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I’d say yes to some fries from Randy’s

Arlene

Deal

Text me when you’re done stalking whoever it is you’re stalking

Claude

You don’t have to make it sound weird

But I will

Damn, I really want those fries now

All I could say was that I did not squeal or otherwise embarrass myself while in public. No, I behaved and waited until I was in my room and face-planting on my bed.

I’d just, somehow, scored a date.

That didn’t happen—not really. My attempts at dating before today had consisted of creepy dating-slash-hook up apps. I hadn’t been approached by someone in a diner, or any of the meet-cute stories from the rom-com movies I cried too much with.

Sure, comparing this with rom-com movies was probably one leap too many.

Still.

Step #1: Find clothes to wear. Check.

Step #2: Don’t get sidetracked with things to do around the house and end up being late. Check—I actually got to Randy’s twenty minutes before the time we agreed on.

Step #3: Ask server for a more isolated table. Check.

Step #4: Don’t bite on nails or anything else that would ruin the look. Check—for now.

Zo, one of the full-time servers at Randy’s, had just brought some coffee to the table when I saw Claude walk in.

Step #5: Deep breaths. I was on it.

Sure, my heart was racing faster than it was probably healthy, but it was fine. Understandable, too, after all the scenarios I’d conjured up in my head all evening.

“Hey, Zo!” Claude didn’t wait to be sat down. No one seemed bothered by it. “I’m starving.”

“Let me guess.” Zo chuckled. She was in her 30s, but sometimes reminded me of those cute grandmas in TV shows that adopted everyone around them. “Fries?”

“And as much coffee as you can legally serve me.”

Zo chuckled. “Coming right up.”

I had a second of panic when she whirled around. Her leaving meant it was just Claude and me. I really shouldn’t have been left alone with my own imagination all day.

The air felt charged. Maybe it was just me. Should I stand up to greet them? It didn’t feel like my style—or Claude’s—and they’d already sat down, but…

“Hey.” I pushed past the growing nerves and smiled. It was fine. We’d just been talking all day about stuff I didn’t really talk about with anyone else, but it was fine. No need to read too much into any of it. “Did you finish the stuff for work?”

“Yeah.” Claude groaned. Whereas I sometimes thought I worried too much about my posture, and everything else in how I presented myself, I’d noticed Claude didn’t have the same problem. They just leaned back against the pink leather in the booth and rolled their eyes. Not that I should be having these thoughts, but it was oddly attractive. “The boss is happy, too.”

“She saw it already?” I thought she’d said their boss had left before them.

“Yeah, she’s always online.” Claude shook their head. “Complete workaholic, but hey… Can’t complain.”