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“What about her family? Does she have any?” he continued his questions as if there weren’tany electric shocks passing from him to me. “Or does she have amenacing husband threatening to destroy her chance of an independent journey?”
Asurprised laugh erupted from me, his humor breaking through my confused state. “Since when are we being funny?”
“Iwasn’t.” His smile betrayed his attempts to sound formal. “Or was I?”
Ishoved my elbow back, hitting him right in his rock-hard abs, ignoring the goosebumps that ran over my arms at the touch. “Idon’tknow about her family yet; she’ll tell me when it’stime.”
He lowered his head further, his cheek next to mine, his beard less than an inch from my face. He could have examined the colors from high up in his six-foot-whatever tower, but he chose to take my remaining breath away from me. He did avery wonderful job, too.
“You didn’tadd greens or blues?” Unlike the fire inside me, Thomas breathed and lived being cool. Ice cool, even. “Aren’tyou afraid she’ll die of boredom?”
“Isee you’re in agood mood after socializing last night. This is two more jokes than what I’mused to hearing from you.”
Thomas had neither moved nor commented on my less-than-subtle hint, still taunting me with his proximity.
“I’mtrying things your way.” My admission was hushed, as it’dbeen so darn hard to breathe with him like that, “Since Idiscovered you’re not atotal jerk.”
“Idon’tknow whether to be offended or flattered.” At last, he drew away from me and moved to stand by my side. “Your attempt at being less stubborn, though, Ilike it.”
My boss, my boss, my boss. He’sonly my boss.
The silence stretched for minutes, hours, maybe even days. During this space travel, Thomas inspected me, waiting for me to speak. Ididn’t. Ihad no words after my Gloria talk was finished. It wasn’tlike Icould’ve said how Iwanted his closeness again.
His eyes darted around the room, then back at me. “So, umm, there’ssomething I’dlike to talk to you about.”
Doubt from Thomas? Another new thing. “Sure.”
“Despite my parents’ and my disagreements, Ispoke to them yesterday.”
“Okay…” This conversation kept getting weirder, sookaywas all Ihad.
“For the first time in fifteen years.”
“That’sgreat news, Thomas.” Imustered up enthusiasm for the both of us. Because the man looked like he was reading from an obituary instead of telling me about reuniting with his family.
“Thanks, Iappreciate it. Uh—they also asked me to have dinner with them this Friday. Iagreed.”
He said nothing else, waiting for me. When Icame up blank, Iresumed my cheerleading path. Ifelt he could’ve used the encouragement. “Yay, also great!”
“Yes, yes. It is.” He huffed, placing both hands on his hips. To that day Ihadn’tseen this composed man so jittery. “This isn’twhy I’mtelling you this.”
“Okay. Why then?”
His nervousness evolved to be my nervousness when he shifted from one foot to the other before saying, “Would you like to accompany me to see them?”
“Huh?” My eyes bugged out, my brush doing its famous drop to the floor.
“I’mnot abig talker, even less when I’manxious…”
“You talk plenty with me.”
He tilted his head and his lips parted some, enough to give me aglimpse of his teeth. “You’re my friend, Erin. And we work together, so clearly, Ihave to talk. With them, Idon’tsee how. Not easily.” Thomas inhaled with aconsiderable amount of effort. “Your presence can make things less weird.”
“Hold up. You having dinner with your parents and astranger”—Ilifted afinger to hush him—“afriend stranger, will be less awkward than to have it with them alone? You’re asmart man with faulty logic, Thomas.”
“You’re atalker, Erin, and Imean it in the best way possible. I’mnot.” His shoulders relaxed and his eyes warmed up, pools of twirling and swirling gold.
“Smooth talker.” Ismirked, then regretted my smile immediately when Iremembered what he said earlier. “Why don’tyou take your friend with you?”
