The door is ajar, and a middle-aged man sits behind a mahogany desk.
“You must be Tessa,” he says, standing up from his desk to shake my hand.
“Nice to meet you, Lex. How did the vacation go?”
“Oh, you know, never long enough.”
Casual conversation is fine, but surely he didn’t call me in here just to shake my hand. He could’ve just come to my desk for that. How can I leave without seeming rude?
“Glad to have you on board.”
I turn around and walk away, back to my desk, where Harper is waiting for me.
“See, I told you, he’s super chill.”
Harper and I talk about our lives, childhoods, and exes to pass the time while processing all the faxes and paperwork. I monitor the time, hoping it will go by quicker so I can get the hell out of here. Harper makes the job that much more enjoyable, but right now I just want to get home and see Emily and Damon.
Thirty seconds to three, I start gathering my stuff to head out the door.
“Dang, girl, you in a hurry for something? Must be that hot man you got waiting at home for ya, huh?”
“You know it. See ya.”
My feet scurry to Damon’s car and shut the door. “Thought today would never end.”
“So, how was work?” he asks, putting the car in reverse.
“Same as every other day. Made a new friend at least. Harper. She seems cool.”
His hand rests on my thigh. “That’s great. You need to have a girlfriend. You want to invite her over for dinner sometime? Or go out for a girls’ night? I’ll watch Emily; just let me know.”
Damon is seriously one of the best guys I’ve ever met, and so supportive in everything I do. To be willing to watch Emily while I go hang out with a friend is sweet, and more than Chris ever did.
We pull up to the elementary school, and Emily starts waving her hands around when she sees Damon’s car.
“You came to pick me up. Does that mean we are going to watch TV tonight?”
What is it with that girl and TV? I guess when you go so long without it, and then get it, it’s hard to go back. She is obsessed with Animal Planet. I might just surprise her and buy a TV for the living room if I can afford it with my next paycheck.
“We could if that’s what you guys want. You are welcome at my house anytime. You know that.”
We hightail it out of there and head back to the duplex. I think about asking if he wants to stay for dinner, but decide against it. I don’t want to seem clingy. Is it if we have spent the last two weeks together in the same house?
“So, I was thinking. Since we mutually decided this morning”—he smiles at me and continues—“maybe we could all go out to a nice dinner. With my two girls.”
My heart flutters. His two girls. I like that.
Emily is too young to understand. He wants to take us out on a date. A smile begins. “That would be great. I’ll need to change.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back at six to pick you both up.”
He seems like a different man. Maybe he did truly open his heart to us, and this is what our future looks like, full of happiness. That’s all I can wish for.