Page 82 of Change My Mind
I was expecting it to be Becky. Our schedules didn’t allow for much time to catch up, but we did have the same hour free on Thursday, and so we had lunch together.
“Come in,” I called out without looking at my office door.
The door opened slowly, and the uncharacteristic actions of Becky—who usually walked in like it was her own office—made me stop writing and shift my gaze to thedoor.
It wasn’t Becky.
It was Josh.
Even though we had neighbouring offices, this was the first time I’d seen him since the first time we met.
“Oh, hi, Josh. How are you doing?” I asked slowly as he leaned against the door frame. He was wearing another tweed jacket over a white shirt and brown trousers. His hair was slicked back, and a smile was fixed on his face.
“I am good, thanks for asking. Finally feel like I am back in the swing of things. What about you? You settled in okay?”
“It’s been a surprisingly seamless transition. My lectures have been good, and the students are all great for the most part. I’m even quite liking balancing everything with my PhD again.”
Josh’s smile widened. “Glad to hear it’s all going well for you.”
I noticed movement behind Josh.
It was Becky, who took one look at Josh standing in my door and waggled her eyebrows at me before stepping back.
I knew she hadn’t gone away completely, which meant that this conversation now had an audience.
“That it has.”
The smile dropped slightly, and he ran a hand over his face. “I can see you’re busy, so I will just cut straight to the chase; I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me?”
I knew it was coming, but I was somehow so unprepared.
My knee-jerk reaction was to say no.
But I knew Becky was right there, and I could hear her saying that going on a first date didn’t have to mean anything.
Then I remembered Lucy telling me that with me back in the fold, Becky was going to be like a bloodhound and try to pair me up with…anyone.
If I said yes, I would get her off my back. I couldconfidently say that I had tried, and dating still wasn’t for me. She could go back to trying to set her twin up.
Added bonus, it would make it seem like I was perfectly fine with Eli dating Steffy because I was ‘dating’ too.
The motives weren’t great, but what was the worst that could happen?
“Yeah, sure. That sounds good.”
Beckymysteriously never entered my office after Josh left for lunch, and then, at around four, she texted me to say she would make it up to me with dinner at Vivi’s.
When I got there, Becky was already sitting at our table, two glasses of wine ready and waiting. As I sat down, I saw Steffy sat at what I was coming to think of as her usual table. Eli was there too, leaning against the back of her chair, looking down at something.
He looked up and smiled at me. He said something to Steffy, who nodded before he started walking over to our table.
I looked away from him and at Becky.
“I need a full debrief on Josh,” I said.
Becky smiled widely. She was so happy that I wastrying, and that was why I said yes. It was to make her happy.
“When are you going out with him?” she asked just as Eli reached our table. I flicked my eyes to him.
