Page 23 of If It Can't Be Us

I let out a laugh, shaking my head at his audacity.

Vivian:OMG, you know what I mean.

Leo:Right… Second question.

Vivian:How many siblings do you have?

Leo:Are you trying to lose? :-)

The dots appear, telling me that he is typing, then they go away. A few minutes later, they reappear.

Leo:Two

That’s odd. I expected him to elaborate, maybe tell me if they’re brothers or sisters, or how old they are. But he didn’t.

Vivian:Are you close with your parents?

Leo:No more family questions.

Leo:Not over text.

Leo:Ask another.

Vivian:Alright, I’ll take the win for the pass. And since I’ve already won—what’s your favorite movie?

Leo:It’s a tie between “Wedding Crashers” and “Remember the Titans.”

Vivian:Those are complete opposite kinds of movies. Both great though. I’ll only have about an hour tomorrow. I’ll look at some options around my work and let you know where. Can you do 12:30?

Leo:I’ll be awaiting your text. Have a good one, Walker.

I debate whether to ‘like’ his text or not, and decide against it, giving myself the upper hand.

The rest of my meetings go well, and I arrive home around six. Starved, I make myself some dinner, call my mom for a quick catch-up, and then head to my little home gym for a workout. As I lift weights, Eminem’s voice blasts in my ears from one of my carefully curated workout playlists. My mind drifts back to Leo, the anticipation of our lunch tomorrow lingering, making it difficult to focus.

I start thinking about what to wear. The navy dress with buttons that I can undo lower for a little cleavage, or the black pencil skirt and blouse that make my ass look great? I sigh, realizing how distracted I am. Clearly, I’m not focused on my workout.

* * * * ** * * * *

The Next Day

I see Leo approaching as I wait outside a True Food Kitchen near my work. I’d suggested he look over the menu beforehand so we could order as soon as we sat down. He flashes me a grin that makes my heart skip a beat.

“There she is,” he says, coming in for a hug.

“No smart-ass greeting? You’re losing your touch,” I joke, soaking in the feel of his hug.

“I come tail between my legs today. I’ve accepted defeat, and I’m paying for lunch.”

The hostess seats us at an outdoor table. The weather is perfect today. It’s hot, but with the shade and ceiling fans, it’s pleasant.

“As it should be,” I say. “Are you working today?”

“I had a class from eight to ten this morning, but I have the rest of the day off. Tuesdays are my short days. Today was the first day of the fall semester.”

“How’d it go?”

“It went well. Classes are all rather similar each year, and I’ve been doing this long enough that it doesn’t really create any anxiety or stress for me. I like my job.”

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