Page 85 of Fly's Path

“Do I count as people?” Because I’d really like to see the real Sheri.

Her laugh comes out as a rushed puff of air. “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

“What have you figured out about me?”

“That’s a good question. Not as much as I would have liked. But I guess that’s what our first date will be good for. So where are you taking me?”

Non-answers are my specialty, but they drive me insane when she gives them because I want to know everything that she’s thinking. “Are you the type who likes surprises or hates them?”

“I don’t know.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re the type that hates them,” she deflects. “No, it’s more than that. You’re the type of man who is always so organized nothing ever surprises you.”

What? “How did you know that?”

High Maintenance?

Sheridan

How couldn’t I know that? “Your house is very organized. You even hang up your keys in order.”

“That makes them easy to find.”

“And?” I probably put a little too much attitude in that word.

“The question was, do you like surprises?”

I know, and I was trying to avoid that like the plague. How do I answer that without revealing too much about myself?

But you’re dating this guy; isn’t that the point? It’s only sort of dating. We’re going to break up in a little over two weeks.

And yet you’re still dating him.

Why lie? Why hide?

Because it could be embarrassing. “I don’t know. I’ve never been surprised before.”

“What do you mean you haven’t been surprised before? Like you’ve always known before they could surprise you?”

“No. That’s not what I mean.” But I wish it was.

“Wait, are you telling me never in your life has someone given you a surprise?”

Maybe that’s not true. “Dahlia surprised me when she told me Dylan was married.”

“That’s not what I mean, woman, and you know it.”

I do, but the other way sounds pathetic. My feet start moving faster, like my subconscious thinks the world will be different if I run away from my life.

Only this mess won’t just go away. I’m going to have to face the music soon. “Yeah, I do.” My voice comes out as a breath more than a whisper.

“Woman.”

“It’s not a big deal.” But it is. “So how’s the view there?”

“Stunning.”