Me
How can I even pick? That’s just cruel asking for only one favorite.
Jesse
Okay, okay, how about one of your favorites? I will hereby attest to the fact that you have multiple, and this in no way reflects your absolute favorite.
Me
LOL
You’re too funny. Ok, one of my favorite songs is “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”
Jesse
It’s been burnin’ since the world’s been turnin’.
Me
Is it too soon to say I love you?
Jesse
Well, I need to take you on a date first.
Me
I could be persuaded into a date…
Jesse
Do you like coffee?
There’s a shop downtown that I’ve heard good things about.
Me
Sounds like we better check it out.
Jesse
Indeed. Our opinion is very valuable.
I smile at the exchange,and my stomach gives a little flutter. He clearly likes me, or he wouldn’t flirt and text so much, right? I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t. From what I remember, men don’t put in the work if they’re not interested. Granted, I haven’t dated in probably eight years, but it can’t change that much, right? Right.
Stepping out of my house, I turn my face up to the sun, enjoying the warmth on my skin. My ears catch the sound of Jesse’s door closing, and he walks over to me, cutting across our shared grass. My body instinctively turns toward him, and my smile is wide and excited. Then his scent hits me, and I almost buckle and fall to the ground. I have never smelled something so wonderful in my entire life.
His eyes widen, and I wonder if he’s caught my scent as well. It’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to it, but my scent is like a cinnamon dessert. Sweet, decadent, and swirled with cinnamon. Jesse, though, smells like fresh rain. Full of new opportunities, a fresh start, the underlying scent of petrichor lacing it to build a beautiful scene in my mind.
There are scents that call to each other when you Match with someone, but there are also scents that are just wonderful to smell. So, the key to finding a Match is touch. Something that I’ll never be able to experience. My past means I can’t feel the zing of a Match. I stopped dating when I realized guys would tell me they felt the zing after realizing I couldn’t. It soured things for a few years, but I thought I was ready to jump back in.
Now, as we stare at each other in awe, I wonder if I’m not quite ready. Maybe I should head back inside my condo and wrap myself up in my nest and hide. There’s something that keeps me here, though, the hope dancing in his eyes. Jesse told me that he’s an introvert, and considering I hadn’t seen him before my purse incident, that supports that. He keeps to himself. So, if he’s hopeful for this, maybe I should give it a shot.
He clears his throat, finally breaking the silence that cocooned us for a minute.
“You look great,” he tells me with a smile.
“You smell fantastic,” I breathe.
