Page 21 of Dare to Hold
The Zoom meeting takes entirely too long.
Normally, I wouldn’t mind helping a small business fine-tune the graphics for their upcoming event. But this particular client was…passionate. And by passionate, I mean she changed her mind about the font choice six times.
After an hour of painstakingly adjusting colors, repositioning elements, and watching her circle right back to the original layout I presented at the beginning, I’m absolutely drained.
Before I even push back from the table inside the coffee shop, I grab my phone and fire off a desperate message to the group chat with Harper and Olivia.
Ivy
SOS. When can y’all video chat?
As I step out into the crisp fall air, my phone immediately starts buzzing with responses.
Olivia
I’m free in 15.
Harper
If you’re headed to jail, I call dibs on bailing you out.
I laugh, actually laugh, as I type back.
Ivy
Meet in 15. You’re not ready for this.
My heart is still buzzing from coffee, from Gray, from the fact that he wants to see me again.
I’m barely through the door of my apartment when my phone starts ringing with the video call.
I kick off my shoes, toss my bag on the couch, and plop down in the middle of the living room floor like I’m about to deliver national news.
Two familiar faces light up my screen: Olivia curled up on her bed in full gossip mode and Harper already munching on popcorn like she knows this is gonna be good.
Harper leans in first. “Okay. Spill. You’re glowing, which either means you met a man or finally found the perfect throw pillows for your apartment.”
“Definitely not pillows,” I say, biting my lip.
Olivia gasps and claps her hands. “Girl, don’t make us drag it out of you.”
“Okay, okay!” I say, holding up my hands in surrender. “You remember that guy from the dare? The hand-holding guy in New Orleans?”
Harper nearly chokes on her popcorn. “THE dare guy?! Tattooed mystery man?! He’s back?!”
“He’s not just back,” I say slowly, enjoying the suspense. “He’s here. As in, lives in this city. I ran into him today. At Royal Brew.”
They both scream. I have to pull the phone away from my face.
“No. Freaking. Way,” Harper says. “What are the odds?”
“I know, right?” I say, flopping back onto the rug. “Apparently he’s been living here this whole time. And get this, he asked me to come watch him sing.”
“Oh my gosh, he’s in a band?” Olivia asks.
“Technically, he is a worship leader at his church.”
Dead silence.
