Page 18 of Waste Some Time
Katie shrugged. “We just didn’t do a lot of family outings Everyone was pretty busy and going in different directions, so if we were together it was for someone’s band concert, or my brother’s sports game, or following Dad on a work trip. We had fun, but it wasn’t random beignets together kind of fun.”
Sydney took that bite she’d paused. She seemed to be choosing her next words, and once she swallowed, she hesitantly asked, “A lot of type A’s in your family?”
“Sort of.” Katie thought of a way to describe her family dynamic. “We were all pretty driven and goal-oriented. Just in different ways. My brother was the school quarterback and spent weekends studying games and plays and all of that. My parents are both attorneys. They’re always working, even when they’re home. Lists and paperwork and phone calls follow them everywhere.”
“I know how that is,” Sydney said with a shy smile. “I’m the only one in my family who isn’t completely allergic to a checklist.”
“A whole crew of Stephens, right?” Katie asked. “I’ve gotten that impression from your siblings. Like they all live on vibes and charm.”
Come to think of it, Sydney really was different from the rest of the Savoie siblings. They had the same surfer-looking hair of various lengths, and they were a bunch of laid-back goofballs from what she’d seen.
Sydney had a separate vibe from her brothers and sister. She had a soft side—Katie had seen that clearly on that night they’d spent together—but she seemed to be more serious, more deliberate and more composed than the rest of them.
“Vibes and charm nails it,” Sydney said with a laugh, then took a sip of coffee. “My parents own a lunch shop not far from here. I’m sure Stephen must have mentioned it.”
“Yeah. We’ve eaten there a couple times. Sandwiches and burgers and stuff, right? It’s been a while.”
“That’s right.” Sydney took another bite of her beignet and waited to finish chewing before she continued. “They’re very chill, too. But they’re at the restaurant all the time. It’s hard for them to take time away, so they usually split their time there to give each other breaks."
“I’ve always gotten the impression they’re also super chill, but now that you mention it, I usually only see one of your parents.”
“Yeah, and when they’re both gone around the holiday rush, family prep for the big day has always been a nightmare.” Sydney smiled. “All of us kids would be in charge of buying food and prepping it, and if I didn’t run the show, it was pure impulsive chaos.”
Katie wiped the powdered sugar from her hands. “Does that mean you have a schedule for us today?”
Sydney bit her lip, and Katie’s insides went wild. She wanted nothing more than to lean over the table and nibble on that lip of hers that was dusted with powdered sugar. All the confidence Sydney naturally projected had melted away, and the vulnerability of this hesitation was wildly attractive to Katie right then.
“Nope. I’m all yours.” Sydney’s cheeks flushed, and she quickly amended the statement. “It’s your tour. I only picked breakfast. But I’ll admit, being this flexible and not in charge isn’t my standard mode.”
Now Katie had all kinds of questions about Sydney’s flexibility.
Today was definitely a bad idea.
But it was a bad idea she was going to see through to the end. And, at this point, thoroughly enjoy it.
Katie steered her thoughts back to the present and not thinking about Sydney’s lips. “Good. Because I have the list today. I like lists, too.”
She didn’t make checklists for everything, but she always made lists for the important things, to keep herself on the right path. Like what she wanted in a long-term partner or what to do with a person who didn’t fit on that list, but who she was excited to spend the day with, nevertheless.
Sydney relaxed, as if she was relieved to not have to be in charge for a day. It made Katie want to give her the opportunity to step back and relax more than just that one day.
Nope. Not an option.
Sydney smiled. “You do?”
“Not so much a schedule or checklist. More like a menu. A flexible list of options, mostly in case we need ideas.”
“Planning ahead for flexibility,” Sydney said with a nod. She raised her coffee cup and added, “I respect that.”
Katie tapped her cup to Sydney’s in a toast. “Thank you. I respect your flexibility to follow my plans as well.”
“Thanks. I’m usually the one with lists and numbers and spreadsheets. Being an accountant sort of bleeds into the rest of my life, I guess.”
“You don’t kiss like an accountant.”
Katie regretted the words the moment she spoke them. But she couldn’t exactly take them back now.
Sydney choked on her coffee and had to wipe at some escaping her mouth. She laughed as she said, “What’s your sample size on that?”
