If I Told You

Chapter Two~ Brooklyn

The next morning, after opening the door to my studio, I stop in the doorway and look around for a minute. It's super clean, much cleaner than it was yesterday. The wood floors seem to sparkle and the scent of lemon lingers in the air.

A moment later, the door opens again and Jill, my assistant manager, walks in all bundled up from the unseasonable cold weather we're having.

"Morning," she greets. "You're here early."

"Morning. Do you know how the studio got so clean?"

She smiles. "I do. Bridget and Sammy were here teaching classes last night, and I was bored, so I just decided to clean. It felt like the place needed a good scrub down."

"You did this?"

"I did."

"Wow." I glance around again. "It looks amazing."

"Thanks." She pulls her scarf off and shoves it under the desk. "Truth be told, I clean when I'm anxious."

"Oh?" I lean on the counter. "Anything going on?"

Jill nods her head, unbuttoning her coat. "Jake and I broke up Sunday night."

"Oh no. I'm so sorry. What happened?"

"Nothing major, just..." she shrugs. "No spark. We've been hanging out for months and already it's boring. We were having dinner, and he brought it up. I didn't really want to break up, but what do you say when the other person suggests it?"

"That sucks. It was so cute with the Jake and Jill thing."

She laughs softly. "Yeah, I guess we rolled down the hill, but couldn't make it back up again." She tucks her coat under the desk. "Anyway, the idea of hitting the dating scene again makes me a little anxious. I just feel like I'm older than everyone. And fatter."

I laugh, shaking my head. "You are not even kind of fat. You know that."

"I know, but when I go out, it seems like all the other women are tiny and twenty. I feel like an amazon. An old amazon."

"Nothing wrong with being tall. I wish I had a few more inches."

"I wish I had any inches."

I tilt my head. "Are we still talking about height?"

"Nope."

I laugh. "I hear ya. It's been a while for me, too." I run my fingers through my hair, then remove a few blonde strands that strayed to the shoulders of my sweatshirt. "I'm not sure what's holding me back right now. I guess I'm waiting for someone spectacular. All the guys I've dated this year have been duds, both in the head and in the bed."

"Spectacular would be nice."

"I wonder if it even exists."

"Oh it does. You live with it."

Chuckling, I shake my head. "Flynn?"

"God, yes that man. He's spectacular."

"He is, but, you know."

"Yeah, yeah I know. Just friends." She grabs my hand. "Just tell me what it is. Tell me the dirty fatal flaw he has that keeps you in the friend zone. You must know."

"There isn't one."

"Did he kill someone? Or does he chew with his mouth open? Does he leave dirty socks everywhere or drink out of the milk container? Ooh, I know. He leaves the toilet seat up."