Chris chuckled. “See you soon, Eggplant.”
Seth smiled. “Bye.” He hung up and sighed.
“Was that your man?” Karlee asked, interrupting his daydreaming.
“Stop. He’s not ‘my man.’”
“Really? That was some kiss he laid on you. Unless you go around kissing all the guys like that…”
He scoffed and turned away, eager to drop the subject. It wasn’t helping the nervous jitters in his stomach. God, had he ever been this excited about a date?
“I’m hungry,” Karlee announced. “And don’t you roll your eyes at me. I’m running across the lot to grab a sandwich. Want anything?”
“No, thanks.” Not that he would admit it, but he was too keyed up to eat.
The rest of the day didn’t go well for Seth as his nerves got the better of him. He dropped a box of juice glasses, breaking all but one. About an hour after that, he spilled an entire bottle of extra virgin olive oil infused with garlic, which permeated the air throughout the entire shop. When he knocked over a shelf, sending cookbooks sliding across the floor, Karlee threw up her arms.
“Okay. I think you need to take a break, Seth,” Karlee told him. “Or go home early.”
“I know. I know!” he cried, throwing up his own hands in exasperation. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I can’t even walk and talk at the same time. Hell, I can’t even walk and think at the same time!”
Karlee stood in front of him and put her hands on his upper arms, squeezing. “First of all, breathe. This is just a date. You’ve been on many dates. What is so different about this one?”
His eyes met hers and he crumbled. “God, I feel like a teenage girl, all gooey and silly around him. I’ve never—never—had this reaction to a man. When he kissed me the other day, I would have slid to the floor if his hands weren’t holding me up. I can’t shake this idea that we’re meant to be together. Like destiny. And yes, I do know how neurotic I sound. Which is another reason I’m nervous. What if I say something stupid like, ‘by the way, I think it’s fate that we met,’ or what if—”
“Oh, my God, that’s enough! Go home, get ready, and come back here so he can pick you up. Maybe a shower will help you calm down.”
He nodded and tried to give her a smile. “I’m a mess, right?”
“Yep. Get out of here and go calm down. See you in a few hours.” She pushed him toward the door.
“Okay. Okay. I’m going,” he said as he exited.
Now he just had to get through the next few hours before the date.
* * * *
When he arrived back at the shop, Seth was feeling much better. A nap and a long shower had settled his nerves. He felt a little silly about how crazy he’d acted earlier.
“There he is,” Karlee called and smiled as he walked in. “Wow, you clean up nice,” she cooed, her eyes sweeping over him.
Seth glanced at his new purple shirt and grinned. He’d loved it the moment he’d seen it in the store. It matched his highlights almost exactly. Plus he knew how much Chris liked color. He’d paired the shirt with a pair of black jeans that fit well, but not too tight, and his favorite pair of black shoes. “Thanks.”
“Feeling better?”
Heat spread across his cheeks as he nodded. “Yeah, not sure why I was so jittery.” His gaze traveled the store, noting all traces of his previous calamities were gone.
“Hey, we all get a little loopy when we fall for ‘the one.’”
Seth’s eyes widened. “The one? Um, aren’t you jumping the gun a little?”
Karlee hooted. “Right. Whatever you say, Seth.”
He wasn’t exactly sure how to take that, so he let it go for now. Yes, he was a little crazy over Chris, but there was no way he was going to even think beyond this date. No matter what he’d said earlier aboutfate. It was too much to consider. But, damn, that kiss was amazing. He’d literally felt it down to his toes and he was certainly open to that happening again.
He wandered to the back room to see if the new Fourth of July linens had arrived yet—and to waste time until Chris arrived.
* * * *
Seth heard the bell over the entrance and he pulled himself up from the crouched position on the floor, tensing immediately.
“Seth!”
Oh, God, Karlee. Please don’t scream. He rolled his eyes and headed up front.