Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Zoe
I wake up with the biggest smile on my face.
David and I stayed up way too late last night, chatting, and I don’t even care about the sleep I lost because of it.
I never would have thought talking to a stranger would be so easy.
There’s an ease that makes me feel free to say what I want, and with the things he shared, I think he’s feeling the same way.
We talked about everything—life, love, relationships, dreams. I have no clue what this guy looks like, but I’m really starting to fall for him.
I message my girls on my way to work telling them that I have some news and I want to meet at the bar tonight.
I’m thrilled when they all respond with the same level of excitement as me even though they have no idea what I’m excited about.
That’s who true friends are. People who share your happiness, no matter what.
Now, I just need to make it through the day without letting Work David kill the high I’m floating on because of Online David.
I sit at my desk, and Jana is quick to stand and make her way over to me.
“I know you’re dying to tell me what all of this”—she circles her finger around my smiling face—“is about, so spill it,” she says, leaning against my desk with her arms crossed.
I stand and place my hands on her arms while doing a little happy dance. “We spoke until two in the morning last night.”
Her eyes open wide. “Two in the morning? Via text messages?”
I nod with the cheesiest grin covering my face. “Yep.”
“How is that even possible? Do your thumbs hurt?”
I laugh out loud. “Thankfully, the voice-to-text option works on the app, so I started using that after the first hour.”
“The first hour?” She sounds dumbfounded.
“He originally contacted me around eight. So, yeah”—I mentally do the math—“we were texting for six hours.”
“I haven’t talked to someone on the phone that long since high school.”
“Right? That’s what’s so cool about it. In high school, you had to talk on the phone if you couldn’t see each other in person for whatever reason.
That’s what this feels like. In any other instance, you’d just be inviting the guy over, and one thing would quickly lead to the next.
We can’t do that on the app, so we just talk. ”
“Just talk? No phone sex?”
I laugh out loud. “No. No phone sex. We never even went there. We were truly just getting to know each other.”
She tosses her head side to side like she’s in thought. “I guess I can see how that would work.”
“It totally is. I just wish I knew what the guy looked like. I found out he’s friends with the guy who created the app, so I’m going to try to get some intel tonight from Joey.”
“Isn’t that against the rules?” She gives me a knowing look.
I wave her away. “I’m just being inquisitive. I can do that.”
She laughs as she walks back to her desk. “Whatever you say …”
I spend the next few hours getting ready for this afternoon’s presentation for the beef tallow line. I have to admit, I check my phone way too much throughout the day, and Jana snickers every time she catches me doing so.
“Still no text?” she asks after I check for the tenth time this hour.
I turn it over with a huff. “I need to focus.”
“Good luck with that,” she teases.
“I’m going to go get some coffee.” I push back from my desk, telling myself I’m going to leave my phone here, but turn around to grab it after moving two steps away.
When she lets out a loud laugh, I stick my tongue out at her, and flip her off.
Once I’m in the break room and my coffee is poured, I lean against the counter, holding my favorite mug to my chest, and take the time to open my app to scroll through our messages from last night.
Since it’s impossible to get him out of my mind, I might as well relive our conversation one more time.
I don’t notice when David enters the room until he’s right in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest. If he were anyone else, I’d say he looked hot without his suit jacket and his light-blue sleeves rolled up, but I’m only repulsed by the view in front of me.
“Can I help you?” I finally ask when he doesn’t say anything.
“You’ve been so lost in your phone that you haven’t noticed me standing here, trying to get some coffee.”
I close my app and stand to walk away, not bothering to apologize for being in his way. I won’t let him ruin the extraordinary feeling floating through my body from rereading my messages.
I can barely make it through the day with all this anticipation and happiness racing through me over a guy I’ve never even seen. Plus, I can’t wait to tell my girls all about it and, more importantly, see if Joey knows who this guy is!
Candace, Chasity, and I arrive at the same time.
“Yay! So glad you guys could make it! First round is on me,” I announce as I set down my coat and grab my wallet from my purse.
Then I head to the bar, already knowing what everyone drinks.
“Hey, Zoe,” Joey says as he approaches the side of the bar I’m standing at. “Your usual?”
“First round is on me, so please make everyone’s. Then I have some news, so come over to our table.”
He gives me a nod of acknowledgment, then grabs the glasses he’ll need to start our drinks. “You got it.”
I do my little happy dance of joy before turning to head back to the table.
“So, what’s the big news?” Chasity asks.
“Not until—”
“I’m here! I’m here!” Macy yells as she enters the bar. With a huff, she sits down in her seat, lets out a long breath, then sits up straight and turns to me. “Okay, day of stress over. Now spill it.”
Joey arrives with our drinks, setting the tray down slowly before removing each one and placing it in front of us. Then he stares at me, just as impatient to hear my news as the girls.
I hold up my hands, palms out to everyone, to make sure I have their full attention. “I met someone on the app.”
“Seriously?” Joey speaks up first as my girls hoot and holler their joy for me.
I nod my head with the biggest smile on my face. “Yep. So, thank you to whoever suggested him to me!” I look at all of my friends to see which one it was. “You have to tell me what he looks like!”
“I must have suggested ten or twenty to all of you,” Chasity says. “I went down a rabbit hole that first day. They were all cute though.” She shrugs as her apology that she can’t tell me more.
“Yeah, I basically did the same, so who knows which one of us suggested this guy?” Candace speaks up with the same apologetic tone.
“What’s his name?” Macy asks. “I’ll try to see if it was who I suggested to you.”
I slump my shoulders. “That’s the shitty part. His name is David”—I roll my eyes—“but I’m not letting that get in the way. There are thousands of guys named David. I can’t let one stupid one ruin this new guy for me.”
“I’m confused. Who’s David?” Joey asks.
Macy waves her hand to her brother. “The jerk from her work. Keep up.”
“How was I supposed to know that?” he asks, looking around to the others for confirmation.
Macy shushes him, then turns her attention back to me. “How many times have you talked to him?”
“Twice now, but last night, we were on the phone until two in the morning, just texting back and forth.” I place my hand on Joey’s, which is still resting on the tray he’s holding. “You might really have something with this app.”
His smile goes from ear to ear. “That’s awesome to hear.”
“But I have a question for you.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “No, I won’t get on the back end of his profile to see who he is, so don’t even ask.”
I laugh out loud. “Funny, I didn’t even think of asking you to do that. Now I really want to though! But seriously, he says he knows Donny which is why he joined the app. I didn’t tell him I knew you, so you need to tell me who David is.”
“You’re going against the entire purpose of the app by trying to find out who he is. Just wait the seven days,” Joey deadpans.
“You know she’s not that patient,” Macy teases. “Help a sister out.”
“One, you’re my sister, not her, no matter how much she was at our house, growing up.
” He points between the both of us with a smirk.
“And, two, no. But not because I’m trying to be a dick, but because I really don’t know the guy.
I met him once just the other day, so there’s nothing I can tell you anyway. ”
“But he must be a decent guy if he’s friends with your friend…” I try to pry for more information.
He steps away from the table. “All I know is, he was roommates with Donny in college. That’s all I’m telling you, so don’t ask anything more.” He turns to walk back to the bar.
“Meanie!” Macy yells out.
He flips us off over his shoulder, making us both laugh.