Page 25 of Kiss-Fist
He stops midway through his step and turns. “No, you don’t. We’re going to forget this ever happened. It will die here and now.”
“Yeah,” I say from behind a tense laugh, giving him a mock salute off the side of my forehead. “See you…?”
Soon? Never? How big of a line did I make him cross?
“Thursday,” he tells me.
I sag with relief. I really do like working with him, and I don’t want to lose a client over this. I say nothing as he walks off, and then I stare down at my phone to where the video is paused. With the pinch of two fingers, I zoom in on Robbie’s face.
God, why does he have to look like that? Why does he have to make me want him like this?
The front door jingles with the welcome bells, along with a rush of wind and a faint rumble of thunder in the distance. The lights flicker for a second before a shadow crosses my vision.
Leaf’s back. “Can I see your phone?”
Is he going to try to delete the video? I quickly exit the app so I don’t look like a total creep, and I watch as he opens up my app store and types something in. A beat later, heturns the phone to face me, and it dings with face recognition.
“What’s happening?”
He glances up at me for a beat. “Last name?”
I give it to him, and I watch him type more. “Seriously, Leaf?—”
“It’s an app. An ASL app. It’s not as thorough as actually learning in a classroom, but it’ll give you the basics. This one is Deaf run, so it’s not going to be garbage or archaic signs no one uses anymore.” He taps on the keyboard a few more times, then hands it over, and I look down at the brightly colored screen.
Wow, this is really nice. Above and beyond, really. My chest clenches a little as I look up at him because I also think I have to turn him down. “Um. Thank you, but I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
He frowns at me, and there’s something like anger in his tone when he speaks. “Why not?”
I flush and glance away for a beat. “I have a hard time reading. Um…I have a thing.” I tap my temple.
He says nothing, waiting patiently for me to explain.
“Dyslexia. It’s pretty bad. And ADHD. Focusing is hard, and I tend to get lost in lessons, especially when I get distracted by trying to figure out what the text is saying.”
His face shifts into understanding. “Oh. No, look.” He slides up beside me and takes the phone again, navigating to the settings menu. “There’s this accessibility option. It allows for verbal instructions.” He toggles it on, then goes to the square lesson with what looks like the alphabet and taps it.
“ASL Alphabet Lesson One,” a robotic voice says.
My eyes widen. “Oh. Wow, okay.” That’s something. It’s more than something. I’m not used to finding things that work for me.
Leaf softens as he hands my phone back. “You can call me if you need help too. I know how hard some of this stuff can be.”
I feel something warm in my chest. I really want to make him my best friend. I don’t think Isaac will mind having to share the spotlight. “Thanks. I promise I’m not trying to be a creep or anything. I really just wanted to know what he was saying.”
He nods. “I won’t say anything to him if I meet him. In case you were worried,” he adds.
I was, though I was trying not to think about it. “If it helps, I’d want to learn ASL for him anyway. Even if no one helped me figure out what he said.”
He tilts his head to the side, studying me before giving a sharp nod. “Yeah. He’ll appreciate it. Most people don’t take the time.” He pauses. “And if you’re really serious, check the community college. They have classes that don’t cost an arm and a leg, and while it is taught with a lot of writing on the board, your professor will find a way to help you.”
That’s something. It’s almost like losing another roadblock, but the happiness doesn’t last. I feel a small rush of guilt because none of us took the time to do this for Zev. He came in promising he could work the job without us needing to accommodate him too much—and mostly, he was right. He speaks verbally, he’s got hearing devices, and he lipreads. But I’m starting to realize that we could have done more.
We could have done better. So maybe this isn’t all for Robbie. He’s just, well, an incentive. A sexy, nerdy incentive that would probably look hot in a bow tie.
I look up to where Leaf had been standing, but I realize he’s gone, and in the doorway of the gym is someone else. I didn’t even hear the bells, but they must have rung because the one person I wanted to see was now standing in the doorway. My heart leaps into my throat.
He’s here.
