Page 46 of Girls Will Be Girls
He laughs, and it sounds nothing like Lou’s. With Lou, it’s like hearing a song you loved that you completely forgot about, and when it plays for the first time in a long time, you’re just filled with this joy.
That’s the sound of his laugh — complete unexpected joy.
But this guy’s laugh is just a laugh.
“I can get a little competitive.” He admits. “I love to win.”
“At least you’re self-aware.” I step over a large root pushing out of the ground. “You this competitive at everything?”
“Pretty much.” He nods. “Apart from anything artistic. I’m terrible with anything creative.”
“I’m not sure arts are meant to be competitive,” I say.
“Everything’s competitive.” He says, shaking his head at me almost condescendingly. “As if artists aren’t clambering over each other to be the best like the rest of us.”
I shrug noncommittally, because nope.
“Where are you staying?” He asks.
“Not too far from the start of the hike.” I once again decide not to tell a strange man my location at night. “You?”
“Over at the Incline Resort.” He says a little too smug for my liking, seeing as that’s the most expensive hotel in the area.
“Fancy.” I tease. “What brought you to this part of town for the hike?”
“Heard it was the best.” He pauses. “And I’ve got a big meeting today, so thought it would fire me up.”
“Has it?”
“Hell yeah.”
Ugh, this guy is so frat boy it hurts.
We’re almost back at the bar, so it’ll just be easier to humor him until then.
“What do you do?” I ask.
“I’m a journalist.”
My head whips over to him before I tamp down my shock.
They’re multiplying.
He nods his head down and averts his gaze from mine as if he’s trying to look humble. “For the New York Times.”
I have to suppress a laugh at how dramatically he delivers that brag. This right here is an excellent example of a man in journalism I would never reveal my job to. This is the guy I thought Lou was going to be.
“Cool.” Is all I can say to not laugh or scoff. I can see how irked he is I’m not more impressed. “What do you write?” I ask.
Drum roll, please.
“Politics.”
My neutral face stumbles for a second.
He must be here for the same thing as Lou. I’m slightly terrified by how excited I am at the prospect of telling Lou about this. That I have something to share with him.
“Neat.” I smile back.
