by J. Nichole
“Was.” I look away from him. “I’m single now.”
I stop in front of my desk and look back to Isaiah, who tells me, "You know, this place is a far shot from L.U. so if you need anything let me know." He reaches into his pocket and lays his card on my desk.
I pick it up and wave it in the air. "Oh. Big shot. I'll take you up on your offer."
The next few hours I spend researching summer festivals. There are a few new festivals that are noteworthy, but our assignment has a condition to only include festivals that have been around for at least three years.
“This assignment is the worst.” I look up at Timmy, who is leaning on my cubicle. “Research fun but don’t have fun.” He looks at his watch. “I think it’s beer thirty. Ready to get out of here?”
Laughing, I power down my computer and join Timmy. “And where will you be getting this beer?”
He looks at me with a sneer and says, “Honey, I’m twenty-one. I can go to a bar, the liquor store, the gas station.”
I shake my head as he continues to name all the places he can get his hands on a beer. “Lucky you.”
“Don’t worry, Laila. I have no shame in contributing to minors.” He points across the parking lot. “I’m pretty sure your friend there wouldn’t mind me getting you liquored up either.”
We stop in front of a fire red convertible Mustang. "Is this yours?"
“Not at all.” He rubs the hood. “But a man can wish can’t he?” He looks up and smiles. “And here comes that fine piece of chocolate now.”
“Where y’all headed?” Although Isaiah addresses both of us, he is staring at me.
“Timmy here was headed out for a beer.” I look between the two of them. “I think I’m headed back to my room.”
Timmy groans. "Such a buzz kill." He takes another look at the Mustang and says, "Catch you two in the morning. Laila, I'll stop by your desk."
I wave at Timmy and continue walking to my car. Isaiah walks beside me. “It’s still the summer. You should enjoy your time here in Jacksonville.”
"I should do a little more research on this assignment. It 'd be good to have the choice to return here next summer."
Isaiah leans on my doorjamb. “What’s the assignment?” I cock my head at him. “I know I’m just an IT guy but maybe I can help you.”
“Well, we need to find a few summer festivals for the summer edition.” I start my car and blast the air conditioner. Jacksonville’s temperature is nothing in comparison to the Tallahassee heat, but it’s still not pleasant.
Isaiah taps his chest. "Well, I'm your man. I'm from Jacksonville. Have dinner with me and I can give you a rundown." He points to his car. "Follow me?"
“Can’t beat a firsthand experience. Lead the way Mr. IT.”
My phone rings and I answer without looking at the screen. “Hello.”
“What’s up chick?” Nicole’s voice is laced with enthusiasm. Nicole is back in Georgia for the summer with her parents.
"Hey, girl. Headed to dinner." I try to maintain a neutral tone to avoid any assumptions on her part.
"To dinner with who?" Nicole was team Chris while we were dating but when he broke up with me unexpectedly, he was enemy number one in her eyes. Along with my other roommates, she is all for me being single.
"This guy from work. He's a L.U. grad."
“What happened to enjoying your new-found freedom this summer?” I’ve told anyone who has asked that this summer I will enjoy being single.
“Being single doesn’t mean I have to do everything alone.” I turn into the town center behind Isaiah. “What’s happening in GA?”
“Your girl has a boo. And before you can say anything, it’s serious, not just a fling.” Nicole has been known to run through guys. With a shape most women would die for and features she enhances with expertise, she catches the eye of many guys. With no shame, she doesn’t turn them down.
“I’m glad to hear that. It’s about time someone calms your fast ass down.” The last guy she claimed to be in love with only held her attention for a few weeks.
She snickers and says, “Whatever. He’s a cool guy. When you return from your dinner, call me, and I’ll tell you all about him.” We bid goodbye in time for Isaiah to open my door.
We take our seats at J. Alexander’s and I glance over the menu. Not the most expensive place I’ve been, but certainly not what I had in mind for a weeknight meal. Jokingly I say, “You must have forgotten that I’m an intern making peanuts.”
“Now what kind of man would I be if I invited you to dinner and expected you to pay?”
“Helping with my assignment and paying for dinner? Mr. IT you may quickly become my favorite person here in Jacksonville.”
“Maybe by the end of the summer I’ll be your all around favorite person.” He winks at me as the waiter approaches the table to take our orders.
Chapter Two
“The Jacksonville Suns, the baseball team.” Timmy dangles tickets in front of my face. “I mean, I consider myself as American as apple pie but even I don’t want to watch a baseball game,” he tells me. He rolls his eyes at the tickets. “Especially not a minor league baseball team.”
“Beggars can’t be choosers.” Timmy has insisted that the intern coordinator incorporate more play into our program. Although I’m glad for the change of pace I’m not a huge sports fan. On occasion, I’ve watched college football with my dad. Especially when his Alma Mater takes the field. He is a die hard LSU Tiger.
Timmy rolls his eyes.
“I mean, I guess.”
He sits on the corner of my desk and eyes the staff members walking past. “Think Karen will mind if we have a few beers at the park?”
I give Timmy the side-eye as he remembers that I’m still not twenty-one.
“Right. No beers for you.”
Later, I stroll into the game and find our group sitting a few rows before the nosebleed section. The other interns are interacting with each other and hardly acknowledge my arrival. Timmy has an empty seat beside him, and as he eyes me, a wide grin spreads across his face.
The game is little to be desired, especially while sober. Being around the interns has made me appreciate going to an HBCU even more. As I watch a few girls flirt with the other interns, I loudly sigh. I turn to my phone and type out a text to Isaiah.
Laila: I hope the Jaguars are more interesting than the Suns.
Timmy leans over my shoulder and says, "I thought baseball was all about beers and hot dogs?" He scowls at our intern director. "What's the point of being here if we can't even have a beer? I'll have to clarify my meaning of fun with her.”
As Timmy continues his rant, I grin at Isaiah’s response to my text.
Isaiah: Sorry the game is disappointing you. Can I make it up after?
Laila: I hear baseball can go for 12 innings…
“Laila…” I turn to Timmy, who has a mischievous grin on his face.
"Yes?" I am sure he knows I wasn't listening to anything he said. He is more of a diva than all of my roommates combined and is always demanding attention. I can't complain though. He's one of the only interns who isn’t irritating.
"I was asking if you wanted to get out of here early. Apparently, you're occupied." He rolls his eyes.
Isaiah: I’m patient. Hit me up when you leave.
Smiling widely at Timmy I say, “That’s the best thing you’ve said all night.” Looking around, I find the quickest path out of the bleachers and point. “Lead the way.”
Since Timmy was the mastermind of our exit plan I accept his invitation to dinner. Before I start my car I send a quick message to Isaiah telling him we’ll meet up after the dinner.
During dinner, Timmy gives me a rundown of his life. Like childhood through adulthood. Getting a word in while he talks is like trying to catch my turn in Double Dutch, but he keeps me laughing.
“Laila, I’ve just been blabbering away.” He looks at his watch. “And it’s getting late. We should go.”
He yells over his shoulder, “Don’t forget … we have work in the morning.” I hear him laughing as he walks away.
I don’t want Isaiah to have the wrong impression if I call him this late. Against my better judgment I send a text anyway.
Laila: Hope I’m not waking you.
Isaiah: I was just waiting for you. Dessert?
I should go home and get in the bed, but dessert won’t hurt. We agree to meet at a dessert bar. When I walk through the door, Isaiah is waiting, looking like he’s fresh out of the shower with early morning energy. “Hey there. Let me guess… you’re a night owl?”
He smiles flashing his crooked teeth. “I haven’t fully transitioned into my working lifestyle yet. Still on my late night study session vibe.”
“I see.” He leads us to a table in the corner, away from the other patrons. “This place smells heavenly.” I look around at the plates nearby and see everything from pastries to ice cream sundaes.
When the waitress approaches the table, Isaiah orders a double vanilla sundae. “I hope you don’t mind me ordering for you. I think the double will be good for us to share.”
I eye Isaiah for a minute before responding. “What if it’s the best sundae I’ve ever had? It will be hard for me to share.”
He laughs and promises he’ll order another sundae if I want it. “What do you like to do for fun?”
"Well, I love trying new things." I blush. "Especially food." He nods his head in approval. "I am not an outdoorsy person, but I like an adventure."
“Good, so go-karts and dinner for our next date?”
I pause, with a lump in my throat as I try to think of the words to tell Isaiah I don’t consider our time together dates. He’s cute. Seems nice. I just don’t think I want to date right now. I finally whisper, “Date?”
Isaiah cocks his head in my direction. “Maybe date is presumptuous. Optimistic even.” The waitress places our sundae on the table between us. “We won’t give it a name, but our next outing can be go-karts.”
My body relaxes and I smile. “That sounds like a plan.” We talk about L.U. and try to find out if we have any common friends. Surprisingly, we can’t think of anyone whom we both know. Isaiah pays the check without hesitating and we walk outside. It’s well past midnight and I’m exhausted. I cut our conversation short.
Isaiah looks at me cautiously before opening his arms for a hug. He gives me a soft squeeze that could easily linger but I pull away. He closes my car door behind me and watches me exit the parking lot.
“Late night?”
I slowly turn my head to see Timmy leaning against my cubicle, looking like he had a complete eight hours of sleep. His perky smile is almost bright enough to wake me up.
I nod my head, then turn back to my desk, trying hard not to lay my head down for a quick nap. Ten minutes is all I need right now.
Timmy continues talking about our next assignment. Although we completed our joint assignment we still bounce ideas off of each other. “I feel as though you are getting a kick out of me having zero energy. I can’t even keep up with everything you are saying right now.”
“Maybe this will help.” Isaiah walks up, places a cup on my desk, and smiles. “I should have asked you how you like your coffee.” He reaches into his pocket, placing creamer and sugar packets beside the cup. “But hopefully this will do.”
My eyes are wide as I stare up at Isaiah. I can’t think of a way to break it to him that I am not a coffee drinker. When I don’t reach for the cup, he looks at Timmy, then at me and says, “Let me guess … you don’t drink coffee?”
I smile, shaking my head. “I don’t. I’m more of a tea type of girl.”
Timmy grabs the cup and a pack of sugar. “Can’t let a good cup of coffee go to waste.” Isaiah shrugs his shoulders then looks back to me with his mouth downturned.
“Tea. I’ll remember that next time.” He turns to Timmy and says, “Enjoy the coffee.”
Before he gets too far away I say, “Thanks anyway, Isaiah.”
Timmy ogles me and huffs before pulling a seat up beside me. “Most girls would have just drunk the coffee and acted as if they liked it.” He takes a sip. “I’m willing to bet you are not interested in our chocolate dream.”
Timmy isn’t completely off in his assumption. Isaiah seems like a decent guy, and he is certainly easy on the eyes. I shrug at Timmy, avoiding eye contact.
"It's summer. A little fling won't hurt. Right?" Timmy takes another sip of his coffee. "You don't have to be serious with him."
Smiling at Timmy, I ask, “Are you ready for this presentation?”
Timmy leans back in his chair, laughing. “I get it. Stay out of your business.”
Timmy leaves my desk and I consider his suggestion of the summer fling with Isaiah. It wouldn’t be the worst thing I’ve done in my life, and a fling doesn’t mean I can’t date other guys. It’s virtually a win-win situation for me.
Except, I am still in love with Chris and I made a promise to Josh.
I have to find a hobby outside of this internship. On my way to lunch, I call Monica to check on her. Maybe she has something she needs to be done for her upcoming year in office.
“Laila!” Her voice sounds muffled but I can hear the excitement in her voice. “I miss you! What are you up to?”
“I’m on my lunch break now, but I was hoping you could help me.”
"Anything for you." I've always loved Monica. When she became my roommate in the dorms I was skeptical. She's younger and is a child prodigy. I just assumed she would be nerdy. But she's been everything but nerdy. She let me lead her junior class president campaign and she won. I wouldn't even be on this internship if it weren't for her.
“I’m hoping you have some busy work you need me to tackle before the year starts.”
Monica screeches and I move the phone away from my ear. “I have a list a few pages long of things I need to get done in between taking these summer classes.”
“Good.” Although I may be biting off more than I can chew, I welcome the distraction. “Hopefully it’s typed. Email it on over.”
I hear Monica clapping and then a ding on my phone. “It’s in your inbox!”
I laugh to myself. “I’ll review it and let you know if I need your input.”
“Thank you, Laila! I’m afraid to ask because I don’t want to lose your much-needed help on these tasks, but shouldn’t you be enjoying your summer? The internship isn’t keeping you busy enough?”
“I am enjoying my summer, and the internship keeps me busy during the day.” I hesitate before telling her anymore.
“But.” She’s just too sharp. “What are you trying to avoid?”
“There’s this guy I met.”
“Let me guess. You aren’t ready to date yet?”
“Spot on. And you would think you were the older, wiser one.”
“I get it, but let loose, have some fun. Besides, have you even heard from Chris?”
Hearing his name out loud makes me cringe. “No. I haven’ heard from him.”
She snickers. “Well fuck him then. Girl, have fun.”
Monica is right, at least about Chris. “Even if I decide to indulge this summer I don’t want to get too involved. I’m not trying to be heartbroken again.”
"Tell me about this mystery man, but make it quick, I am headed to class." Monica laughs and I can imagine her face lighting up.
“He’s cute and sweet, and an L.U. grad.” I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn around to see Isaiah with a goofy grin on his face. “Alright, Monica, have fun in class I’ll talk to you later.” I hang up the phone before she can ask for more details.
“I happen to be an L.U. grad.” Isaiah looks at me straight on and continues, “I think I can be sweet at times.” He grabs his chin and smiles. “A few girls have said I’m cute too.” He cocks his head. “Were you talking
about me just now?”
I feel the heat rising in my cheeks. "You know how many guys graduate from L.U.?" Isaiah looks at me with his brows furrowed. "I'm sure at least half of them are cute and sweet." My phone vibrates in my hand and I'm sure it's probably Monica, asking about my abrupt end to our conversation.
He nods his head. “Whoever it was you were talking about seems to have you all hot and bothered.” He touches my cheek and smiles. His soft touch does more than cool my cheeks. I pull away before I get too excited. “Sorry.” He puts his hand in his pocket and leans away from me.
“Don’t be sorry.” I look down at my feet. “What are you doing tonight?”
A young, blonde intern walks into the kitchen and grabs a soda from the refrigerator. She speaks to Isaiah and winks at him before leaving the kitchen. Isaiah shakes his head. “They seem chipper. All. The. Time.” I roll my eyes and think about each of the interns being overly excited about everything. “Tonight I’ll be at Little Gym with about twenty three-year-olds.”
My eyes bulge and I pause. “You have a kid?”
Isaiah laughs, a deep gut wrenching laugh. "Me?" He points at himself. "Definitely not."
"What other reason do you have to be at Little Gym?" I remember Tanya speaking about getting Ava signed up for different activities and Little Gym seemed like the best option. Of course, that could be my inner, wannabe gymnast speaking.
“I’m an awesome uncle and my sister is taking advantage of me being back home.” He eyes me for a minute and then says, “Did you want to do something tonight?”
“I was thinking maybe you wanted to go on a date.” I smile at him and can hardly control my nerves.
"Date? Now, who is being the optimist?"
I tap his arm then say, “I should get back to my desk.” On my way back, I type out a message to Monica.
Laila: This summer I’m having fun!
Chapter Three
“Uncle Ice.” Isaiah’s niece looks at him with her eyes wide and continues, “It’s time for the next one.” Isaiah grabs her hand and runs to the next station set up on the mat. I follow behind them, but his niece doesn’t seem too thrilled to have me tag along.