Page 53 of Storm in a Teacup
I shake my head. “You keep it.” She slips it around her wrist. I swerve around Linny to grab a cooling muffin, handing it over. “Take this.”
“Happily.” She holds the warm muffin with the tips of her fingers. “I’ll see you soon?”
“Count on it.”
After she leaves, I check my phone to see a text from Paul.
Paul, huh? Almost forgot we exchanged numbers.
PAUL: Hey, mate. Thinking about spending some time in Scotland after the wedding. You’re outdoorsy, right? Any hiking recs?
ME: Hey. Aye, I’ve an abundance of recs. What level we looking at?
PAUL: Low-medium. More than a trail, but not an all-day/overnight trek
ME: Gotcha
I send him a few links to trails that I like, offering a few details about my favorites. Paul’s a nice bloke. It’s too bad he lives in London. I’m not saying I’d pursue anything with him, but he’d bea good friend to have. It seems like we have a lot in common.
Speaking of friends, I switch over to my text thread with Linny.
ME: Do you fancy a hike?
OSCAR WILDE’S MOTHER: It’s been so long since we’ve spoken. Oh, how I have missed you
ME: Don’t be cheeky. Answer the question
OSCAR WILDE’S MOTHER: Sure. I like hiking
OSCAR WILDE’S MOTHER: I mean, nothing hardcore, but I don’t mind a steep hill or having to weave around fallen trees. I like a nice hike on a nice day
OSCAR WILDE’S MOTHER: Why? You don’t mean now, do you?
ME: Naw. Just curious
ME: What are your thoughts on mountain biking?
OSCAR WILDE’S MOTHER: I don’t trust me on a bike, but the concept of it is fine
I snort as I type my response.
ME: Fair
OSCAR WILDE’S MOTHER: Do you wear those tight little numbers when you mountain bike or is that just normal cycling?
ME: That’s more of a speed cycling thing. Why? You want me to?
OSCAR WILDE’S MOTHER: No, I reallydon’t. I’m not sure there’s a single person, even you, who could pull off that outfit
ME: I can pull off ANY outfit, thank you very much
ME: But next nice day, maybe we should go on a hike?
I gnaw my lip as I await her reply. I’m asking her as a friend and not even specifically asking. Just throwing out an open-ended suggestion. An open-ended suggestion that is ignoring our fake dating plan. Should I unsend the text? Before I can even attempt that, she responds.
OSCAR WILDE’S MOTHER: Not sure when that mythical nice day will come, but yeah. Why not?
I grin stupidly at my phone before I slide it aggressively down the counter. Enough of that for today.
