Page 21 of Five
I swipe right on Oliver before I talk myself out of it, and then put my phone away.
Maybe he’ll respond tomorrow. Maybe he won’t. I can’t decide which possibility I want to become reality.
Maybe this could be a good thing.
But it can’t banish the events of the morning.
Two
Neve
Mood:Supah-Wanting-Another-Hour-of-Sleep
My phone chirps the next morning while I’m standing at the counter of my small apartment, gulping down a mug of coffee that scalds as it goes. I’m late and in a rush this morning, having slept terribly last night. At my feet, Jamie Fraser, my ginger cat, mews, letting me know he’d like his morning catnip treats now, please.
Ignoring the phone for the moment, I squat and sprinkle a few on the floor for him, running my fingers through his fur before rising.
Picking the phone up, I see a notification alerting me that I have a match on PolyApp.
Holding my breath, I open the app. Oliver’s profile fills the screen, with a small chat icon at the bottom. I click on it.
“Roses are red, violets are blue. I really suck at online dating, and hope you do, too.” I splutter, coffee going everywhere, until his next attempt at flirting appears. “That’s so we can cleave to one other and live happily ever after, of course.”
Oh, God.What have I gotten myself into?
“Good morning,” I type out, and then pause, unsure what to say next. I’m really not much better than he is, apparently. At least he made an effort to be creative.
A picture of a delicious-looking breakfast follows with what is presumably Oliver’s hand holding a fork. An expanse of tranquil waterfront is visible beyond the plate.
Intrigued by both the food and the pretty surroundings, I snap a quick pic of my nearly empty cup of coffee and send it to him before I can overthink it. “Your breakfast looks much better than mine. I’m off to work but would love to chat later.”
Grabbing my keys from the counter, I leave to embrace my normal routine. I wish I had more time to devote to flirting this morning, but duty calls. My fingers are crossed that there will be no issues at the daycare, and when I get there, I’m relieved to see everything looking untouched from when I left yesterday after Shelby and I finished our clean-up.
The good thing about directing a daycare is that it leaves very little room for mooning over cute guys on dating apps. I settle into the everyday tasks that demand my attention, as well as other little things like tying a shoe here or wiping a nose there, and in very little time I’ve forgotten all about PolyApp and Oliver.
Throughout the morning, my phone vibrates with notifications.
B. Staton:Good morning, Ms. Murray. I have some concerns regarding the break-in yesterday and the lack of communication afterwards. Please contact me ASAP.
Yikes.Maybe not everyone received the phone tree message?
Scanning back through the texts, I’m able to tell that yes, the message I asked Shelby to send went out, and yes, it is marked as received by every number it sent to. Flipping through my class rolls, I realize this parent didn’t send their child this morning. There are several others absent, as well.
Great.Sighing, I tap out a reply.
Me:Good morning, Mrs. Staton. Everything is operating as usual today. The police have assured me that it was likely a prank and there’s nothing to worry about. An email will be going out shortly with this information, as well.
B. Staton:I really wish this had been better communicated.
We sent a message!I want to shout. Instead, I quell the spark of frustration her words generate, and I sit down to write that email, berating myself beneath my breath. Obviously, I should have done it immediately after the incident yesterday but was too stressed over events as they unfolded to even think about it.
The phone vibrates with another notification, and irritated, I pick it up.
Oliver:Hi, beautiful…I know you’re at work and there’s no need to reply. Just wanted to say that I hope you had more than that coffee for breakfast, and I hope you’re having a good day.
My annoyance fades slightly, and I set the phone down. Opening my laptop, I type out a few sentences before I cave and pick up the phone again.
Thanks.
