I was still running on an Alex high a week later. Honestly, I hadn’t come down from it since he’d dropped me off at my car after breakfast.

I’d heard from him pretty regularly since then, quick texts to tell me he was thinking about me before going to bed at night and sometimes when he woke up in the morning. Pictures of things he was doing and memes he thought were funny. Thinking about them made me smile. He knew how busy I was, so he’d kept his distance but still made time to make sure I knew I was on his mind. In return, I sent him pictures throughout the day, silly ones like a leftover tomato sitting sadly on my plate, pictures of what I was doing, well-angled selfies, and an occasional sexy bare-skinned one. They were always PG-13, but Alex didn’t seem to mind. I never imagined that I’d feel giddy over a heart-eyed emoji, but I also never could have imagined Alex Evans. So far the whole thing was surprisingly simple and stress-free.

I looked at the texts again for the hundredth time, then put my phone back in the bottom of my purse, trying to control the giddiness I felt rising in my chest.

In less than six months I’d have my MBA. I’d worked so hard to get where I was, and I didn’t have the luxury of losing focus. Thankfully, Mondays were always busy at our accounting firm, and I fielded phone calls all morning, a task that held my attention and made the day go by quickly.

By the time I stopped for lunch, I was itching to check my phone again.

“I’m going to lunch,” I said to Elise, the other receptionist at our office.

“Sounds good,” she replied, waving me off as she answered another call.

I pulled my phone out again as I walked through the front door of our building. I had another text from Alex.

I’m at Mr. and Mrs. K’s restaurant for the next half an hour.

I checked the time stamp. Ten minutes ago. If I hurried, I might be able to get there before Alex left. I grinned as I speed walked to my car and climbed inside. My heart was racing. It had been too long since I’d looked into his gorgeous brown eyes.

Chapter 5

Alex

I smiled at the little old lady in front of me and raised my hands in the air. “No more, please,” I said with a groan. “I’m going to explode.”