Page 8 of Warm and Dry

"That’s cute. I hope it works out." Briggs went back to his phone, done contributing to the conversation.

Kowalski furrowed his brow, thinking it through. "So, did you get his number?"

I shook my head. "No, and he doesn't have mine either."

"Forest." Kowalski groaned while Briggs just shook his head without looking at me.

"I know." I took another drink and considered ordering some fries before I got buzzed. “But I doubt he’s interested.”

"He’s interested, dude. Just go back to his laundromat and make it clear that you are too."

They made it sound so easy. "What do I say when I go back? Hey, sorry, I forgot a sock…"

Kowalski spread his hands out like that was brilliant. "Yes. Exactly that. That's the whole plan right there."

"That's the worst plan I've ever heard." Although, he would believe that I left something behind by how scatterbrained I was.

"You walked into the man's business and didn’t know how to pay. I think you can get away with just about anything. You have no dignity left to maintain."

He wasn't wrong, but I pouted anyway. “Thanks.”

Reynard raised his glass. "To Forest's dignity. May it rest in peace."

"I hate you all." I chuckled and drank to it anyway.

The conversation moved on from my lack of love life and into a replay of the third period. I chimed in when I was supposed to and laughed when everyone else did, but I kept zoning out.

I thought about the way Scott wasn’t afraid to sit with me when I was clearly upset. Most guys avoided emotion at all costs. But he didn’t. He came right to me and made me feel better. He didn’t even make me feel bad about not understanding the kiosk instructions. Scott just settled in next to me like he had nowhere else to be. Maybe he didn't, but he didn’t make me feel like an obligation.

It was almost like he wanted to be there for me.

Not only that, but he clocked that I was pale and shaky and needed some electrolytes before my game. Who did that? For me…no one. Ever.

A few of the guys got up to leave, and I took the opportunity to join them. It was getting late and I was beat. "I'm gonna head out too."

I followed Briggs in a round of fist bumps and shoulder grabs on my way around the table then pulled some cash out of my wallet. “See you guys on Wednesday.”

Kowalski stood up and gave me a hug before I stepped away. “I wanna hear how the sock plan goes.”

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Goodbye, Kowalski."

"It's a good plan." He was much more confident about that than I was.

I wasn’t sure it was good, but if I didn’t think of anything better, I’d probably go with it.

I walked out into the cold with my hands in my pockets and watched my breath fog in the air. The street was quiet except for the noise spilling out of Slapstick's behind me.

Scott was probably upstairs in his apartment, watching something on TV or digging into a delicious cake. I couldn’t help wondering if he'd thought about me at all after I left or if I was just another random customer who appeared and disappeared from his building.

On the drive home, I made a decision. As terrible as the sock plan was, I would do it. It was embarrassing and transparent, and Scott was absolutely gonna know I made up the excuse.

But as we’d already established, I had no dignity and was gonna do it anyway.

6

SCOTT

On Tuesday afternoon, I was replacing a worn drum belt on machine seven when the door opened.