Page 13 of Tattoo My Heart
“A message from theHolidatesapp,” I mumble around a mouthful of food. “Let’s see here.”
I tap on the message, and it opens the app for me, then takes me to my inbox.
“Congrats! You got your first holidate.”
I blink at the screen a couple of times, trying to process what I’m seeing. I’m almost scared to tap on the message to open it. What if I don’t like what I’m about to see? Maybe this was a stupid idea after all.
“Get it over with, Evie,” I pump myself up. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
With a deep breath in, I tap on the screen, prepared to run out of oxygen by the time it takes me to my inbox within the app.
My heart jumps in my throat when I see the name showing there. Khail P. For a fleeting second, I pray that when I open the message, I’ll find Cal’s picture staring back at me.
Hi, Evelyn, the message reads.I am very interested in accompanying you to the party on July Fourth. In exchange, I would love it if you agreed to attend an end of summer event with me. Please let me know as soon as possible if there’s interest as I would need to continue looking if not.
I stare at the screen and blink in confusion. I didn’t know you could do trade-ins like this on the app. If I agree to this arrangement, then I’d be going out with the same person twice. Doesn’t that sort of defeat the purpose of using this app?
“I need to call Carrie,” I tell myself when my brain can’t figure out what the deal is with this picture.
“Hey, I was just about to call you,” she says in greeting. “I got the baby out for some fresh air, and we’re heading your way to take you out for a walk on your lunch.”
“Perfect! I’ll be ready.”
I don’t even wait for her to say anything else. Instead, I hang up the phone and rush to finish my sandwich. I can’t think on an empty stomach. By the time I use the restroom and walk back out, I hear a faint knock at the front door.
“I’m so happy that you’re here!” I grab my best friend into tight hug, then let go of her abruptly and she has to take a couple of steps back.
“Whoa, so much excitement,” she teases. “What’s going on?”
I lock the door behind me, then turn to blow the sleeping baby in the stroller a kiss. With that out of the way, I can finally focus on my problem at hand.
“I got a message from the app thingie.” I am talking fast because I am running out of time. Nancy will be back from her lunch in no time, and we have lots to do by this late afternoon.
Carrie starts giggling uncontrollably. “App thingie,” she repeats.
“You know what I mean,” I elbow her, and we start walking.
Our little town has the smallest downtown area known to humankind. It is basically one long street, about a two and a half minute drive from one end to the other. There’s a sidewalk on each side, with small businesses in just about every building. My flower shop is at one end of it, and we can walk all the way to the coffee shop.
“Did you get a message from a serial killer?” Carrie inquires a lot more cautiously now. “Because that would not be good at all.”
“What? No! At least I don’t think so!” However, now that she put the thought in my head, holy crap. I may have a serial killer on my hands.
“Evie,” she finally snaps at me. “Just tell me. The suspense is killing me here.”
“I got this message,” I start. “He said he’d love to go with me to the July Fourth party if I go with him to some end of summer event.”
“Oh,” Carrie pauses for a second. “Well, that’s not bad at all.”
“You don’t think so?” I sound insecure and pitiful. I can’t help it. I am completely out of my element with this.
Carrie stops with the stroller in the middle of the sidewalk, forcing me to stop as well.
“Why would you think so? What’s the big deal? Is he ugly?”
“Uh, I’m not sure, to be honest.” I am almost blushing at my stupidity. I forgot to scroll down and look at his picture.
“Well, then,” she directs us toward a bench that’s sitting in front of the fire department. It is a little in the shade, so I won’t have any glare on the screen of my cell phone. “If he looks like an ogre, I am voting him out.”
