Nerd Girl(55)

I don’t think she believed me, but she wasn’t going to push. She talked about her uneventful Monday and I shared the details of my mine, as close as possible to what occurred, but intentionally leaving out a particular participant. I read once, probably from some spy novel, that if you were ever going to lie about something, you should stick to the truth as close as possible because your odds of getting caught later were less likely. With some dismay, I thought of this as the first of many more half-truths that I knew to come.

Back at my desk, I prepped for a couple meetings I had scheduled for later in the day. Mid-morning, I looked up to see the mailroom delivery guy standing in my doorway presenting me with a package containing a new Lenovo ThinkPad laptop complete with a new docking station and an extra battery. I smiled, because not only did I now have a nice, new, cool laptop, but I knew who it came from.

After signing for the package, I set up the machine and emailed Ryan.



Thank you for my new laptop. You’ve got great taste. How am I going to explain this to my manager?



Couldn’t stop thinking about you last night.



A few minutes later:



You’re very welcome. Glad to see it arrived so quickly. Explanation is already taken care of. I’m still thinking about you this morning …



My heart skipped a beat and I smiled. Attached to the email was another email sent to my team’s business admin and Catherine with an IO number owned by Ryan’s cost center explaining the reason for the new laptop as the now infamous car accident.

Ryan mentioned he had a business dinner tonight, but I wondered when I would see him again. I had Anna’s bachelorette party this Saturday, but I was hoping we could do something on Friday night together. He must’ve been able to read my mind because just then I noticed my IM icon blinking.



Ryan McGraw [10:34 AM]: Got a minute?

Julia Hayes [10:34 AM]: For you, yes :)

Ryan McGraw [10:34 AM]: I forgot to mention to you – I’m heading to Canada office tomorrow morning - Coming back late Friday night.



Well, there goes my Friday night idea. I was suddenly sad that I wouldn’t see him for several more days.



Ryan McGraw [10:35 AM]: Can I see you Saturday?

Julia Hayes [10:35 AM]: It’s Anna’s bachelorette party that night. Festivities start at my place in the afternoon.

Ryan McGraw [10:36 AM]: Festivities???

Julia Hayes [10:36 AM]: cocktails and gifts - then dinner … then who knows…

Ryan McGraw [10:37 AM]: hmm … sounds like trouble

Julia Hayes [10:37 AM]: Being naughty can be fun



Hey! I was in a good mood and felt like flirting.



Ryan McGraw [10:37 AM]: Naughty? Interesting choice of words

Julia Hayes [10:37 AM]: … and why do you consider it an interesting choice of words?

Ryan McGraw [10:38 AM]: It’s very visual… :)



Emoticons!



Julia Hayes [10:38 AM]: and what are you visualizing?



Oh God, did I really just ask him that?



Ryan McGraw [10:38 AM]: naughty things

Julia Hayes [10:38 AM]: Oh …



I noticed he started to type something, but then it stopped. I waited, but he didn’t continue. He must’ve been interrupted by someone talking to him on his end. Several minutes went by and then my IM icon started blinking again.



Ryan McGraw [10:45 AM]: Got interrupted - Sorry about that. I’ve got to run. Call me for a ride after the partying if you need one.

Julia Hayes [10:45 AM]: Thanks again for the new laptop :) Okay, have a safe trip. Bye!

Ryan McGraw [10:45 AM]: Wish I could’ve gotten it to you sooner.

Ryan McGraw [10:45 AM]: Be good :)



I couldn’t help smiling to myself. I felt like the cat that ate the canary.





On Saturday morning, I went to the local market to purchase a fresh bouquet of flowers, light appetizers, and ingredients for cosmos. I later made a stop to the Wallingford Erotic Bakery to pick up Anna’s penis cake. They had penis shaped straws sitting next to the counter, so I grabbed a handful.

Anna was relatively simple with her party requests. Penis paraphernalia was ok, but she had forbidden any games that required embarrassing herself in front of strange men in public. I was cool with that. We would try to be as classy as our pre-drunken states would allow.

I set out all the ingredients for our cosmos and lined up the martini glasses on my kitchen counter. I arranged the peonies into a vase that looked like a solid glass circle from a distance. Peonies were our favorite flowers.

After prepping everything for the party, I sat on my patio waiting for my guests, drinking a glass of wine, and wondering when Ryan had finally gotten home last night. Even though we were planning on taking taxis tonight, maybe I would take Ryan up on his offer and call him for a ride home from the bar. He had offered, hadn’t he?