Page 65 of Never To Be Mine

But I’d decided to let her set the pace on this. If she wanted to talk, she would reach out.

“Let’s get some lunch,” Toby said.

I grabbed my keys and wallet. “Yeah, good call. I’m starving.”

We ended up at a place in Santa Monica that did incredible grain bowls. The kind of spot that attracted the health-conscious crowd, exactly my demographic. Toby had suggested it, probably already thinking about content opportunities.

“You know I’m going to record if anyone recognizes you, right?” Toby said as we walked in.

“I figured,” I said. “Just try to be subtle about it. A lot of people don’t like having cameras shoved in their face when they’re eating.”

We ordered at the counter. I got my usual quinoa bowl with grilled chicken and every vegetable they offered. Toby went for something with sweet potato and black beans. We grabbed a table near the window where the natural light was good. Toby was already thinking about angles.

I was halfway through my bowl when I heard it.

“Oh my God, is that Hollis Blackwell?”

I looked up to see two women in their mid-twenties standing a few feet away. They were both in yoga pants and sports bras, the uniform of LA fitness culture. One of them had her phone already out.

“Hey,” I said, giving them a friendly smile. “How’s it going?”

“We love your smoothies!” the first one gushed. “I’ve been drinking them every morning for like a month now.”

“That’s great to hear.” I stood up, wiping my hands on a napkin. “I really appreciate the support.”

“Can we get a picture?” the second woman asked.

“Of course.”

They flanked me on either side. I wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders. The first woman held her phone out for a selfie while Toby casually lifted his phone and started recording from his seat.

“Are you working on any new flavors?” the second woman asked after we’d taken about five photos from different angles.

“Actually, yeah. I’m experimenting with a tropical blend. Mango, pineapple, coconut water base. Still tweaking the recipe, but it’s promising. Big things are on the horizon.”

“That sounds amazing,” the first woman said.

We chatted for another couple minutes before they thanked me again and headed back to their table. I could see them immediately pulling up Instagram, probably posting the photos.

I sat back down and picked up my fork.

“That was good,” Toby said, still recording. “Natural, friendly. You didn’t look annoyed at all.”

“Why would I be annoyed? They’re supporting my business.”

He shrugged. “Some people get weird about being recognized.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not some people.” I took another bite of my food. “This is part of the business, using social media to spread the word. If I wanted privacy, I would have gone into accounting.”

Toby laughed and finally lowered his phone. We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Then I noticed another guy approaching our table. He looked to be in his thirties, fit, wearing a tech company T-shirt.

“Hollis?” he said.

“That’s me.”

“Man, I just wanted to say thanks. I saw that video with you and that crazy lady.” He laughed. “I tried your smoothie because of it. I’ve been trying to get healthier, but everything either tastes terrible or it’s full of sugar and fake crap. To my surprise, it didn’t taste like piss at all.”

“That means a lot,” I said, standing to shake his hand. “Thank you.”