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Shit. Shit-shit-shit. Tamra deserved the alpha male hero. Someone who would match her competence with ease, not the loner who struggled to string two words together to invite her to dinner or tell her how beautiful she was. Of course, I cocked that up. Why’d I go for the hug? I felt close to Tamra after hearing her share so many personal stories. I wanted to be closer to her. I should have shaken her hand instead. That was the professional thing to do. This is what happened when you spent all your time in the writing cave instead of around real people. Whoever said ‘hugs not drugs’ seriously undervalued medication in controlling my impulses. Yes, drugs could be bad. So was minor assault.
I needed to find some way to make this right with Tamra. She probably thought I was a creep. I wanted to wind back time before The Hug of DoomTM. I had been doing so well too. My script had helped me make it through the afternoon without any obvious missteps. The preparation alone had calmed my nerves; I’d barely needed to refer to my notebook. Encouraging Tamra to do most of the talking had definitely helped.
Maybe if I messaged her something funny, I could get us back on the right foot.
@TamraRN Sorry for making things weird. I realize I should have stayed in hand-shaking territory.
I didn’t give her any time to reply before following up my apology with a joke to smooth over my misstep.
@TamraRN If it makes you feel any better, I have a backup business plan if this writing gig doesn’t work out. Clearly, I have a talent for awkward hugs. I’m going to hold up a sign: free hugs. Then, when someone moves in for their free hug, I’ll whisper, “It’s fifty dollars to let go.”
I set my phone aside. She might not see my message before her shift started. I needed to put my phone away or I’d never be able to focus on writing. My phone buzzed a few minutes later, and I held my breath as I read her reply.
@VirginiaRothman you give good hugs. I’m just out of practice.
Air escaped my lungs in a rush. I ruthlessly repressed the desire to type out all the other things I’d love to help her practice. I was trying to get out of hot water, not sink further.
@TamraRN I’m happy to help you practice. The world needs more hugs.
@VirginiaRothman since we’re discussing the awkward, is it okay for me to tell my friend I met you? And that you’re you?
My fingers paused above the keyboard on my phone. Fear warred with the desire to trust her. She’d trusted me with so much of herself today. Reciprocating shouldn’t be so hard, but it took me a few beats before I could come up with a response.
@TamraRN I’m not ready for it to be public knowledge yet, but I have been trying to let more of my friends and family know. So, go for it? I really enjoyed meeting you today. Thanks again for agreeing to help me. This book is going to be worlds better thanks to you.
See? I could do this. I was charming via text. I could write a mean book. I was just crap in person. Maybe if I tried a script for dinner, that’d help.
And what about hugging? Was it our thing now, or would we retreat to a no-hugging relationship? I knew which I was in favor of. It’d been nearly impossible to focus on my script during our coffee date. I’d been distracted by the shape of her lips. The confidence in her voice. Tamra’s laugh had tripped down my spine, leaving tingles of pleasure in its wake. If I scooted any closer to her in my chair, I would have been in her lap. All things considered, stopping myself at a mere hug showed restraint. Asking her over for dinner should have signaled my interest, but based on her reaction to my hug, I wasn’t sure the attraction was mutual. What I needed was a second opinion from Jimmy.
Chase: Hey. Met with Tamra today. She was nice, considering I wasn’t what she expected.
Jimmy: See? Told ya. She already liked you, I’m sure that helped.
Chase: I think it was okay. Until I hugged her at the end. Then I made it weird.
Jimmy: Maybe she’s a hugger?
Chase: I don’t think so. I tried to salvage it by joking via text afterward. I think I did okay. She said I give good hugs.
Jimmy: I think you’re in. But next time, maybe ask first? Permission is always best.
Chase: Noted. You’d think after writing romance so long, I’d actually be able to interact with women with some modicum of talent.
Jimmy: Nah, you’re just as challenged as the rest of us.
Chase: *snort* Tell me the last time you struck out by putting your foot in it?
Jimmy: I didn’t say I was like the rest of us.
Chase: Of course. I invited her over for dinner, so hopefully she still comes.
Jimmy: What are you making? Maybe you can entice her with food porn?
Chase: Use one of my better talents to cover the awkward. I like it. Suggestions?
Jimmy: Make sure you have something fabulous for dessert. Make her mouth water. Give her something to look forward to if she sticks it out to the end of dinner.
Chase: Noted.
Buoyed by Jimmy’s advice, I focused on writing the rest of the evening. My fingers tap-danced along the keyboard as I kept time with the rhythm of the story playing in my head. Each keystroke brought Tamra’s enthusiasm for her career to life in my heroine. Her insights into nursing helped round out my hospital scenes. She spoke with such passion about her job, if I could infuse an ounce of that emotion in my main character, it’d be a story readers could live in, over and over.
