Me: That’s a great idea. Thank you.
He responded in seconds.
Leif: If I’m being too pushy or forward, please let me know. But what time are you done work, and could I pick you up there? I think we should start our summer activities immediately.
Wow. It honestly didn’t seem pushy to me at all. It seemed…genuine. Was there any chance at all that he was actually interested in me beyond playing the part of the knight in shining armor to save me from a creep?
There was no way to know if I should get my hopes up or not.
Me: Sure, thanks. I work at 1130 Stacy Ave., and I usually leave the office about ten after five.
Leif: Great. See you then. :-)
Me: Cool.
After realizing what I had just typed and sent, I rolled my eyes at myself. Cool? Geez.
It was a great idea to sneak out the back of the building and not worry about Craig staring at me. Why hadn’t I ever thought of that before? It finally felt like there was a light at the end of the tunnel of this weird limbo I’d been floating in. Maybe I could really get my life back.
Once I got to the office, it was the usual drill: paperwork, emails, unjamming the printer at the last minute before my boss had an internal review of the latest publication.
But all the while, I was smiling to myself.
Using every break and my lunch hour to study for my classes, by the time it was 5 o’clock, I actually felt accomplished. This improved mood had also improved my focus.
Almost everyone left right at five, but I always stayed behind to print a few pages each of French and Spanish notes. I found it really helpful to keep them in my purse, so I could read them now and then on the bus, or waiting in line anywhere. The repetition helped everything sink into my brain better.
After slipping the fresh pages into my bag, I turned off my computer. Turning toward the double doors of the lobby, there was a figure in black slouching against the wall of the interior vestibule.
Craig.
He’d never actually come into the building before. He hadn’t come this close to me since the day after our coffee chat when I ran away from him.
My feet froze in place. What was I supposed to do?
I could run to the back of the building, and see if the janitor had come in early. Or I could wait for Leif to get here. But he would probably stand out front.
My hands were shaking as I tried to find my phone. It seemed to be gone. Unzipping my purse all the way, I dug around in the bottom, finally finding it and pulling it out just as it was starting to ring.
“Don’t move,” Leif said.
“Okay.” Somehow managing to stare at the Eiffel Tower poster print on the wall instead of Craig’s shadow, I tried to remember to breathe.
“I’m steps away, Hayden,” Leif said. “Do you have to lock up or anything?”
“No. The doors automatically lock once I pull them shut at this time of day.”
“All right. I need you to make a point of not looking at Craig. Go open the door for me. I’m right there.”
Marching toward the door, I kept my eyes squarely on the floor three feet in front of me, not raising my eyes to Craig’s. I hated knowing that he was watching me. Studying me.
As soon as he saw me coming I could sense his shadow straightening up. But there was already a much larger shadow bursting through the first doors.
I opened the second doors to allow Leif to step in and sweep me into his arms.
“I’m so sorry I’m late, baby,” he said, swinging me in a circle and setting me down on my feet so that his back was to Craig.
“I missed you so much,” he said loudly enough for it to carry through the closing door. He bent down to kiss my temple, holding his arms tightly around me.