Page 26 of In the Middle of No(ah)where
My laugh joins his. I know what he meant. "If you're asking if I'm single, then the answer is yes."
Marcus doesn't look happy about that. He looks…sad. Would he prefer if I were in a relationship? Would the decision not to pursue something with me be easier if I were?
I clear my throat. "How about you?" I ask, looking into the zebra habitat. Two of them are strolling side by side like us.
"I've been searching for someone for a while. We met a couple years ago and hit it off. The timing was all wrong for both of us, but since I live here now, I was hoping he was still around somewhere. I wasn't sure if he went off to college or moved away."
"Oh?" my voice came out barely a whisper with a tinge of hope.
"Hell, I'm not even sure if he's even interested in me, to be honest." Marcus looks out into the same zebra habitat.
I remove my hand from my pocket, reach out, and brush the back of my hand against his. He glances over at me with a smile before interlocking our fingers together.
"He's interested," I tell him.
"Noah."
"Marcus?"
"Can I give you a hug?" He asks so bashfully that it's endearing.
I know teasing him would break the gentle moment, but I can't help it. "I don't know…canyou?"
"You really are a brat," he laughs. Before he can correcthisgrammar mistake, I wrap my arms around his torso and pull him in next to me. The warmth of his body against mine calms the chaos in my brain and eases the tension I've been carrying.If this was one of Caleb's Disney movies, I'm sure the animals would gather around and start singing.
I don't care about the zoo, the tour, or anything else.
I only care that the universe brought Marcus back to me.
13
Marcus
With Noah in my arms, the uncertainty that loomed around us faded. I was wondering if he was single and still interested, but apparently, we are on the same page so far. Having him pressed against me feels like coming home. The warmth and comfort soothe me to the core.
Speaking of warmth.
"Aren't you warm in long sleeves?" I whisper in his ear while he's pressed against me.
He pulls back slightly and offers me a smile while rubbing his arm absentmindedly.
"No, I'm used to it. I always wear long sleeves. I'm so fair; it helps protect my skin from the sun," he tells me, and I don't push the issue. The way his eyes divert away from me tells me that there is something else going on. "I don't tan like you do."
"It's all genetics. Besides, I like your fair skin." I give him a little wink before releasing him completely, guiding him further along the path, passing the metal elephant art statues at the entrance of the elephant habitat.
Using my badge to unlock the employee entrance, we enter the main building.
"Nothing exciting in this building except office spaces. My office is in here," I open the door and motion for him to step inside. There isn't anything special about it—a large desk pressed against one wall, bookcases lining another filled with textbooks and science books, along with some animal figurinesand photos. In the other corner is a filing cabinet with a lamp on top, which adds a warm ambiance to the space.
"This seems like a nice place to work," he tells me while glancing around the space.
"It's not bad. I enjoy having my own office for research. I can put on some soft music and get lost in whatever it is I'm working on without being bothered." It hasn't always been like this. When I first arrived, I had to share a space with another worker because this hallway in the building was being renovated.
Noah walks over to my bookcase and picks up a photo. "Who's this?" he asks.
"Those would be my parents. They live in Orange County."
"California?"
