my overactive imagination, though, I knew I needed to get out and do something or else I’d start to go a bit crazy.
I spent the rest of the weekend visiting parks and outside venues in and around my apartment. One thing that I’d always loved about Toronto was the number of things you can pick up and do at a moment’s notice. So I went and did, hoping to burn off the rising tide of energy inside me.
It didn’t help.
On Monday I arrived at the office a full hour ahead of Jasmine. I made sure to fix my hair before I pushed open the door and walked down the hall. I had to swallow my disappointment when I realized that Eric’s office door was closed and he was nowhere in sight. Which was good, because I didn’t want to see him.
Nope.
Not even in his light gray shirt and charcoal dress pants.
When Jasmine flew in, talking before she was even fully inside the room, I had to press pause on my mental fantasies and focus my attention on her. “My God, this is the best day ever. The weather is perfect and the birds were singing my song as I walked across the parking lot.”
“Clearly you had a good weekend.” I laughed at her dramatic sigh as she fell into her chair. “You and Nell?”
“My plan was a success. We’re back on, baby!”
“That’s good. I’m so happy for you, Jaz.”
“I think we might actually have worked a few things out this weekend. I mean, we didn’t argue even once. And the sex. Holy fucking God, the sex.”
“Sure, brag to the girl who hasn’t gotten any in months.” Six months, three weeks, and a handful of days. But who was counting?
“I keep telling you you’ll never find the right guy sitting around pining for someone who you refuse to chase after. You either need to get off your ass and do something, or join an online dating site so you can meet people.”
That was my opportunity to tell her about what had happened on Friday. A natural transition from Hey, you had great sex to Actually, I was eye-fucking Eric’s forearms in the kitchen . But I delayed too long and she’d moved on to talking about the interviews she was going to have to set up this week, so it didn’t feel right to bring it up.
I tried to focus on my work, but my thoughts bounced between my research and wondering where Eric was. When I felt myself start to get depressed my gaze would wander out into the hallway toward where Eric would normally come in. Through the school year his office hours were in the morning as he taught in the afternoon. Not that I was paying that much attention. Nope, not me. When he wasn’t in by noon, I couldn’t help but wonder where he’d gotten off to. When he wasn’t here by one, I had to admit that I was worried just a little. By two o’clock, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I picked up a stack of books and stood so quickly that Jasmine jumped.
“I need to renew these. Right now. I mean before I have to leave.”
“Okay.” She stared at me for a few seconds longer before shaking her head and turning back toward her computer.
“I’ll be back.”
“Yup.”
Eric’s door remained stubbornly closed and his office empty both on my trip to and from the library, where my books did in fact need to get renewed. We’d shared only a handful of conversations over the year that we’d worked together in the same building, so it wasn’t as though I should have known his schedule or any deviations to it. Still, I was annoyed.
How could what happened on Friday have happened and then he not be here on Monday? It was as though fate or some ancient gods were playing a horrible prank on me.
Here Glenna, here is this man who you’ve been lusting after for so long now.
And POOF he’s gone.
Sucker!
When three thirty came, I had to put my Eric Watch on hold. I’d talked to Mom last night on the phone and promised her that I’d stop by after work. I did walk past his office one more time just to reassure myself that I hadn’t missed him. Nope, the door was shut. I
I spent the rest of the weekend visiting parks and outside venues in and around my apartment. One thing that I’d always loved about Toronto was the number of things you can pick up and do at a moment’s notice. So I went and did, hoping to burn off the rising tide of energy inside me.
It didn’t help.
On Monday I arrived at the office a full hour ahead of Jasmine. I made sure to fix my hair before I pushed open the door and walked down the hall. I had to swallow my disappointment when I realized that Eric’s office door was closed and he was nowhere in sight. Which was good, because I didn’t want to see him.
Nope.
Not even in his light gray shirt and charcoal dress pants.
When Jasmine flew in, talking before she was even fully inside the room, I had to press pause on my mental fantasies and focus my attention on her. “My God, this is the best day ever. The weather is perfect and the birds were singing my song as I walked across the parking lot.”
“Clearly you had a good weekend.” I laughed at her dramatic sigh as she fell into her chair. “You and Nell?”
“My plan was a success. We’re back on, baby!”
“That’s good. I’m so happy for you, Jaz.”
“I think we might actually have worked a few things out this weekend. I mean, we didn’t argue even once. And the sex. Holy fucking God, the sex.”
“Sure, brag to the girl who hasn’t gotten any in months.” Six months, three weeks, and a handful of days. But who was counting?
“I keep telling you you’ll never find the right guy sitting around pining for someone who you refuse to chase after. You either need to get off your ass and do something, or join an online dating site so you can meet people.”
That was my opportunity to tell her about what had happened on Friday. A natural transition from Hey, you had great sex to Actually, I was eye-fucking Eric’s forearms in the kitchen . But I delayed too long and she’d moved on to talking about the interviews she was going to have to set up this week, so it didn’t feel right to bring it up.
I tried to focus on my work, but my thoughts bounced between my research and wondering where Eric was. When I felt myself start to get depressed my gaze would wander out into the hallway toward where Eric would normally come in. Through the school year his office hours were in the morning as he taught in the afternoon. Not that I was paying that much attention. Nope, not me. When he wasn’t in by noon, I couldn’t help but wonder where he’d gotten off to. When he wasn’t here by one, I had to admit that I was worried just a little. By two o’clock, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I picked up a stack of books and stood so quickly that Jasmine jumped.
“I need to renew these. Right now. I mean before I have to leave.”
“Okay.” She stared at me for a few seconds longer before shaking her head and turning back toward her computer.
“I’ll be back.”
“Yup.”
Eric’s door remained stubbornly closed and his office empty both on my trip to and from the library, where my books did in fact need to get renewed. We’d shared only a handful of conversations over the year that we’d worked together in the same building, so it wasn’t as though I should have known his schedule or any deviations to it. Still, I was annoyed.
How could what happened on Friday have happened and then he not be here on Monday? It was as though fate or some ancient gods were playing a horrible prank on me.
Here Glenna, here is this man who you’ve been lusting after for so long now.
And POOF he’s gone.
Sucker!
When three thirty came, I had to put my Eric Watch on hold. I’d talked to Mom last night on the phone and promised her that I’d stop by after work. I did walk past his office one more time just to reassure myself that I hadn’t missed him. Nope, the door was shut. I
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