Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 22709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
His pretty smile grew wider and mine instinctively matched his. “I’d love to.”
“Great.”
At that moment, Jerry approached my desk, still wearing a scowl. But thanks to Geo, hopefully I had the key to unlock some friendliness from that man as well. And speaking of Geo, if I wasn’t mistaken, he added a little swish in his step when he turned around and headed back to his desk.
Chapter Two
Geo
This is probably a bad idea, I thought to myself as I walked alongside Jamal down the sidewalk to Gabby’s. Having been with the company a while, I knew that dating coworkers was not only frowned upon, it was against policy.
I kind of understood the logic; the company didn’t want the drama of potential lover’s quarrels within the workplace. But at the same time, we were all adults with free will, so limiting who we were and weren’t allowed to be romantically involved with seemed unfair.
Not that Jamal and I were romantically involved, or that this was even a date. Did it feel like one? Yes, but his request for me to join him could also just be someone innocently trying to make friends with their coworker or wanting to find a good lunch spot.
But I got the impression it was more than that. I didn’t miss the way Jamal subtly checked me out a few times across the office throughout the day…because I was checking him out too. I couldn’t help myself; the man was gorgeous.
I wasn’t exactly short at five-foot ten inches, but the top of my head barely grazed the level of his smooth, chiseled jaw. Ordinarily, I liked when men wore beards, but covering even an inch of Jamal’s warm, lovely skin would be a crime. Lucky for me, he kept his head shaved as well, so I could enjoy even more. He was the embodiment of tall, dark, and handsome.
I was grateful he gave me a second chance after my disastrous first impression. His good looks had apparently scrambled my brains, and canceled out my manners. I hated that Jamal had faced so much discrimination that it was his first assumption when I tripped over my words.
I wasn’t sure how anyone could have those negative thoughts about him. He had a magnetism that only made me want to get closer and learn more. As far as I was concerned, this was a date, and I was determined to make it a good one.
I thanked Jamal with a smile when he held the door to the restaurant open for me to pass through. “We order up there,” I told him with a nod toward the long counter along the wall. Gabby’s didn’t have a wait staff; all the employees worked in the kitchen or behind the register.
Their main clientele were businessmen and women from the surrounding offices who grabbed lunch on the run. They did, however, have a few round tables in the dining room in case anyone wanted to sit down and eat.
“What’s good here?” Jamal asked when we took our place in line behind several men in suits, and his eyes scrolled over the menu plastered on the wall.
“I like everything,” I answered honestly. “But my favorite is the turkey club on sourdough.”
“Ooh, I love sourdough.”
“Me too. I recently learned how to make it, so I eat it way more often than I should.”
Jamal gave me a shiny smile. “You cook?”
“Oh, yeah; I taught myself. I’ve got a lot of free time and I love to eat, so it just made sense.”
“Well, I’m impressed. I can only make the easy stuff; scrambled eggs, toast, peanut butter sandwiches.”
“You can’t count spreading peanut butter as cooking,” I argued with a shake of my head, making him chuckle. “But I like making easy stuff, too. I might be a grown adult, but I still like some chicken nuggets now and then, dammit.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” he laughed again. We made it to the counter, where he ordered two turkey clubs and a soda for each of us. Jamal paid before I could retrieve my wallet, but I didn’t argue. It was nice to be treated. I did thank him, and he gave me a smile and a wink.
“Now, my mom,” he began as we took a seat at a small round table, “That lady could cook anything, and it was all amazing. I think that’s why I never learned.” I cocked my head in confusion, and he explained, “I knew I could never do it like her, so I just enjoyed what she made.”
“Smart,” I replied as he handed over my sandwich and drink.
“She always made extra, thinking it would hold me over for a couple of days while she worked, but being a growing boy, there weren’t usually many leftovers.”
I gave him a sad smile. Hearing the way he spoke about her, I could tell they had been very close. I couldn’t help my curiosity by asking, “What happened to her?”