Chapter 22
22
W e step outside, hand in hand, and I can’t get this smile off my face. We keep smiling at each other, nudging into one another, and are generally being too fucking cute. After we slide into my SUV, I toss him my phone.
Buckling my seatbelt, I suggest, “Play me something you think I would like but have never heard before.”
He strokes his beard, thoughtful. “You like emo and alternative music. Let me think.”
I pull onto the road and feel at peace. I look back over at Patrick, and he winks at me. A song I’ve never heard begins to play. The beat is gentle at first, but when the vocals come in, I instantly love this song. Smiling, I bob my head to the beat.
“This is great!”
“I thought you would like it.” He reaches for my hand, interlacing our fingers. “It’s ‘Wicked Ones’ by Dorothy. She’s badass … like you.”
“Badass?”
“Yeah. You’re badass.”
Blushing, I glance at him before refocusing on the road. The song continues in the background, but my mind is thinking about the way he makes me feel. Safe, special, sexy, and most of all, comfortable.
“You’re emotionally available, right?” I ask, breaking the silence, although everything about him so far screams yes.
“Yes,” he says, though there’s a slight curiosity in his tone, like he’s wondering why I asked.
“I want to be with someone who’s ready for something serious.”
“I want something serious.”
Our eyes lock in a shared understanding. It’s like we’re dancing around the possibilities, but both of us are clear that this, whatever this is, is going somewhere.
We quickly enter downtown Lake Geneva and pass by High Five. Oh, how things can change in a few hours.
“We’re only a couple of minutes from my place,” I share.
“This is a nice town. I see why you like it here,” he says, staring out the window.
I do like it here, and my mind jumps ahead, thinking about things it shouldn’t. Would I like living in Chicago? Would he want to live in a small town?
“How many screens do you have in your office?” I ask, breaking the silence.
“Eight.” He says it too nonchalantly.
“Eight?!”
“Yeah … eight at the office and four at home. I change it up depending on what’s going on. If we’re being hacked, I prefer to live at the office, otherwise, I like to work remotely.”
“So, you could work from Lake Geneva?” I ask, half-joking but not really.
“I could.”
We share another look, the smiles on both of our faces growing.
“Working from Lake Geneva is going to mess up my minimalist thing,” he says.
“Why’s that?”
“I would need to get a car.”
We smirk at each other.
“Well, don’t impulsively get a car because of a girl you randomly met.”
“I have hundreds of YouTube videos to watch before I consider buying a car. I like to nerd out about the pros and cons of things.”
“I like that you’re nerdy.”
“I like that you’re so cute.”
“My cheeks are hurting. Stop making me smile so much.”
“But I like your smile.”
Stopping at the red light, I stare at it, daydreaming a little about how surreal all of this is. Patrick Nowak.
“You give me ‘I smoke weed here and there vibes.”
Patrick laughs softly, running a hand through his hair. “I used to smoke a decent amount of weed and do shrooms here and there, but my company has a firm no-drug policy. They have amazing benefits, but we have to regularly test clean. So now, I just drink a little.”
“Intense.”
“Our CEO is intense, but he’s a cool guy.” Patrick pauses, then turns to look at me. “What are your vices?”
I smile, my eyes briefly trailing down his arm before meeting his gaze again. “A nice cocktail or a glass of wine … you.”
His laugh is rich and genuine, and he squeezes my hand. “You’re definitely going to be one for me too.”
I love how comfortable we are together. How we can be playful one moment and serious the next. The light turns green, and I ask, “What crypto should I invest in?”
He leans back, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest. “The ones the mainstream doesn’t know about yet. Like if you threw a hundred dollars into everyone that isn’t one of the big ones, I’m sure one will make you a few thousand in a couple of years.”
“So it’s legit? It isn’t, like, a scam?”
He turns his head slightly to look at me. “Isn’t everything a scam?”
I laugh, but his question lingers. “What do you mean?”
“Trading our time for money … that’s why I’m motivated to retire early. I want to live the fullest life possible, not just spend it working.”
“I’m sure you’re very frugal, but what’s one thing you splurge on?”
“Travel. Like when I’m on vacation, there’s no budget. I’m just swiping away. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, so in those situations, it’s time to go all out.”
The idea of him, free and unrestrained, makes me smile. “Sounds like you’re fun to travel with.”
“I am.”
“When’s your next trip?” I ask, curious now about the places he’s been, the adventures he’s had.
“Japan at the end of next month.”
We lock eyes, the silence stretching between us, thick with an unspoken challenge. There’s a flirty tension in the air, something unplanned but undeniably exciting.
“I’m not inviting myself on your Japan trip,” I tease.
“Why not?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “We just met.”
“You’re the one that said this was fated.”
“Fated? Did I say fated?”
“You said it without saying it … about the bar and how it brings people together.”
I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. He’s got a point.
“How about you come to Chicago next weekend, and if that goes well … then you come to Japan with me.”
The idea catches me by surprise, but the thought of it—seeing him again, maybe even traveling together—it’s crazy, but I want it. I can’t believe we’re talking like this, but it feels right.
“I would like to see you in Chicago next weekend … and we can pencil in Japan.”
I bite my lip, trying to contain the excitement bubbling up inside me. “I have to return you by noon tomorrow?” I ask, changing the subject.
“You can return me whenever you’re bored of me.”
“That’s not going to happen.” He lets go of my hand and moves it to my thigh. I quickly stare down at it and then look back at his cute bearded, glasses face. “So … let’s bed rot all of tomorrow morning?”
“Goblin mode, snuggling with you … sounds perfect.” He squeezes my thigh, and I love it.