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I look down at my chair that’s touching Tommy’s as well as the corner leg of the table. How do I sit without falling on top of Tommy?
Chapter 6: Tommy
Holding back a chuckle, I give Sam a second to figure out how to get in her seat. When Mark sat next to me, I didn’t realize how much I ended up crowding her space, but I didn’t have any choice. Now I can see the gears turning in her head, and it’s adorable.
If it was at all appropriate, I’d pull her right into my lap.
If she wanted that.
Before she starts to panic, I pull her chair out and she steps to the side, allowing me to bring it farther so she can sit down without maneuvering through the little gap between the chair seat and the table.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“Any time,” I say, helping push it in as she sits down.
I reluctantly take my hand from the back of the chair. Sharon’s presentation begins and I avoid groaning because it’s the same opening slide as the last two years. Instead, I flip open my notebook to a fresh page and grab my blue pen, noting that Sam has a heading already written with highlighters and pens. Without wanting to distract her too much, I gently nudge her elbow while she uncaps her black pen. She looks back at me with her deep blue eyes and I mouth “nice” as I nod to her notes.
A crease appears between her brows so I tap the heading. She looks back up at me with a huge smile on her face. One of her genuine smiles, the unguarded kind where she isn’t smiling because she thinks it's expected. She turns so she can watch Sharon and a blush creeps up the back of her neck. That feels like a step in the right direction.
I can’t let that go to my head. Maybe people see her organizational side and she hides her artistic skills.
After noting the meeting and the date, I start flipping my pen through my fingers. Besides jotting down the code numbers that are relevant to permits, I don't really need to write anything else.
We’re about twenty minutes into the presentation and Sam is already turning the page.
Yeah, she definitely always sat in front for every class.
Granted, if she was my teacher, I’d be fighting for a spot in front. The things I’d study about her…
Every now and then her eyes wander to my right hand and the pen that I’m barely thinking about. Shit. Is it annoying her to have me fidgeting over here while she dutifully takes notes?
I do my best to hold the pen still for the rest of the meeting, which means I end up doodling. At least I’m not snoring like Mark. Even with his daughter being one of my best friends, I don’t feel comfortable nudging him awake, maybe Jackson would feel more comfortable doing that than me, so I fake a cough, extra loud, causing him to startle awake.
Hank, across the table, smirks and pretends to be watching the presentation.
“Any questions?” Sharon asks.
Sam’s hand shoots up.
“Oh, um, yes, Sam?”
“I was curious about provisions regarding setups outside of those you outlined. What do we do if we get requests that don’t follow examples?”
Sharon gives her a smile, “I’m sure you will at some point. You can always call me to make sure we have everything properly handled.”
Sam makes a note. “Thank you, I always appreciate specific instructions. That was my only question right now.”
God, she’s cute. And I’m definitely going to remember that she likes instructions.
“Thank you for keeping us up to date so we can handle whatever requests that inevitably come through.”
“Of course, Hank,” Sharon replies to him, looking a little relieved to be done.
“I think that’s everything for tonight unless anyone has other business?”
We all shake our heads.
“In that case,” Hank says, “let’s get out of here early tonight. I’ve got the first round of wings for those going.”
