Page 60 of The Thorne at My Side
"Shhh, yes really. Hold on."
I unfasten my seatbelt and make my way up to where Ben is sitting in a group of seats that face a table like on a train.
"Hey, Sam said you're working on the schedule?"
"Yeah, just mapping out the campaign stops and making sure our people on the ground have what they need."
"Okay, I umm, if it works out, I need to be back in D.C. Tuesday night. I've got plans that night I can't change."
"That should be fine. If anything you could skip the Monday-Tuesday swing, you might have to fly commercial out to meet us on Wednesday. I don't think she's going to have more than one night back in D.C. until after the election."
"Okay."
Try not to read into it. This doesn’t mean you’re replaceable.
"Plus Sam can still travel with us right? That should be fine. With her and AI Media we should be able to cover anything that comes up."
"Okay." I reply again and mutter a "thanks" before turning and heading back to my seat. It isn’t sitting right that he was so willing to give me the time off. Maybe I should reschedule this date for after the election. The team needs me.
"So, what'd he say?"
"He said it was fine. If anything, I can skip Monday and Tuesday and then fly commercial to meet you on Wednesday. Wherever you'll be then. And between you and AI Media they'd be able to cover anything that comes up."
Sam waits a beat while that sinks in. "I'm sure they want you on the trip, they're just trying to respect your schedule, too." Or maybe she’s reading my mind.
"Yeah, sure, you're probably right."
"Okay, enough about that, tell me about this date! Can I help you pick out a dress?"
"I already decided what I'm going to wear, because I had to tell him how to find me. It's umm, a blind date, sort of."
"How can it be a blind date, sort of? Did you let someone set you up?" She sounds offended. "You know I've been wanting to do that for ages."
"No, well, yeah, maybe? I dunno." I take a deep breath and square my shoulders in her direction. "I’m meeting my SMS Connect guy."
"Wait, for real!?"
"Yes."
"When did this date get scheduled? Why am I only hearing about it now?" Sam asks, again sounding offended.
"Just this morning. Well, he asked me last night, I guess, but I said yes this morning.”
“Just like that? I mean, gosh this is so fascinating to me,” Sam mutters. She squares her shoulders in my direction, “What have you two been talking about lately?”
"Well, it has evolved into sharing about our days. I'd tell him about the challenges in mine, but not any details because you're not supposed to give away any identifying information. So I'd share the emotions behind the challenges and the wins."
I find it to be a really healthy way to discuss things I'm experiencing. The details of the matter don't really add much, it's how I feel about them. How I react to them that counts.
"You just drifted away," Sam says gently and I turn back towards her. "You really like him?"
"I really do."
"Are you scared to meet him?"
"Terrified!" I admit with a laugh. "I've told him things I haven't told anyone else. Probably because it was a faceless void. It's so scary to be open with someone to their face."
At that, my mind flashes to the morning in my apartment when I admitted the history of my orgasms to Austin. And how I felt safe telling him because of the way he honored my body. I think of the way he pushed me to new heights last night and the trust we shared.
