What Was Lost

Chapter 8

Grace's fingers hovered over her phone screen, uncertain of what to type next. She gnawed on the inside of her lip, thinking carefully about each word that would appear in the text she was about to send.

As she debated the best approach to asking for a casual hookup, she couldn't help but think back to her previous experiences. In the past, there was always a pretense of "hanging out" before any physical intimacy could happen. But it seemed like times had changed and this wasn't the case anymore, at least according to what her clients shared with her during therapy sessions. It made her wonder what the proper protocol was now for initiating a casual encounter. She took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind, focusing on the scent of fresh rain and the faint sound of music drifting in from outside.

As she approached her 34th year, she couldn't help but feel a bit out of practice. It had been over a decade since she had last dated, and now here she was, trying to figure out what to say to a cute boy she liked again. Despite feeling slightly out of her element, she couldn't deny the familiar stirrings of arousal that coursed through her body at the thought of him. Memories flooded back of how exhilarating it was to have a man take control and express his desire for her like he had. It had awakened a dormant part of her that now hungered for more of that passion and intensity.

Grace's fingers tap nervously against her phone screen as she sends the message, her heart racing with anticipation.

Grace: "Hi, what are you doing tomorrow evening?"

As she waits for a response, Grace can't help but feel anxious and self-conscious. She replays the scenarios in her mind, wondering if she should have worded it differently or if she shouldn't have sent it at all.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Logan's response comes through. Grace winces as she re-reads her words, feeling embarrassed and foolish.

Logan: "That was quite formal. Did you mean to send that to me or someone else?"

Grace lets out a frustrated sigh, realizing that all her agonizing over the perfect message had resulted in something mundane and awkward.

Grace: "You know, I kind of agonized over it for a bit and I can't believe that's what I ended up with."

Logan let out a playful laugh on his end, his tone laced with amusement as he read Grace's text.

Logan: "Adorable." He typed back, the word accompanied by a smiling emoji.

Grace rolled her eyes and huffed in frustration: Adorable is definitely not what I was going for.

Logan: "What were you going for?"

Something more casual but still to the point. Grace replied, her fingers tapping quickly on the screen.

Logan pondered for a moment before offering a suggestion. "How about, 'Hey, when can I see you again?"

Grace paused, considering his words. You know, that definitely seems like the better choice, she admitted. With renewed confidence, she typed out the revised message, adding a playful winking emoji at the end. "So hey, when can I see you again?"

Logan had a meeting with gallery owners until 7, but he suggested grabbing a drink together afterwards or Grace could just come over. Grace considers his offer, thinking that having a drink first might help ease her nerves before getting down to business. Ultimately, she decides to go straight to his place after work.

Logan: "I'll be waiting impatiently. You had me on hold for two weeks over here."

Grace: "Just trying to be cautious."

Logan: "Of what?"

Grace: "Of...this, in general. Nothing personal."

Logan: "What exactly are you being cautious about?"