Page 58 of Falling into Place
Carly:You got cucumbers?? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!
Brooks:oh hey, i got cucumbers
Brooks:how did you know?
Carly:LiveOKCnewsletter just hit my inbox. That’s so exciting! I’m proud of you, you little gardener, you.
Brooks:i prefer Garden Master
Brooks:Green Giant
Brooks:SuperGardener
Carly:Garden Gnome
Brooks:no
Carly:How was the date last night? Did you wear the shoes?
Brooks:yes but no one noticed because they’re shoes
Carly:If she didn’t compliment that delightful pair of footwear I don’t even know what life is anymore.
Brooks:do you have a fetish I need to know about?
Carly:Obsession, not fetish. I love shoes in a completely nonsexual way.
Brooks:wow, yeah. important distinction
Carly:Seriously how was the date?
Brooks:it was fine
Carly:Just fine?
Brooks:yeah. probably won’t go for a second date.
Carly:Have you considered maybe you’re looking for reasons not to have second dates? There’s no way this many women don’t want to go out with you again.
He couldn’t, wouldn’t, tell her the truth, which was there were so many times he’d found himself wishing it was Carly across fromhim—instead of the perfectly pleasant woman named Jillian—that he’d cut the date short. Jillian didn’t know that, of course. He’d planned a walk around the Myriad Gardens and then going for ice cream after, but had nixed the dessert part. Not because he hadn’t liked her. On the contrary, it was the best date he’d been on so far (minus him bringing a cucumber—that was awkward). She was funny and outgoing, and they had a fair amount in common. She was beautiful and held a successful career as a physical therapist, which gave them the topic of health care as something to fall back on if conversation ever stalled.
Which surprisingly, it never did.
Still, she wasn’t Carly.
He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her quiet but snarky personality and how fucking beautiful she was when dressed up or while lounging at her house (seeing her relaxed like that had been ... a mistake). She cried while watching movies and was obsessed with perfect lines and throw pillows on her impeccably made bed (which just made him want to mess it up, preferablywithher).
He’d made an emergency visit to Coach’s house last night and spent an hour talking about her, and yeah, hehadthought about telling her about his cucumber success. He’d felt a ridiculous and probably slightly pathetic amount of pride when he had pulled those first two vegetables from the vine, and she’d been the first person he’d wanted to tell. She’d get excited with him and wouldn’t make him feel like a total loser for celebrating his accomplishment. But that night at her apartment where he’d almost kissed her had freaked him out. He wasn’t the kind of guy who made moves on a woman who was his sister’s best friend that he’d hired (well, sort of) to perform a service, and who was obviously still hung up on her ex.
Hell, he was barely the kind of guy who made moves.
He should probably put some distance there.
Which would be difficult tonight since he would see her out for Sasha’s birthday. That reminded him ...
Brooks:what should i wear tonight?
Carly:For Sasha’s thing? Whatever you want. Fassler Hall is super casual.
