Last Night

Part 20

She released me and waved me off. "That's fine by me."

"By the way, how do you know Leo?"

"I think he works in human resources. I don't remember." She called out to me with an extra tease in her voice. "Why? Do you think he's cute?"

I waved her off, then unlocked and climbed into my car. Once she settled herself in her own car and started pulling away, I turned my parking lights on and followed her bright yellow SUV.

~

Tiffany handed off the menu to the waiter and interlaced her fingers, staring at me with a Cheshire cat's smile. "Now that we've ordered. Let's cut to the chase. Who? When? What happened?"

I shrank back in my seat a bit from her verbal onslaught. "What makes you think there's someone in my life? Can't I just smile sometimes? Do I really look that depressed normally?"

Her head tilted slightly to the side and balanced on her palm. "Nic, I've seen you smile more today than in the rest of the three years that you've been working here. Writing manuals is boring so I know you weren't thinking about work. Don't think I didn't notice the sporadic pleasant sighing you kept doing. I had to threaten Janiel with a three-hole punch to leave you alone. She was going to interrupt your lovely daydreaming."

My cheeks burned like I'd forgotten sunscreen in the Sahara Desert. I looked down at my utensils and began carefully and deliberately unwrapping them.

"Oh, don't leave me hanging. It was cute. You reminded me of what it was like when I first started dating Nathan: the sighing, the daydreaming, the goofy smiling. The air about you changes. You don't need to give me a name, but," she reached out and placed a hand on mine. "It's nice to see you happy for once. Why else do you think I drag you out with the girls all the time?"

"I could just be really excited about some trip coming up or a concert." I said, retracting my hand into my lap.

"Well, that's about as believable as him being just some guy who literally blew your mind. Or is he a she and that's why you're so embarrassed? It's cool. To each their own." She leaned back and shrugged before taking a sip from her iced tea.

"No, it's not like that. He's a guy and we haven't." I blurted out rather loudly. Cringing, I glanced around the nearly empty restaurant. Nobody was paying us any mind after my outburst. Gosh, why did everyone keep assuming we slept together? Sighing, my fingers curled into a fist and then straightened back out several times. "It's complicated."

"When isn't it? Okay, now, how did it start?"

"Do you remember a few months back when I slipped in the shower and hit my head? He came downstairs and checked on me." Leaning on my left hand, I stared at the elephant painting on the wall.

"Aw, that's sweet. He's the doting type then?"

I coughed and took a sip from my water. "I'm not sure about that. He's a bit overbearing and bossy at times. I thought I had trust issues. This guy takes the cake."

"Sounds like you guys have something in common then." She unraveled her own utensils now as the delicious smell of fresh, warm nan filtered through the restaurant. "The fact that you're even here willingly talking to me, perhaps I should meet this guy and give him a huge hug. Nathan tells me I'm a bit overbearing myself at times. Sorry."

"I don't think he'd hug you. It's probably more realistic that he'd make you stand at attention or tell you to go away. Things tend to escalate quickly with him and he's definitely not afraid to get physical."

"Wow, I see why you've gotten behind at work with him behind you so much." She winked at me.

"No, I already said we haven't..." I exhaled tersely, then rolled my eyes. "It's not like that. I don't know if I should even be feeling this way. He's secretive and frustrating and I swear he's going to get me killed someday."