Dimples
Ten
"I don't know how I haven't introduced you to my colleagues before last night," Ana said as we were on our way back home. "You've become friends rather quickly, I'd say. But you've always been friendly, Rita."
"This- past year has been a bit rough," I said with a shrug. Harry looked at me; I was sat in the back with him this time. "And our schedules had never really allowed for times like this. Technically I'm not really even supposed to be going out like this right now; I'm supposed to be writing the next few chapters to my book..."
Harry seemed more intensely focused on me then, so I looked over to him. Ana let out a long sigh.
"But the breakup's got you in a bit of a block," she said quietly; almost to herself, but it was still audible. I cringed a bit at the mention again.
"I'd like to read what you have written so far," Harry blurted then. The expression on his face seemed sincere enough.
"You- what?" I said. He bit his lip and smiled.
"I mean, if that's alright," he said quickly. He scratched the back of his neck and looked out the window. "I don't know if your editor or publisher or whatever will be okay with it. I just feel like- a little bit of outside help wouldn't hurt."
I looked down at my hands, which rested in my lap, and fidgeted. I had never let anyone have a sneak peek at my writing before. I didn't know if changing that would be fair to Ana, or my editor. If I just didn't tell my editor, that would be fine, wouldn't it? But what about Ana?
"Hey, if you're going to let him read it, at least let me read it after," Ana said. I looked up at her. Our gazes met briefly in the rear view mirror before she returned her attention to the road.
It only took a few seconds to think about it.
"Okay," I said. Harry turned to look up at me again, and Ana glanced at me in the mirror. "Harry has a point. I think at this point the view of an outsider would be refreshing. And you both could probably catch a few things I missed. That's how it usually goes with my editor."
"I'm looking forward to it," Harry said. I looked over to him, seeing the wide, dimpled grin plastered over his face. I smiled back and felt my heart skip a beat.
"I am as well!" Ana said. There was a smile on her face too.
I felt at peace for the first time in a while. That man and his dimples sure were something. I leaned more fully into my seat, relaxing for the first time in what felt like ages.
"This- past year has been a bit rough," I said with a shrug. Harry looked at me; I was sat in the back with him this time. "And our schedules had never really allowed for times like this. Technically I'm not really even supposed to be going out like this right now; I'm supposed to be writing the next few chapters to my book..."
Harry seemed more intensely focused on me then, so I looked over to him. Ana let out a long sigh.
"But the breakup's got you in a bit of a block," she said quietly; almost to herself, but it was still audible. I cringed a bit at the mention again.
"I'd like to read what you have written so far," Harry blurted then. The expression on his face seemed sincere enough.
"You- what?" I said. He bit his lip and smiled.
"I mean, if that's alright," he said quickly. He scratched the back of his neck and looked out the window. "I don't know if your editor or publisher or whatever will be okay with it. I just feel like- a little bit of outside help wouldn't hurt."
I looked down at my hands, which rested in my lap, and fidgeted. I had never let anyone have a sneak peek at my writing before. I didn't know if changing that would be fair to Ana, or my editor. If I just didn't tell my editor, that would be fine, wouldn't it? But what about Ana?
"Hey, if you're going to let him read it, at least let me read it after," Ana said. I looked up at her. Our gazes met briefly in the rear view mirror before she returned her attention to the road.
It only took a few seconds to think about it.
"Okay," I said. Harry turned to look up at me again, and Ana glanced at me in the mirror. "Harry has a point. I think at this point the view of an outsider would be refreshing. And you both could probably catch a few things I missed. That's how it usually goes with my editor."
"I'm looking forward to it," Harry said. I looked over to him, seeing the wide, dimpled grin plastered over his face. I smiled back and felt my heart skip a beat.
"I am as well!" Ana said. There was a smile on her face too.
I felt at peace for the first time in a while. That man and his dimples sure were something. I leaned more fully into my seat, relaxing for the first time in what felt like ages.