Andressa, it’s me, Garrett.”
I struggled to comprehend what he was saying, and the fact he was holding my hand. The new information was all very confusing and exhilarating at the same time. “But how? You’re Connor.” I forced my wrinkled brow upward.
He laughed harder. “Garrett Connor. Connor is my last name.”
Now it was my turn to laugh and before I could say anything, we were hugging. His arms around me felt natural. Garrett was Connor! My brain screamed. I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt, and normally I would’ve been embarrassed. When I stepped back from his embrace to face him, I was relieved to see he was beaming too.
My hand still in his, he led me to the table.
Our waitress came over immediately. “So, I see you two found each other.”
We cracked up, and then Garrett asked, “Is there any way we could snag one of those private booths instead? We have a crazy story to share.”
The waitress lifted an eyebrow then shrugged and led us to the other side of the bar where it was quieter. She asked what we’d like to drink.
“I believe Champagne is in order tonight,” Garrett announced in a false-snooty voice.
Once alone again, we both started talking at the same time.
“This is too incredible.”
“No one will believe this.”
“Just think, if we’d been going to the coffee shop across the street where they write your names on the cups, we would’ve known each other right away,” Garrett said.
“Or not. Aren’t they famous for getting them all wrong? That situation could’ve been a total disaster.” Laughing with him, I finally felt at ease. “Anyway, I liked that you didn’t go there. I like our coffee shop.”
I said “our” as if we already had a relationship and worried he’d think I was being too assertive.
But he burst out, “Me too!” putting the last of my worries away for the night. Talking with him felt so comfortable, but we both shook our heads a lot and muttered, “Oh my God,” when we were at a loss for words.
When the Champagne was poured, Garret asked me to wait a minute while he fumbled with his coat pocket. Out came a bag of giant candy hearts.
I recognized the bag right away from the morning and laughed at the bizarre twist of events again.
He searched until he found what he was looking for and then dropped a heart into my glass then one into his, causing both flutes to fizzle.
“What did they say?”
He handed me my glass. “ Secret Admirer , of course.”
We toasted coffee shops, candy hearts, tricky lids, and missed opportunities. We drained the first glass rather quickly as we filled in all the missing pieces for each other. After draining the bottle, we ordered a cheese tray. My head was already swimming from sensory overload and my stomach a sea of butterflies. Garrett held my hand across the table a few times, and I released my leg from its previous crossed position to rest against his. I was so relieved.
“I’m jealous you at least thought you knew my name when you’d see me in the coffee shop.” He grinned. “I could only refer to you in my head as Cute New Girl.”
Heat rushed to my chest and my cheeks flushed. “No way!” I wasn’t ready to reveal his nickname, but knew we’d laugh about it in the future.
The mood was broken only momentarily when my phone went berserk. I grabbed the forgotten device from my bag and panicked when I saw the time was almost nine.
Bree—??????
Me—opps! !
Bree—K, hang on
I filled in Garrett on Bree’s concern and her order to hang on.
He nodded.
I knew he’d understand I had to await Bree’s reply, so I left the phone face up on the table. A split-second later it buzzed with a photo of Bree flashing an enormous engagement ring.
Garrett and I both cheered, and I sent her multiple emojis.
“Should we send a selfie and blow her mind even more?”
I thought about her possible reaction. I knew she’d be thrilled, but there was no need to overshadow her night. “She’s been
I struggled to comprehend what he was saying, and the fact he was holding my hand. The new information was all very confusing and exhilarating at the same time. “But how? You’re Connor.” I forced my wrinkled brow upward.
He laughed harder. “Garrett Connor. Connor is my last name.”
Now it was my turn to laugh and before I could say anything, we were hugging. His arms around me felt natural. Garrett was Connor! My brain screamed. I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt, and normally I would’ve been embarrassed. When I stepped back from his embrace to face him, I was relieved to see he was beaming too.
My hand still in his, he led me to the table.
Our waitress came over immediately. “So, I see you two found each other.”
We cracked up, and then Garrett asked, “Is there any way we could snag one of those private booths instead? We have a crazy story to share.”
The waitress lifted an eyebrow then shrugged and led us to the other side of the bar where it was quieter. She asked what we’d like to drink.
“I believe Champagne is in order tonight,” Garrett announced in a false-snooty voice.
Once alone again, we both started talking at the same time.
“This is too incredible.”
“No one will believe this.”
“Just think, if we’d been going to the coffee shop across the street where they write your names on the cups, we would’ve known each other right away,” Garrett said.
“Or not. Aren’t they famous for getting them all wrong? That situation could’ve been a total disaster.” Laughing with him, I finally felt at ease. “Anyway, I liked that you didn’t go there. I like our coffee shop.”
I said “our” as if we already had a relationship and worried he’d think I was being too assertive.
But he burst out, “Me too!” putting the last of my worries away for the night. Talking with him felt so comfortable, but we both shook our heads a lot and muttered, “Oh my God,” when we were at a loss for words.
When the Champagne was poured, Garret asked me to wait a minute while he fumbled with his coat pocket. Out came a bag of giant candy hearts.
I recognized the bag right away from the morning and laughed at the bizarre twist of events again.
He searched until he found what he was looking for and then dropped a heart into my glass then one into his, causing both flutes to fizzle.
“What did they say?”
He handed me my glass. “ Secret Admirer , of course.”
We toasted coffee shops, candy hearts, tricky lids, and missed opportunities. We drained the first glass rather quickly as we filled in all the missing pieces for each other. After draining the bottle, we ordered a cheese tray. My head was already swimming from sensory overload and my stomach a sea of butterflies. Garrett held my hand across the table a few times, and I released my leg from its previous crossed position to rest against his. I was so relieved.
“I’m jealous you at least thought you knew my name when you’d see me in the coffee shop.” He grinned. “I could only refer to you in my head as Cute New Girl.”
Heat rushed to my chest and my cheeks flushed. “No way!” I wasn’t ready to reveal his nickname, but knew we’d laugh about it in the future.
The mood was broken only momentarily when my phone went berserk. I grabbed the forgotten device from my bag and panicked when I saw the time was almost nine.
Bree—??????
Me—opps! !
Bree—K, hang on
I filled in Garrett on Bree’s concern and her order to hang on.
He nodded.
I knew he’d understand I had to await Bree’s reply, so I left the phone face up on the table. A split-second later it buzzed with a photo of Bree flashing an enormous engagement ring.
Garrett and I both cheered, and I sent her multiple emojis.
“Should we send a selfie and blow her mind even more?”
I thought about her possible reaction. I knew she’d be thrilled, but there was no need to overshadow her night. “She’s been
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