Page 45 of Delayed Intention
Check __ yes. Or check __ No.
Either way, I’m good. Just an idea I had.
Your pal,
Lily
This might work. I resolve to show no mercy. What do I have to lose?
Nothing. Well, maybe my dignity.
I folded up the note and shoved it into my back pocket. Something about writing such a direct message makes me feel bolder somehow. I’ve not flirted in a very long time. It’s been eighteen years. Feeling a growing sense of confidence as I packed up the rest of my belongings, I put my bag in my car before I went to check out. I still have the day, I think, and I plan to make the most of it. Just as I’m finishing in the office, Josh pulls up in his SUV.
Schooling my features as he gets out of the car I open the line of communication.
“Hi.” That sounds innocent enough. Then, thinking of my plans for the day I say quickly, “I read your note. Thanks for being honest. And no worries.”
Josh is just blinking at me and I can’t read his expression, so I continue to stand there, smiling.
He blinks at me. “Okay. Um. Ready for breakfast?”
“Of course.” I step up into his SUV and catch him staring in the vicinity of my chest as I climb in. I smile to myself, feeling satisfied that I am onto something. So far, this is going according to plan.
Within a few heartbeats, we pull into the diner parking lot.
“Busy day planned?” I ask.
Poor Josh is visibly working on keeping his eyes up in the vicinity of my face, which makes me smile even more at him.Wow, he is attracted to me. How did I miss this before?
“Um. The weather.”
“I’m sorry?” I feign confusion, even though I know what he is referring to.
“The weather’s going to be bad—we should talk about maybe extending your stay at the motel.”
“That has to do with your plans for the day?” I blink at him. This flirting thing is easier than I thought it would be, now that I know where everyone is coming from.
“Uh, yeah, my plans.” He coughs and clears his throat. “I mean, sort of—because of the bad weather. There is a clinic in town and they usually want me to keep it open for locals since it looks like we will get snowed in here. It probably won’t open until tomorrow, but I may be on call before then. The doctor that runs it will call and let me know.” With that, Josh practically runs from his car into the diner.
We make our way inside without saying anything else and are seated at a booth in the back. Josh is again working hard to keep his eyes to himself. I grin, pick up my menu, and then make a show of putting my menu down. After a beat, I lean toward him with my elbows on the table. His eyes briefly widen before he looks quickly back at his menu. I almost laughed because he must have known the menu here by heart. I do, and I don’t even live here. Yet Josh is reviewing the menu as if he has never seen it before.
“May I help? I mean, I can’t be a PA in Colorado without a state license, but I know my way around a clinic well enough to act as your medical assistant. If you want.”
“Um, sure,” he says from behind his menu. The waitress comes back over and takes our orders. Josh reluctantly hands his menu over and studies his hands.
“Josh.”
“Yep.”
“Is it okay if I just stay with you? Instead of checking back into the hotel? I mean, I could get snowed in here for a few days and it would just be easier, you know?”
“Um.”
The waitress returns with my tea and Josh’s coffee.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Why on earth not? We’re both adults. Not to mention, we’ve both laid our cards on the table. What would be the harm?”
