“The guy gets attention,” Georgie pipes in. “There is a level of limelight and celebrity involved with a football player.”
I hadn’t thought about that. “True.”
“But, saying that,” Georgie continues, “you did work for Spencer.”
Etta nods her head in agreement. “So you’ve been around people who are in the spotlight constantly.”
“Yes, but it’s different when you’re dating the person who’s in the glare. They, in a way, have made peace with it. I’m not a big fan of it, that’s why I’ve never dated anyone in the spotlight. I don’t want it.”
“Fair,” Etta says as she puts her forearms on the counter and leans in. “I understand wanting to have your space.”
Georgie eyes me knowingly. “It’s the anxiety too, isn’t it?”
Only Georgie would know that the other layer of me, the autoimmune layer, is one to worry about. Slowly, I nod.
“It’s a choice like this that can add to my stress or maybe not. It all depends on how I deal with it, so I need to know I’m strong enough.”
“Why do you need to be strong enough?” Etta asks, prompting Georgie and me to give her a quick education on my relationship with Graves’ disease.
“So, I’d be making out with my neighbor, who is also my boss. There is so much wrong here. He’s also super grumpy, and I know I’m rose-colored glasses sunshine sometimes. Too much close proximity and now we’re also adding in too many rom-com tropes for my liking.” I throw my hands in the air. “I’m overthinking this kiss. This one amazing kiss that made me go weak in the knees. Just because I want more doesn’t mean he does, and I need to realize that not hearing from him for the last three days is a sign.”
“He could have been getting ready for his return to his team, he may have had appointments.” Georgie wags a finger my way. “You don’t know. Have you spoken to him for work?”
I shake my head. “I’ve only emailed him since it happened. I wanted to give him space.”
“So you haven’t talked at all since his lips were—” She points to hers and makes a ridiculous kissy-pucker face that makes me laugh. “On your smackers?”
“No. But…space. You know?”
“Pfft,” Georgie growls. “I’d be in his face, spraying my territory like a cat in heat.Mine! Mine!”
“Isn’t that what a seagull says?” I muse as Georgie leans across the counter to swat me.
Etta, who has been silent this whole time, grabs her phone from her purse and starts tapping on it. “What I’m hearing, Bex, is that you have bad anxiety that can come with the Graves, too, right? Like the disease can make it worse?”
I nod.
“My friend, Dylan, has really bad anxiety.” Etta taps away, then with a final touch, puts her phone down on the counter. “I know she has a list of things she uses to combat it.”
I open my mouth to say thank you, but my own phone suddenly chimes. Speak of the devil. It’s Austin.
I show Georgie who waves me to the back of the shop so I can take the call. Walking away, I press the phone to my ear.
“Hey.” Austin’s Southern drawl is like melted butter. Smooth. “Sorry to bother you, but I needed to touch base before I left town.”
“Oh,” I manage as my stomach dips. I can hear the intercom system for the airport in the background. “You’re already at the airport?”
“Charlotte. It’s a business trip that has come up suddenly, but I’m back tomorrow in the late afternoon.”
“Got it.” Of course. He’s going out of town and he needs to get his assistant to help with something, doesn’t he? And I am his assistant. “What do you need me to do?”
A noise from behind alerts me. Spinning around, I find both Georgie and Etta hunched over behind a bookshelf, pretending to be listening in. The pair’s giggles turn into raucous laughter when they realize I’ve discovered them.
Fighting my own laughter, I put my back to them again and focus on Austin.
“We have unfinished business. I need you to be free. One night this week, for me.”
“What?”
