Page 17 of Fixing Hearts

Ten

S taring blankly at her computer screen, Evelyn’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, but the words on the document blurred.

Her mind refused to focus, instead replaying the events of the past few days in an endless loop.

More specifically, replaying Jo. The way Jo’s hands had felt on her waist. The way her lips had moved against Evelyn’s, slow and teasing, then deep and consuming.

The way Jo had stopped the moment Evelyn had hesitated, no questions asked, only a gentle, reassuring touch.

Evelyn exhaled sharply, pressing her fingers to her temples.

I have got to stop thinking about this , she thought.

I’m at work, for God’s sake . She had research to review, data to analyze, and most importantly, a business presentation to complete.

It was not the time to be daydreaming about a certain leather-jacket-wearing mechanic and the way her voice got all low and husky when she whispered, “Are you okay?”

A soft “ahem” from the doorway snapped Evelyn out of her thoughts.

She glanced from the keyboard, blinking as her coworker, Oliver, stood there, clutching a stack of files to his chest. His light brown hair was slightly disheveled as if he had run his fingers through it one too many times, and his glasses had slid down his nose.

He pushed them up quickly, offering her a boyish smile.

“Hey, Evelyn,” he said, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“I, uh, didn’t mean to interrupt. You looked, um, deep in thought. ”

If only he knew , Evelyn thought, but forced a polite smile, sitting up straighter. “Oh, no, you’re fine,” she said. “What’s up?”

Oliver hesitated before stepping fully into her office, setting the files on her desk. “Dr. Wong asked me to drop these off for you. Something about the sustainability report needing final revisions before the presentation next week.”

Evelyn groaned internally. Right , she thought. The presentation . The one she had been avoiding because all her brain power had been occupied with thoughts of Jo. “Thanks,” she said, flipping through the files absentmindedly. “I’ll take care of it.”

Lingering, Oliver shoved his hands into the pockets of his khakis.

He rocked back on his heels, then cleared his throat.

“So... how was your weekend?” he asked, and Evelyn glanced at him, startled by the question.

Oliver never asked her personal questions or at least, not in a way that felt so expectant.

“It was good,” she said carefully. “Fun actually.”

“Oh?” Oliver asked, his face brightening. “What did you do?”

Evelyn hesitated. She wasn’t sure why, but saying I spent the entire weekend thinking about a ridiculously attractive woman, who makes me feel like my entire world has tilted on its axis didn’t seem like the right answer.

Particularly not to Oliver. She settled on, “I went to a car show. With a friend.” Now that, she thought. Is an understatement.

A surprised look on his face, Oliver blinked. “A car show?” he asked. “Like the gas-powered kind?”

“Yes,” Evelyn said with a shrug. “It was surprisingly educational and a good time.”

Studying her for a beat, Oliver finally nodded. “Huh,” he said. “I didn’t know you were into cars.”

“I’m not,” Evelyn admitted. “But someone invited me, and I figured, why not?”

Oliver’s expression faltered slightly, but he recovered quickly, adjusting his glasses again. “Well, that’s cool,” he said. “I mean, it’s good to try new things, right?”

Smiling, Evelyn was relieved that he wasn’t pressing for details. “Exactly.”

Before Oliver could say anything else, the sharp click of heels against the tile floor signaled Dr. Linda Wong’s arrival. The department head strode into the office with her usual air of efficiency, her forest green blazer perfectly pressed, her dark hair pulled into a sleek bun.

She barely glanced at Evelyn and completely ignored Oliver before setting another folder down on the desk.

“Evelyn,” Dr. Wong said briskly. “I need your final notes on the renewable energy proposal by the end of the day. We’re presenting to the board next week, and I want everything to be airtight. ”

“I understand,” Evelyn said in a rush. “I’ll have it ready.”

Nodding once in approval, Dr. Wong turned to Oliver. “And you,” she said. “Stop hovering. Don’t you have work to do?”

Flushing slightly, Oliver adjusted his glasses. “Right. Yes. Of course.” He shot Evelyn a sheepish smile before scurrying out of the office.

Dr. Wong turned back to her, arms crossed. “Are you distracted today?”

“No, of course not,” Evelyn said a little too quickly. “I’m just—” I’m just what? she thought. Completely in knots over a strong, handsome butch I met only Friday?

When Evelyn didn’t finish, Dr. Wong raised an eyebrow before looking Evelyn in the eyes. “I need you focused, Evelyn,” she said. “You are my top researcher, and I can’t have you slipping now.”

Appreciating Dr. Wong’s words, but feeling the weight of the pressure they carried, Evelyn swallowed. “I understand,” she said with a nod.

Studying her for a beat longer, Dr. Wong finally smiled a little.

“Good,” she said. “Then I’ll expect those initial notes by five.

” With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the office, leaving Evelyn deflating in her chair.

She let out a breath, rubbing her temples.

Distracted? she wondered. Who me? But is that really such a bad thing?

Her phone buzzed on her desk, and she glanced at the screen, her heart doing a little flip when she saw Jo’s name. A text message appeared.

“Hope your day isn’t too boring.” Jo’s message said. “I’m currently covered in grease and thinking about how much better my Monday would be if you were here distracting me.”

Warmth spreading through her chest, Evelyn bit her lip as she decided how to respond.

Finally, she started to type. “I’d say I’m being very productive, but that would be a lie.

” She hesitated for a breath and then typed more.

“All I can think about is how I should have let you keep kissing me in the car.” She hit send before she could second-guess herself, her pulse hammering as she watched three little dots showing Jo was replying appear almost immediately.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Jo wrote back. “You can’t say things like that while I’m at work.”

Evelyn smiled, feeling a thrill at Jo’s reaction. “And why not?” she wrote.

“Because now all I can think about is kissing you again. And again. And again.” Evelyn pressed a hand to her chest, her entire body tingling.

Before she could reply, another message came through from Jo.

“When can I see you again?” Evelyn’s heart stuttered.

She glanced at the pile of work in front of her, at the notes she had to finish, at the responsibilities that had always come first.

Then she looked at her phone, biting her lip for a second before typing. “Come over to my place for dinner on Thursday?” She hit send, then immediately panicked. Oh God. What if she says no? she worried. What if she thinks it’s too soon? Or worse, what if I burn everything?

The three dots appeared again, and Evelyn held her breath. “You’re cooking for me?” Jo’s message asked.

Her hands suddenly shaking, Evelyn swallowed hard but forced herself to keep things light. “That’s the plan.”

“Now I’m even more intrigued,” Jo sent. “What’s on the menu?”

Staring at her phone, Evelyn had no idea. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. “That’s a surprise.”

Jo’s response was almost immediate. “I like surprises,” she wrote. “It’s a date.”

Swinging her leg over her motorcycle, Jo pulled off her helmet as she parked outside the small, upscale wine shop on Hawthorne.

The early evening air was cool as Jo walked across the parking lot, feeling unexpectedly nervous.

Something that was ridiculous, because she had been on countless dates.

She had charmed her way through dozens of dinners, late-night drinks, and heated kisses.

But tonight was different. Tonight, Evelyn invited me , she thought.

To her place. To cook for me . It made her stomach do an unfamiliar flip.

Shoving her helmet under her arm, she stepped inside the wine shop, the bell above the door chiming softly.

The place smelled like oak and spice, and the shelves were lined with bottles she didn’t even pretend to understand.

Wandering toward the reds, her eyes skimmed over the labels, and her confidence faltered.

Should I go with something safe? she wondered.

A Pinot Noir? Or something bolder, like a Shiraz?

Jo sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Need some help?” a woman asked. The voice was smooth, flirtatious, and when Jo turned, she was met with a strikingly beautiful stranger.

Tall, with dark eyes and full lips, the woman smiled at her.

Jo’s usual instincts kicked in automatically.

The kind that told her when someone was interested, when they were waiting for her to take the lead and start the familiar dance.

Yet, for the first time in a long time, maybe ever, she felt nothing. Not even a flicker.

“Uh, yeah,” Jo said, shaking off her surprise at her own lack of physical response. “I can’t make up my mind.”

The woman’s smile widened. “Well, that depends on what you’re looking for.” She stepped closer, her fingers trailing lightly over the bottles. “Special occasion?”

Jo hesitated. Is it? she wondered. Or am I reading too much into this? She swallowed. “Yeah,” she admitted. “Something like that.”

Humming, the woman was clearly intrigued. “Hot date?” she asked, and Jo couldn’t help but grin.

“Something like that,” she repeated.