Page 36 of Finding Jack
EMILY: Or…?
JACK: …dates?
I held the phone against my chest and grinned like an idiot. He was fishing, and that meant I could too.
EMILY: You must be confusing me with yourself.
JACK: You think I’m going out for wild nights on the town with Ranée?
EMILY: Or…?
JACK: No dates.
I hugged my phone again. I was fine if he was dating people. Not seriously, or it would make him sketchy for messaging me. But it wouldn’t surprise me if lots of women were interested in such a smart man.
Fine. And a hot one.
EMILY: Same here. No date.
JACK: Because?
There were several options here, like the truth. Or a version of it.
EMILY: Too tired. I was asleep an hour after I got home from work.
JACK: I feel you. I used to work a lot of long hours.
EMILY: On the railroad?
JACK: All the livelong day.
EMILY: I have an earworm now.
JACK: You started it.
EMILY: Quick, give me a chaser, something to knock it out with.
A minute later a YouTube link appeared for “Who Let the Dogs Out?”
EMILY: I thought we were friends.
JACK: Do you remember the other earworm?
EMILY: I guess not. Am I really about to thank you for “Who Let the Dogs Out?”
JACK:
EMILY:
JACK: But no work today. So, plans tonight?
EMILY: Why are you forcing me to tell the truth and sound like a loser?
JACK: So that’s a no. Me either. Which is normal, so judge away. But that doesn’t seem right for you. Are there no smart men there? A smart man would take you out.
EMILY: Maybe I don’t want to be taken out. My prerogative, right?
JACK: A smart man would say yes. And I’m a smart man, so now I’m torn. Because a smart man would both ask if you’d like to go out this evening but also recognize that it’s your prerogative not to want to go out.
