Page 16 of Mr. February

“There’s nothing to get. I do better one-on-one than in bigger groups. Besides, at work, you hang out with Gloria a lot, and I’m usually with Kyle. The way they fight—”

“I know! The tension between them is electric. They should get a room!” Jenny joked and then fell silent abruptly.

Wade wondered if she had the same thought running through her head.Theywere getting a couple of rooms.

Chapter 5: Do You Want to Listen to an Audiobook While We Drive?

JENNY

As they exited the highway, Jenny’s mind spun with all the new information she learned. She and Wade had always gotten along; they were work friends. Even though she already harbored a small crush on Wade before Gloria put other ideas in her head, she had no expectations for anything more.

She wasn’t kidding when she told Gloria she had a bad picker, though. When she had a little too much fun earlier, she tried to trip him up so she could dial back her attraction. But their music conversation threw her for a loop instead.

She knew there were male fans of her favorite singer-songwriter, but she hadn’t expected him to be one of them. And he volunteered the information so casually as if there were no stigma about enjoying music that most men—and some women—dismissed as trash for pre-teen girls.

But the situation with her feet caused her the most turmoil as they drove in silence. Nearly all the men in her life, from herfather to male friends and all her past boyfriends, had one thing in common: they couldn’t resist telling her what to do and acting as if their way was the correct way.

Then there was Wade. Wade talked to her about his worries instead of assuming he knew more just because of his gender. He offered a valid concern as an observation and then stressed that her decision was her own.

She had never, ever been in car trip ofanyduration with a man without a battle of wills to stop more than once every few hours. In fact, she was hungry now because she skipped breakfast to limit her need to use the restroom.

Thinking about it more, she realized Wade had always treated her that way. In their conversations, he engaged with her instead of waiting for his turn to talk. He remembered things she said, didn’t laugh at her unless she was trying to be funny, and always treated her like she deserved to be there.

Despite Wade’s protestations, Jeff wasn’t the only one in their office who thought that everyone who wasn’t a programmer was beneath them. It didn’t matter that she had a master’s degree and years of experience in her field; she wasn’t a programmer, so she didn’t know anything important.

Damn it. This was the worst possible thing that could have happened to her at the start of this trip.

She wanted to call Gloria but already knew what her friend would say. Jenny had thought of little else in the last week other than the temptation of hooking up with Wade. Honestly, she had been counting on him alienating her so she could more easily resist her growing attraction.

Of course, there was always the possibility that he was playing her. Maybehewanted a conference hookup, and this was all an elaborate ruse. She’d be the easiest option since they already knew each other, and he wouldn’t have to waste as much time once they got to the hotel. Yeah, that was it.

She exhaled with relief when they pulled into the parking lot.

“I need to hit the head,” Wade said as he turned off the ignition. “I’ll wait for you at the counter to order since I’ve got the company card.”

“Sure.” Jenny grabbed her hoodie from the backseat. “That sounds good.”

She was relieved to have a few minutes apart. After she took care of business in the bathroom, she examined herself in the mirror. What would a guy like Wade even see in someone like her?

She was overweight, and he wasn’t. It was as simple as that. She liked how she looked, but fifteen years of dating had taught her that the only men who were accepting of her figure were men who also carried extra weight. And heck, some of them still held women to a higher standard than they did themselves.

Wade was a geek, but he wore it proudly. The glasses, his shoulder length hair and neatly trimmed beard, the un-tucked button-down shirts over graphic tees on his average frame. Even if she didn’t know how smart he was from talking to him, he radiated geek culture.

Yet for all that, he was attractive, and Jenny knew she wasn’t the only woman at In-Tech who thought that. He could do a lot better than her, looks-wise, especially if the female attendees at the conference were eager for male attention. Wade was good-looking and funny, which was a winning combination.

Okay, it was decided. Wade was great, but she needed to stick to her plan. She was on a self-imposed dating moratorium for at least six months since her breakup with Chad, and she still had a few months to go.

Maybe then her picker would recalibrate, and she’d stop dating men who didn’t like her or find her attractive. She had her toys, including the favorite vibrator currently residing in her suitcase, so her orgasm count wouldn’t suffer.

With her head held high, she returned to the restaurant area to find Wade in conversation with an attractive redhead who held his arm as if she needed support to stand. That was unexpected and unwelcome.

Wade gave her a twisted smile she didn’t understand when she waved. He called her over for introductions.

“You’ll never believe this, Jenny, but Suzanne used to work at our office. She’s headed to the same conference we are.”

“We didn’t just work together,” Suzanne said with a flutter of lashes. “Wade and I dated until I left for a different job. I hoped we’d run into each other this week, but I didn’t expect it to be here.”

“What are the chances?” Jenny asked.

---