Love Is Blind

Jokes and Confessions

"You... You like me?" She asked, and the blatant surprise in her voice almost made me burst into a round of raucous laughter.

"Yes, Lacey. I've liked you since the day you walked in here and knew more about me than anybody else who has ever worked with me before. It was kinda sexy," I half-joked.

Still, she seemed as if she didn't quite believe me. Her next words proved that theory, "Seriously? Are you just yanking my chain here or do you honestly like me, Jacob?"

I grinned at her using my first name. It seemed like a pretty good sign to me, "Yes. Honestly, Lacey. I seriously do like you. But, I didn't want to say anything because I didn't know if you liked me. Plus, what you already said. You know, about being coworkers and stuff. It isn't the smartest. Anyways, I don't want to seem like the creepy boss that hits on his new intern the first day in."

This time, it was her turn to laugh and she seemed to relax, "I understand that. Would've been a little creepy if you were that forward. Especially on the first day."

Nodding to myself, I chuckled, "Yeah. Just a little."

A small period of silence hung over us before she spoke, seeming slightly amused at whatever thoughts were running through her head, "Hey Jacob?"

"Yeah?" I asked, instinctually raising my eyebrows, a little weary with how she was holding back soft giggles.

"Is that why you took me out to lunch a couple weeks ago? You were hoping it would be kind of like a date?"

I bit my lip a little as I felt heat creep up my neck. It was times like those I was glad that neither of us could see it, "Very insightful, Ms. Webber," I tried to joke, "And where would you get an idea as ludicrous as that?"

Her clothes rustled against her skin as she shrugged, "Maybe because for a minute there, when we went out to lunch that day, I did think it was some sort of date."

Yet again, shock coursed through me and I could have sworn that I was imagining her saying those words, "No. Wait. Seriously?"

Bursting into a loud round of giggles, I could practically see her nodding vigorously because the sound of her clothes and hair shifting as she did so was so obvious, "Yeah, I did. But, I pushed that aside because I assumed that I had just wanted a little too much from you."

I shook my own head and allowed myself to laugh along with her a little bit, "Wow... Yeah. Well, I kind of wanted it to be a date, but I also didn't want to leave you all alone at the office while I went out to eat. That just seemed rude and wrong. You know?"

"Yeah. It does seem a little bit mean to go out to a nice meal and leave your poor, unpaid intern to file for hours upon hours with no end in a stuffy office."

We both laughed at that, and I knew she was joking about the unpaid part. She had willingly chose an internship, so she wouldn't be griping about it. Another silence took us over for a little bit, and it seemed like neither of us knew what to say.

Finally, I had to break the suffocating silence, even though it wasn't exactly awkward, "So.. What's this mean?"

"What does what mean?" Lacey asked, the confusion in her voice so tangent I could practically feel it wash over me.

"Well, we both just admitted our undying love for each other," I teased, smiling a little as I tried to keep my words humorous, "Does that mean we'll be getting married before I meet your mother?"

Laughter practically tumbled from her mouth and it sounded as if she was leaning over as peals of laughter escaped her mouth, "Yes. Yes. That is what we shall do. The wedding is at the end of the week, Anderson. You better be ready."

"Yes, ma'am!" I replied, laughing myself, considering saluting just out of principle.

Once we had both calmed down some and I could hear her relax back into the worn leather of her chair, she spoke, "I don't know. I mean, when have workplace relationships ever worked?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I played with a stray string on my cuff, "I don't know. Some do."

"I don't know about that," she argued, "I've never seen any work. No offense to you or anything, but I just don't think that they generally work out. And I would rather not have a heartbreak to deal with while I'm trying to get through school and things. Anyway, it would be pretty awkward to have to come to work every day if you and I didn't work out."

Sighing, I saw the point that she was making, "So.. I'm just going to meet your mother, right? Nothing more?"

"Yes," She agreed, "You'll meet my mom and we will not date. Whatsoever."

Pulling the loose string off, I dropped it into the air so that it would flutter to the ground, "Okay.."

As if she was able to tell all of my feelings from such a simple word, Lacey spoke in a softer voice, "But who knows? Someday, maybe it'll work out between us. You never know, Jacob. Now just isn't the right time, alright? So, don't sound so devastated. It'll be okay. And anyway, you've got hundreds of girls pining over you! You don't need me."

Weakly, I chuckled, "Good point. Maybe I could sweep your mom off of her feet," I returned to joking, wanting to ease the tension in my chest and in the room.

Laughing loudly, Lacey seemed to relax instantly, "Normally, I would agree. In reality, you could. Only problem is, she's married and happily in love. I'm not quite sure she could let that go."

Jokingly, I made my voice sound disappointed, "Rats! I was hoping to become your stepdad. I bet your mother is a lovely lady."

"That she is, Anderson. That she is," Lacey replied and I could practically hear her turn away from me and return to the job at hand.

Returning to my own work, I allowed the whole conversation to just sink in, letting my my mind wrap around all of it. Lacey liked me. But wouldn't date me. And I was going to meet her mom and brother in a few days. God, was I in for it...