Page 44 of Love at a 7-Eleven

Caleb sat in the corner of the bench. It was about ten feet long, and there was a wall behind them and washers on each side. He sat in one corner where he had options for kicking back and getting comfortable. He had found and explored many such nooks as a child. He had never been into this particular laundromat before, but they were all similar. He and Lila were somewhat hidden from others in this spot. She sat next to him, close enough that their legs made contact. She intentionally let her leg touch his, and his body was on fire because of it.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"I'm thinking it's different in here than I expected," she said, her legs dangling.

"What did you think it would be like?"

She shrugged. "Less modern, I guess. I expected it to be teal or pink with chrome, like a fifties diner with old, colorful washing machines the same color as the paint job. Some stripes or polka dots on the walls, maybe."

"Yeah, that was probably in a movie. I bet fancy ones like that exist in real life, but I've never been in one."

"This is great, though. It doesn't matter that the walls are beige. I care very little about the décor right now. I think it's the best laundromat in the whole world."

Caleb swiveled, leaning against the little wall that enclosed the bench. He kicked his feet onto the bench on the other side of Lila. His rear end was on one side of her lap and his feet on the other with his legs crossing over her like a seatbelt. Lila adjusted, reaching up to rest her arms on his legs. She was completely comfortable with him being there, and she showed it with her body language. Caleb cocked one leg to the side and rested the other one on her lap. She rested her hands comfortably on his leg—one of them was on his thigh and the other was just below his knee.

Caleb's engine was revved. He was smiling like he was cool and collected, but on the inside, he was on fire. Lila was wonderful and perfect, and there she was, touching him and waiting for a fake load of laundry like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"If this was a movie and we had just met, we wouldn't be doing this right now," she looked down at his leg on her lap. "We would be distant and awkward for the first hour."

He started to move, to swivel and sit up like a gentleman but she held onto his leg, trapping him there. She made a scowling face at him that caused him to laugh. "I was saying I'mgladwe're not in a movie because of that."

"Oh, you were saying you'reglad? I thought you wanted it to be awkward, like a movie."

"Nooo, no I was just saying a fact. I really still want your leg here." She spoke seriously causing him to smile at her.

He leaned back resting his head against the wall and looking at her, taking her in.

"What did my mom say to you?"

She shrugged. "It was fine. She was worried about what you had told me about your childhood. She just asked me not to judge her for that."

"Really? That's what she said?"

She nodded.

"I'm sorry for how she is. I almost told her who your dad was so she would stop telling you how famous I am. But I didn't know how much I should say."

"I don't care what you tell her. She'll learn eventually. And I don't mind her telling me how famous you are. You are famous. I like that she's proud of you. She should be."

He shook his head at her, staring into her eyes. It wasn't the color or even the shape of them, although all that was beautiful. It was the expression. It was the love and care in her eyes that drew him.

"What do you want to do after this?" she asked.

"Dinner?"

"Yes. Tacos?"

"If you still want that. It's keeping with the fancy theme of tonight," he said, gesturing to the washers and dryers.

"Are you kidding? This is the best…" she paused and glanced at the timer on the washing machine. "Twenty-two of the best minutes of my life," he said.

"Then it has to dry for thirty."

"Then it's the best fifty-two minutes of my life. So, wash, dry, and then dinner… what's after that? Are we going back to Drake's after dinner, or doing something else?"

"What do you want to do?" he said. "Did you have something in mind?"

"Golf?"

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