Page 39 of The One I Need
I’ve never seen a picture that represents two people more.
I get out of the car and hurry to her side, opening her door for her.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know.” I hold out my hand for her, which she eyeballs before she accepts. “But I need to ask, how many coffees is that today?”
“Just my third,” she says defensively.
“Have you ever been told that you have a problem?”
She shakes her head as we start walking to the market. I put my hand on the small of her back but quickly realize what I’ve done. I slowly lower it, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. But I can’t deny how good it felt to touch her, even if it was just that light, little touch.
“It’s only a problem if you can’t stop.”
“And can you stop?”
“Of course,” she says as she starts making a beeline toward the coffee cart. “Just not today.”
* * *
“Favorite movie?”
Izzy looks up at me from dipping her tortilla chip into the salsa. “Really? How could I possibly answer that?”
“Easy,” I say. “You name a movie you like a lot.”
Izzy shoots me a look that I’ve learned today is her “no shit, Sherlock” face. She gave it to me no less than ten times during our farmer’s market expedition.
“The last time I told you a movie I enjoyed, it ended up being used against me. Before I knew it we were drunk and naked.”
I point my chip at her before drenching it in the queso. “I didn’t use it against you. I used it towooyou. Totally different.”
“Woo me?”
“Yes, woo you.” I say. “Now, quit stalling.”
She laughs in a huff. “Takes one to know one.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re a deflector. So am I. It’s something we have in common.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. It takes one to know one. I am a master deflector. No one does it better than me. Though I must admit, you’re very close.”
“Fine then,” I say, though I’m not conceding to her accusation. “Right here, right now, we answer one question we honestly want to know about the other. No deflections. No excuses. Only truths.”
This wipes the smile off her face. “Dammit. I walked right into that one.”
I sit back and think for a second. I want to make this good. I’m not about to pass up my free pass to really finding out about Izzy.
“Okay,” I begin. “Why don’t you date?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You went there, didn’t you?”
“I had to take my chance while I had it.”
