“Yeah,” he continues. “Preferably one where I don’t get a concussion.”
Yes.Yes.It would be so easy to say yes, but how do I know he’ll be different from the others?Why can’t I just make up my fucking mind?“That’s very sweet of you, but I can’t.”
I turn again to leave but he calls after me. “Come on, I have to see you again.”
I point up at the sign. “Maybe if you ever need to do laundry again we’ll run into each other.”
“At least tell me your name,” he begs. “I know it’s not really Cherry.”
“I guess you’ll just have to wonder.”
He smiles and pushes his hand through his hair. “Wait. I don’t have any dryer sheets.”
With a laugh and a shake of my head, I reach into my basket and pull out a box of Snuggle fabric softener.
He takes it, his hand lingering on mine for what feels like an eternity. “Thanks. I’ll just have to call youSnugglefor now, I guess,” he says.
I cross my arms and scoff, but he just flashes that mild-melting grin again.
“You know, because you’re soft and smell great.”
A laugh bursts out of me. “Wow, that was something,” I say, backing away.
“Come on, not even after that line?”
I turn, my cheeks hot and my heart galloping in my chest. “See you around, Joel.”
“You’re breaking my heart,” he calls, and I peek over my shoulder at his electric smile and twinkling eyes one last time before I turn the corner and flatten myself against the brick wall, out of sight.
* * *
It tookten whole minutes for me to conjure up enough courage to peel myself off the bricks and sneak back down the alley next to the laundromat. I couldn’t very well let Joel know where I live. Not that I think he’s a stalker, but because if he found himself on my doorstep, I don’t think I’d have the strength not to pull him inside and let him lay that gorgeous body on top of me. I collapse against the door, drop my basket of clean clothes onto my messy bed, and duck into the kitchen, opening up a can of tuna for Stella.
“Hi, pretty girl,” I say as she rubs herself between my legs and purrs. She’s really come out of her shell since I rescued her from the alley a few months back. “You’ll never guess who I ran into today.”
She meows as I plate her tuna and put it on the floor by my feet, and I take it as a sign that she wants me to elaborate. I settle down on the kitchen floor next to her, bending my legs and folding my arms around them.
“Remember how I told you about that man? The one from Vegas?”
She sniffs then starts nibbling on the tuna.
“No? Maybe you don’t remember. Well, he was downstairs today. Can you believe it?”
Another mournful meow.
“No, it wasn’t a dream this time. And . . .” I pause for dramatic effect. “He wanted to take me out on a date.”
She stops chewing and looks up at me with what I would classify as a surprised face.
“I said no, of course,” I add, dropping my forehead to my knees.
She meows again and paws at me, ignoring her food.
“How could I say yes?” I say, scratching her ears. “You know they never stay long.”
There’s a gentle purr and she rubs her nose into my palm. I sigh. “I don’t mean you. You’ve stuck around. But then again, I’m the one who feeds you.”
She returns to her food and I wave my hand at her. “Since when are you a romantic anyway? Huh?”
