Hannah clicked “send” and watched the email leave her work inbox. She had just finished answering a question a coworker had about a project she was working on. And there had been a lot of nice compliments in the email from her coworker. She felt like she was finally getting a handle on this job, and things had certainly improved since her first day.

Another of her coworkers had helped her with the train schedule and Hannah discovered that by taking two trains instead of one, she could get to work and home about fifteen minutes faster. Changing trains hadn’t been nearly the hassle she anticipated and the extra half hour a day was desperately needed.

Just that morning, Lauren had called her in to discuss a client and had mentioned how well Hannah was doing. “Even better than expected,” were Lauren’s exact words. Hannah had beamed. This being her first serious job, she wasn’t sure how life in an office setting would go. So far, things were going better than she could have hoped for.

Hannah punched out and picked up her purse. Finally lunchtime. Today she was going to try the new sandwich shop everyone had been raving over. She walked the three blocks to the shop and joined the long line.

While she waited, she sent a text to Melody. “How’s lunch?”

“Boring.” Then, “Can we get pizza for dinner?”

“We’ll see. What was for lunch?”

“I got a peanut butter and jelly because it was some kind of meat thing. Looked nasty.”

Hannah chuckled. Good thing the school always had sandwiches. Melody might never eat if she were forced to consume the school’s hot lunches every day.

“I’m about to order a sandwich of my own. Enjoy the rest of your day!”

Melody sent back a smiley face.

Hannah placed her order and sat at a small table to eat. She kept her phone nearby in case Melody sent another text. It had been a difficult choice to get her a phone. Nine was still pretty young for that sort of thing, but with Hannah’s new job, Melody was spending more time at the neighbor’s and Hannah wanted to be able to stay in contact more easily.

A call came in that wasn’t Melody. It was Anton. She stared at the name. Her insides tingled just thinking of their last encounter. But she had told him she couldn’t have a relationship and she meant it. She ignored the call and took another bite of her sandwich.

She waited, wondering if he would leave a message. Instead, he called again.

She didn’t want to keep ignoring him if he was going to keep calling. She swallowed and gathered her courage then picked up the phone. “Hello Anton.”

“Hannah. I know you said you didn’t want to see me again, but I need to talk to you.”

“I don’t think—”

“We’ll meet in public. That way you can be sure I won’t try anything. This isn’t about sex.”

Her face flushed at the mention of the word and her thoughts of Anton during their date. She was somewhat disappointed about meeting in public, actually. She had little reason to meet with him unless there might be another quick hook up. She could go for another of those. If only they didn’t have such a history that kept them from making this a casual thing.

“I could meet you after work later this week.”

“It has to be today. This is too important to wait.”

“I’m working today,” she said. “I’m on my lunch break.”

“Are you in the building?”

“No, I’m at the new sandwich shop down the street.”

“I’ll be right there.”

“But I only—”

He hung up before she could explain that she didn’t have much time left. She had to get back to her desk, and with all the good work she’d been doing, she didn’t want to mess up now by returning late from lunch.

She finished her sandwich quickly. It had been pretty good, as everyone claimed. She could see making this a regular lunch stop. But for now, she threw her trash away and hurried from the shop.

Outside, she looked up and down the sidewalk. Would he just pull up in his limo right there on the street?

As she stood, watching for him, a black car with heavily tinted windows pulled up. The window rolled down and Anton smiled at her. “Get in.”

He opened the door and she slid in. Where had he been that he had gotten to her in less than five minutes? Had he already been heading toward her work when he called her?

“I tried to tell you,” she said as he closed the door and they drove off, “I have to be back to work in ten minutes. And I can’t be late. This is a new job.”

“Okay. I’ll make it fast.”

“Also, you said it would be in public.” She raised one eyebrow and gave him a playful smile. She didn’t mind being alone with him in another car.

He smirked as the car turned and stopped. “We are.”

He opened the door and helped her out. They stood in the small park down the street from her work building. She’d heard about some of the ladies going for runs together in the evening in this park, but she’d never been here.

“Please, sit with me.” Anton sat on a park bench and looked at her hopefully.

She sat beside him. “I’m all ears.”