Page 25 of Love in the Lab
His ears turn red. “I … care …” He trails off, his discomfort assaulting my own nervous system like strong cologne.
I tilt my head. “Why?” I ask again, my voice hardly audible over the sea breeze.
Jonathan leans closer, his mouth opening to say the words I can see, but can’t discern, spinning in his eyes. His gaze shifts to something over my shoulder and when his words finally come out, all they say is, “The towboat is here.”
Chapter ten
Jonathan
To sum up my day of fieldwork yesterday on the boat with Molly:
One: I almost kissed her.
Two: She almost let me kiss her but didn’t.
Three: She told me something personal and vulnerable, which is actually better than a kiss.
Four: She got kind of mad about my response to her personal sharing, which isn’t great. I have an idea to make it up to her. Technically it’s her turn to play a prank on me, but what I have planned isn’treallya prank.
I arrive at the lab early, well before anyone else will be there. I need a couple of trips out to my truck to bring everything in. I’m pleased to find that my estimations were correct that the surface of Molly’s cubicle desk can fit five large vases. I fill each vase about half full with water and add little packets of flower food. Then come the lilies. I bought dozens of them—close to a hundred. Lilies are supposed to symbolize humility, sincerity, and adoration, a perfect choice to sayI’m sorry, and also kind of hint that I’d like to be more than coworkers and more than friends.
I’m embracing my crush now. The biggest obstacle before was that Molly seemed to hate me. After yesterday on the boat and in the water, I no longer believe that to be true. The attraction is there, for sure. I’m pretty sure she feels the same pull that I do. Given what she shared about needing to be laser-focused on her work, I’d guess that dating falls into the “distraction” category. Ergo, she’s fighting her attraction to me because she thinks I’ll be a distraction.
I fully intend to be a distraction to Molly Delaney. I also intend to show her that she can do well at workandhave a life outside it. Not because I think I know what she needs better than she does, but because she’s too afraid to even try.
I arrange the lilies in the vases myself. When I finish, Molly’s desk is covered in vases filled with beautiful pink-and-white stargazer lilies. It’s quite a spectacle. As a finishing touch, I add a note to the vase closest to her desk chair. I write simply,From your secret admirer.
When I finish arranging everything, I leave. I head to the parking lot, get in my truck, and buy myself some breakfast down the street. I don’t come back until I know most of our coworkers will be there.
When I arrive at work for the second time today, a current of excitement reverberates through the lab.
I hide a grin as I walk to my cubicle. “What’s going on?” I ask one of the grad assistants.
“Dr. Delaney got a flower delivery! Huge vases covering her desk.”
I play dumb. “Oh? Who from? Does she have a boyfriend?”
The grad assistant claps her hands with glee. “I don’t think so. The card says they’re from a secret admirer!”
I raise my eyebrows. “Wow. Lucky her. What a mystery.”
She sighs dreamily. “Yeah, it’s so romantic!”
I barely contain my laughter as I hazard a glance toward Molly’s cubicle. A small crowd of women surround her desk, Molly standing in the middle. I can’t see her face, so I don’t know yet if my plan is a massive success or a dismal failure.
One woman shifts to the right, revealing Molly’s face. She’s smiling. She’s clasping her hands in front of her, and the corners of her eyes look pinched, but she’s smiling. She lifts her head and catches sight of me. She shakes her head slowly as if to say,I can’t believe you did this. I wink in response, and she blushes. Her smile turns shy, and she bites her lip.
My body feels so weightless I’m almost floating. As much as Molly’s scowls lure me in, her smiles will keep me hooked. No question.
Dr. Gantt comes out of her office and claps her hands while walking toward Molly. “Okay, everyone. Exciting morning, but let’s get to work.”
The crowd disperses, some to cubicles and others to the lab. I’m still rooted next to my cubicle, so when Dr. Gantt finishes admiring the flowers and turns her head, her perceptive eyes are aimed directly at me.
She purses her lips and raises her eyebrows. I suddenly feel like I’m five years old and just got caught with frosting-smudged lips after the last cupcake went missing at my sister’s birthday party. I swipe at my mouth and duck into my desk chair.
The morning is busy. I process the water samples we took out in the Gulf yesterday and make plans for Glider Four’s next mission. Molly’s working on her own stuff, so we don’t interact.
At lunch, I step outside for some fresh air. Because I’m so often in the field, the days I’m in the lab can feel stifling. Getting outside during my breaks helps refresh my brain. Around the back of the building is a small grassy alcove with a bench right in the shade. It’s my respite on lab days, and it’s where I’m heading now.
