Their Paid Girl

Their Paid Girl - Part 29

***

          Joel slid into the booth across from me, wearing an understandably confused expression. I beamed hugely at him, but cringed a little internally at his ready, hopeful smile in return. It wouldn’t do to give him the wrong idea of why he was here.

          “So...” Joel said, still looking cautiously at me. “What’s up, Shawna?”

          “Joel,” I acknowledged him pleasantly. “Nothing much; I hope I’m not keeping you from any plans,” I began politely.

          But before I was even finished speaking, Joel hastened to reassure me. “No! No, not at all,” he said quickly, still smiling into my eyes.

          My answering smile was a bit tighter this time, and a faint blush had risen to my cheeks. Oh, boy. Why, oh why was Joel being so enthusiastic?

          I refused to let his obvious happiness at being here make me feel guilty. I couldn’t control Joel’s feelings, but I could control what would happen.

It had been almost a week since my dramatic heart-to-heart with Adam. Since then he’d been avoiding me like the plague, which frankly, was fine by me. I still hadn’t worked out what I could possibly say to Adam, perhaps because I was too terrified that I would end up saying what I wanted, and not what I was supposed to. Just the mere thought of his anguished, ice blue eyes pleading with me sent my heart tripping up and down spiral staircases, and my body became flooded with such a torrent of confusing emotions, that it was just easier not to think about Adam at all.

          But I’d been keeping busy. I had launched into my plan to get Joel and Esther together with a zeal and dedication that amazed even me, though no one knew about it. It’s not something you can really tell others and expect them to understand.

          “So...” Joel said again, now a bit uncomfortably as the silence stretched on. I realized suddenly that I was still pulling my lips apart into that stretched tight smile, and I quickly got my face under control, politely staring at Joel.

          “Yes?” I asked.

          “Was there any particular reason for you asking to meet me here, or...?” he trailed off uncertainly, his initial eagerness wearing off, being replaced by Joel’s usually-reserved nature.

          “Nope!” I said cheerfully. “I hope you don’t mind. I just thought we should catch up. You know, like what’s been going on with you, and what’s new with me,” I grinned. I got the sense that Joel was intensely confused by my sudden, outgoing behaviour, but I had a plan and he didn’t know it.

          “You wanted to see me?” he asked hopefully, and I struggled not to wince.

          I’d specifically phrased it like we were just friends and wanted to catch up. But now Joel was twisting around my words to make it sound like it was because I missed him... in that way.

          “Uh, well,” I floundered, “Um... Sure?”

          He clearly wasn’t satisfied by my less-than wholehearted response. “Oh,” he said dejectedly. But then he became animated all of a sudden, leaning forward across the table, his thick wavy hair falling all around his intense eyes.

          “Shawna, while we’re here, I’ve been wanting to talk to you for, well,” he reddened and ducked his head. “Well, forever. You see, I—”

          “WAITER!” I suddenly bellowed, as soon as I realized what Joel was about to do. I threw a hand up into the air with vigor, nearly smacking a passing waiter who managed to duck just in time.