Page 18 of Say Yes to the Hot Mess

Hanan starts typing again, then stops. She starts again, stops once more, and then she must finally be able to figure out what she wants to say, because her next message pops up.

Hanan:And there’s no one you’d be willing to go on a date or two with? Just to appease your mom?

Another smile sneaks across my lips; is she fishing for information about my love life? I’m…strangely unsure how I feel about that.

Me:Are you trying to ask me if I’m interested in anyone right now?

Hanan:What? No!

Hanan:No, I just

Hanan:Never mind

And maybe I’m terrible, but I can’t resist poking a bit; she’s cute when she’s flustered.

Me:Are you sure? Because if you’re interested…

Hanan:SHUT UP I WASN’T ASKING LIKE THAT

At this point I actually laugh out loud. I probably look stupid, staring at my phone and laughing, but who cares. It’s just me here anyway.

Me:That’s too bad. Nancy will be devastated.

My pulse, I notice, is moving along more quickly than usual. But we’re skirting the line between teasing and flirting right now. Maybe it’s just because I’m tired of my mother’s prodding, or maybe it’s simply because IlikeHanan, but either way, it’s rare for us.

Regardless, it’s not a good idea. I know for a fact that she’s sworn off men; she’s said it several times. Plus we’ve never met in the real world, and we probably never will. Flirting with her would be dumb.

She apparently thinks so too, because she changes the subject.

Hanan:Hey, so I actually just got on to see if you—

But her words disappear as my screen goes black, the last bit of power finally drained from my phone, and I’m left wondering what she was going to say. She got on to see if I…what? If I was busy? If I want to meet her? If I think I might have inconvenient, misplaced feelings for her?

I run one hand through my hair before digging out my phone charger and plugging in my phone. Then I move to the window and crack it open, hoping to tempt some of that warm spring-evening air. I know a lot of people complain about Florida humidity, but I’ve never minded it too much. As long as I’m not overly sweaty, I welcome the heat, the sultry way it surrounds me and settles into my bones.

I turn away from the window, my mind going back to the conversation with Hanan. I guess I could go ahead and message her now that my phone is charging, just to see what she wanted to say, but part of me thinks it might be best to hang back. Getting attached to a virtual friend is just not smart.

A faint splashing noise from outside reaches my ears, and I frown. I didn’t see anything out there when I opened the window—though I also didn’t really look at anything other than a passing glance at the sky. So I swivel around and squint out at the backyard, stepping closer to the window. The sun is already starting to set, but it’s still light enough to see the source of the splashing: Maya Ellis, in the hot tub. Her phone and what looks to be a baby monitor are on the edge on one side of her; the towel is draped over the edge on the other side.

Her hair is piled into a dark mountain on top of her head, her chin tilted up, her eyes closed. She looks more relaxed than I’ve seen her yet, her full lips tilted up into a little smile, and I feel a little twinge of guilt that she and I have been butting heads so much. Her shoulders, golden and bare, just barely peek over the top of the water, and—

And I’m being completely creepy, standing here and looking at her from my bedroom window. Who does that? Perverts, that’s who.

The thing is, as cliché as it sounds…she mightactuallybe the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. Ever. I run through my memories of when I was in college and even high school, just to check—ex-girlfriends, friends, random coworkers—and yeah, I honestly think she is. She’s the most attractive woman I’ve ever seen. Even in my tiny storage closet, where I couldn’t see her at all, I was attracted to her, to her fire. And I think my brain is a little bit in shock about it—especially since we haven’t been getting along.

I force myself back to the table in the corner, deciding to give the puzzle another go. I just need to relax, that’s all. I’ve felt jittery since yesterday, like some sort of electricity is jumping beneath my skin, and I don’t like it. I’m not a jittery man.

So I settle myself into the chair, leaning forward to examine the puzzle. The sound of the hot tub jets is a constant hum of background noise, and once I’m able to get my neighbor off my mind, it’s actually kind of soothing. I’m able to focus on zebra stripes and snow leopard fur, black and white in the way so many things aren’t—the way I wish things could be.

Time escapes me as I sit there, in my puzzle trance, my mind on nothing and everything all at once. I get about half of one zebra done. I find the tail for one of the skunks. And my fingers are just hovering over part of what looks to be panda paws when I hear a disruption from outside.

“Crap!” It’s Maya’s voice, quieted by distance but definitely still audible. I glance at the window, waiting to see if she says anything else. When there’s only silence, I stand up and make my way to the window.

It’s getting darker now, but it only takes a second for my eyes to pick apart the scene out there. Maya is still sitting in the hot tub, holding up what looks to be a very wet towel and scowling at it.

What is she doing?

I watch as she bites her lip, a hesitant expression stealing over her face. She looks at the towel and then all around the yard, as though checking for something—

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