Page 41 of Win My Heart

“What sounds good?” he asks.

“Uh, there’s a sandwich shop a couple blocks that way.” I point past him. “It’s really good.”

He looks over his shoulder. “Perfect.”

So we walk to the shop, order our sandwiches, then head back to our apartment building.

Before I even realize it, Wade and I are sitting at my table eating dinner together. It’s such an odd moment, but I love ever second of it. Conversation flows and laughter is easy.

“Your job sounds interesting. I live for organizing things, but it sounds like you’re an idea’s man.” I take my last bite of sandwich.

“Yeah, I’m the guy who comes up with the event ideas, then the coordinator of the event does all the organizing and set up. It’s a team effort.”

“Do you work with the same coordinator every event?” I find Wade’s job fascinating. Event planning meets fundraising for not for profits.

“Sometimes. There are three coordinators in our headquarters, but sometimes, depending on the company we’re working with, they will have their own coordinator on staff.”

“Do you have to travel at all?”

“Normally, no, but I’m kind of up for a promotion soon, and my boss offered me a project working with the LA office on an upcoming event. So while I’ve been working with the LA team closely via video conferencing, I do have to go out there for several days next month for the event.” He balls up his sandwich wrapper, and we collect our trash from the table.

“That’s exciting, though. What’s the promotion?” I ask as I clean up the table.

“It’s really the same job, but I’d be in a more senior-level role. I’d get to pick my projects, and I’d always be the lead on them. I’d even get an assistant.” He chuckles.

I grin at him. “Well, look at you. Hard work pays off. I’m excited for you.” I plop down on the couch, and Wade follows. He sits right in the middle, so my knee rubs against his thigh.

“Tell me about the LA event.”

“It’s a gala for Generous Hearts, a charity that funds affordable health care facilities for children. It sounds pretty straightforward, but it’s got a twist. We’re working with a fiction convention company, and they’re bringing special guests. We’re treating it a little like a PopCon, but it’s invitation only and tickets are five thousand a pop.” Wade had me hooked at “fiction convention.”

He laughs and his eyebrow rises. “What? Why do you look all giddy right now?”

“You had me at convention and PopCon. Those are my jam. I’ve been to several. There’s one in LA, UnNatural Con, that I attend and even volunteer at sometimes.” It’s taking everything in me not to reach out, grab his arm, and beg him to let me come with.

With a small grin, he studies me. “It’s at the end of February in LA.” And I’m hoping he’s about to invite me to come along. Adrenalin start pumping though my body.

“I’m visiting Ben and Kelly that last week of February.” It’s taking everything in me not to clap my hands.

“They are in Cali, right?”

“Hermosa Beach. It’s like an hour drive from LA.”

His hand comes up to his jaw, and he rubs it for a minute. “I happen to have a plus one written into my contract for every project.” His smile is shy, and I want to kiss him so badly but I don’t. The last thing I want to do is scare him away before he actually asks.

I play dumb. I’m going to make him ask. “Oh, that’s a perk, for sure.”

His tone changes to low and seductive. “Do you want to be my plus one, Bernadette?”

He’s going to have to stop calling me by my full name if we’re going to be hanging out more. It does things to me, and we aren’t in a place where I can just jump him every time he uses it.

Leaning toward him, I grin. “I’d love to be your plus one.”

His eyes jump to my lips, and he leans slightly toward me. Just when I think he’s about to kiss me, he blinks, then leans back into the couch a little.

“We should probably coordinate plans. What’s your schedule look like when you’re in Hermosa?” And just like that, the spell is broken. Pulling out my phone, I share my plans and, we figure out that I just need to change my return flight by one day. The event is on a Friday night, and I had planned on touring Zedello that day, then flying home that night after spending a couple days with Ben and Kelly.

As I change my flight, a small piece of me worries Wade may change his mind before then. I decide that if he does, staying with Ben and Kelly another night wouldn’t be the end of the world.

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