“Well, this was just the number one stop on our first ever visit to New York. We got off an Amtrak at Penn Station, walked to the Empire State and took about a dozen Polaroids from different angles – which was a huge deal because Polaroid film was not cheap.”
“And by ‘we’ you mean you and Matt.”
“Mike.”
“Sure. Where are you from originally?”
“Belfield, Massachusetts. Don’t Google it.”
“Why not?” Drew snorted.
“Because it sucks. We called it Hellfield.”
“That’s just how every kid feels about their hometown.”
“No, trust me. My hometown is depressing enough to be featured in like, two different documentaries on Netflix.”
Drew looked up with genuine interest. “Really. About what?”
“Uhh.” My voice was higher pitched than usual as I paused and realized I’d wound up on another topic I liked to avoid. “Opioids,” I finally said.
Drew’s eyebrows went up and stayed there.
“Oh.”
Another silence. God. I let it stay quiet for all of two-and-a-half seconds before clapping my hands together.
“Anyway! My turn to ask a question,” I declared, grinning at the instant wariness on Drew’s face. “I want to know why the heck the Empires are even looking to trade the best pitcher in baseball.”
“It’s complicated.”
“That’s not a real answer.”
“Well, it’s the only answer you’re getting.”
“Fine. I’ll just Google you.”
Drew looked up with surprise. “You haven’t done that yet?”
“No. I said yes to this whole thing so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to, and after, I was kind of too scared to do it and see exactly what the heck I’d gotten myself into,” I admitted, making Drew’s eyes crinkle as he laughed. Ugh. So cute.
“Good choice. There are things that are true, but there’s also a ton of bullshit out there,” he said just as the waitress came to take our orders.
I ordered a cocktail before I realized Drew was ordering an entire bottle of champagne, but oh well. Not the worst problem to have. If anything, the bigger dilemma was how to deal with the fact that as he started ordering and chatting with the waitress, his hand began unconsciously rubbing my knee.
And considering I had no panties on under this dress, I was pretty much dying.
Thank God my skirt, albeit tight as hell, stretched down to just above my knee. Also, once the drinks arrived, I was able to calm my nerves. Conversation flowed for a good twenty minutes after but then we reached a point where Drew’s eyes drifted off as I was talking about something, and suddenly he said, “Hey. No Googling me. Alright?”
I blinked. “Why?”
“Because it’s not fair. I can’
t Google you back. It’s not a level playing field.”
“I wouldn’t care if you Googled me.”
“Because none of your personal information is out there. It’s all work-related.”