Page 35 of The Need to Know

“Cool, what you doing Wednesday?”

“Working.”

“All day?”

Paisley and I usually worked eleven-hour shifts. On a slow night, we’d close early if needed. “Kind of. Paisley and I own this store and we’re the only two employees.”

“So you can cut early if you wanted,” Ezekiel reasoned.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Good, come catch the sun with me.”

Pausing, I nibbled on my lip, unsure how to proceed with the conversation. I’d be ignorant to assume texting him and answering his call wouldn’t have led to this proposition. Reaching out only invited it.

Still, I was hesitant.

“I… I don’t know,” I admitted. I was sure he wasn’t a mass murderer, but still.

“What if we’re just two strangers meeting up to talk about your overdue love for classic cinema?” Ezekiel suggested.

Somehow, he forged a smile out of me. “Just two people hanging out?”

“Yeah, I promise I’ll make it worth it.”

“You and all these promises.”

“Have I broken one yet?”

There he went again, making me smile.

“Hey, Nas?” he pushed on.

“Yeah?”

“If I say you’re going to like it, you will.”

The adamancy and firmness in the tone of his voice made something below my belly button jolt.

“With a guarantee like that, how can I say no?” I teased.

“I’m glad you see things my way. What’s a good time for you to link?”

Wednesdays weren’t usually busy for us fortunately. Paisley wouldn’t mind if I left early. “Let’s say five?”

“Perfect. Do me a favor and text me your address.”

We weren’t meeting. He was picking me up or coming over.

I took a minute to weigh the pros and the cons. What did I have to lose? Everything. What was there to gain? Possibly some good, one-time D. Alannah’s advice popped into my head and I figured why the hell not? Lack of human contact wasn’t good for the psyche anyway.

“Okay,” I said in the end. “But, on second thought, let’s say five-thirty, or better yet, six.”

“Got you,” Ezekiel responded. “All right, now that we’ve got a plan, I’ll let you go and enjoy the rest of your night. Just don’t forget.”

“I won’t.”

“Good night, Nastasia.” He said my name in a way that made me squirm, and let me know he was smiling.