buzzing pulls me away from my laptop. I have two texts from Katie.

We are set for Saturday. Cash is ready to meet you.

Helped Kyle plan out the proposal. He’s doing it around their seven-month anniversary. It’s happening. Give you the scoop later.

Wow. When did we all grow up? The topic of Kyle’s proposal makes me think of Mac. I bite my lip before doing something I’ve never done before. I type Mac’s name into the search bar on my laptop.

Stats, photos, and articles about the Tennessee Wolves pop up on my screen. For some reason I’m a bundle of nerves—like I’m doing something I’m not supposed to be doing.

I flip through photos of Mac and his teammates with fans, at charity events, and action shots of them on the ice. I don’t know much about hockey except that it’s an aggressive sport and there is a lot of fighting.

In the photos, Mac is wearing several layers of clothing, huge pads on his arms and legs and a large face mask. You can’t even tell it’s him. That seems like a lot of gear, but I suppose it’s dangerous with sticks and hockey pucks coming at you for hours at a time. I wonder if it’s heavy. Does he ever get annoyed wearing all that stuff?

I quickly shut my laptop and push my chair away from the desk. My sudden interest in hockey uniforms and gear is freaking me out. I’ve never been even the slightest bit interested in the sport or anyone who plays it, and I’m not starting now.

I grab my phone to call Katie. There’s no chance I’ll mention Mac, but I’m curious about Kyle’s marriage proposal. I’m a sucker for a romantic plot.

“Vivi, is everything okay? You never call me in the middle of a workday.”

I look at the closed laptop sitting on my desk. “Everything’s fine. I just saw your texts. I want all the details.”

“Well, Dallin spoke to Cash this morning. We’re set for Saturday at seven. Dinner at The Ember Table.”

“Okay.”

I was referring to Kyle and the proposal, but I don’t say this.

“What are you wearing?” she asks.

“Right now?”

She sighs. “No not now—to dinner on Saturday.”

I giggle because I knew what she meant.

“I have no idea,” I say. “What are you wearing?”

“That’s not important.”

“It’s important to me.”

“Vivian, are you going to take this seriously?” she scolds. “You might be meeting your soul mate in a few days. This is huge.

She’s so dramatic.

“It’s dinner,Katherine,” I retort. “Don’t stress me out.”

“Sorry. I’m very excited.”

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