Flirting with Eric was one of the few things that brightened my corporate job. He was tall, handsome, intellectual, funny. In a sea of gray suits, he was a bright spot. As a woman in software development, I was used to being hit on at work, but Eric was the one person who actually seemed interested in me beyond having a pair of boobs and an ass to look at every once in a while. Maybe being a Black guy in a mostly white department made him relate to my position on a certain level. Or maybe he was just sweet.
Regardless, when I saw his name ping at the corner of my work computer, my heart skipped a beat. 'Lunch at Rico's? I'll drive.'
I stared greedily at the words on the screen. We ate lunch together all the time, but never anywhere but either the company cafeteria or the little cafe on the first floor of the building. Rico's was a cute spot across town with low lighting and small plates. It was date-y, even if it was still the middle of the work day. My best friend would call it a "gateway date," the kind that could lead to a real date on a weekend.
So I replied, 'Meet you by the elevator?'
'Perfect.'
I shut off my computer screen and went to the bathroom to freshen up. I refreshed my mascara which made my green eyes more sultry and feminine. I made sure my foundation was dewy and soft, not too much. Finally, I swiped on a layer of smudge-proof deep pink lipstick. Not quite red since that was too much for lunchtime, but almost a berry shade. Still sexy but more casual. If we were away from work, the last thing I wanted Eric to think about was my job. The less he associated me with our stuffy office and coworkers the better.
I always wore a blazer to work and taking it off brought me from professional to cute since I'd worn a chic gray pencil skirt. I loosened the white silk top underneath it so that it wasn't so taught as it tucked into my skirt, now accentuating my waist more. I left the blazer folded over my desk chair on the way back to the elevator.
My heart started beating faster when I saw Eric standing by the elevator, his white button-down rolled to his elbow and his hands in his pockets. He'd worn his glasses today instead of contacts and they framed his cool brown eyes nicely. When he heard my footsteps and turned around, a bright smile spread across his full lips. The grin made my heart skip a beat.
He opened up his arms and we shared a quick, friendly embrace that I wanted to let myself melt into. "Valerie, it's good to see you."
Eric was the only person in my life who called me by my first name, which I loved. When you have a long name, it always gets shortened, and I loathed "Val." Whenever Eric addressed me, my name ringing like a bell on his tongue, I felt special and seen.
The elevator dinged and slid open. Despite the tall building, nobody else was in it. We stepped inside and Eric pressed the button for the parking garage. The doors closed back up. I pulled in a deep breath and asked, "So how's that whole UX fiasco going?"
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Same as ever. You know how Paul is."
"Absolute idiot," I agreed. "Anything I can do to help?"
"Not anything while we're at the office." He laughed and I blushed a bit. "Honestly, it'll be good just to get my head away from the whole situation for a little while here."
"Yeah, me too. We're wrapping up the whole-" The elevator doors opened up on the top floor of the parking garage. I shook my head and said, "Let's avoid work talk. Screw the office."
He grinned. "Definitely okay with that."