businesses here in the valley.” He took a big bite of pizza and immediately coughed, his eyes watering. “Holy moly, that’s hot!” he exclaimed.
Alex started laughing. “I’ve never heard you use an expletive before.It’s nice to know that you do that kind of thing, even if you used the goofiest one you could’ve chosen.”
Sealey looked at her through his tearing eyes and shook his head. “I don’t know where you come up with these ideas about me,” he sputtered, trying to keep his mouth open to let the heat from his pizza escape. “Why wouldn’t I use expletives? Everyone uses expletives. Even goofy ones.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not everyone,” Alex claimed, taking another tiny bite. “You’re the untouchable, imperturbable Sealey Witchburn. Nothing and no one surprises you. Well, except for thoroughly heated pizza, apparently.”
Sealey rolled his eyes. “Well, anyway , I picked up a few clients while I was finishing up my MBA. But once I graduated and was able to focus solely on my company, the business really took off. Turns out the small mom-and-pops in the valley really like a locally owned firm promoting them. Plus, due to my ‘single and fancy-free’ status, I’m able to travel wherever and whenever I need to for work, so I can do some advertising for them in other areas of the state if needed. Sometimes in other areas of the country.”
“Wow, that sounds exciting,” Alex replied. “I have to admit, I’m really jealous.”
“Jealous?” Sealey asked, his eyebrow raised. “Have ambitions in advertising yourself, Foamer?”
“No, not about that,” Alex said, smiling. “I just . . . I’ve always wanted to make a difference, you know? Not just here in Logan, but out there.” She gestured widely with her arms. “In the wide world. I feel so strongly about the importance of nutrition, especially for children. I just wish I could do more to educate people.”
“It sounds like you make a big impact where you are right now,” Sealey reminded her. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
“Oh, I know I make a difference with the individual people I work with,” Alex assured him. “I just wish that I could reach more. That I could, I don’t know, change the world.” She laughed self-consciously. “Wow, that sounds really corny.”
“Sure does,” Sealey said and winked at her. “No, it’s not corny. I think it sounds kind of noble, actually. It’s not like you’re aspiring to become famous or wealthy. You’re aspiring to change people for the better. It’s a very unselfish goal.”
“Yeah, well, it’s unlikely I’ll get anywhere with it.”
“Probably not, with that attitude,” Sealey said, with a smirk. “Come on! Where’s that confidence you’re so famous for?”
Alex chuckled. “I’ll find it someday.” She watched him as he enthusiastically downed the rest of his pizza. “Sealey?” she finally said, capturing his attention.
“Yeah?” he asked, looking at her with his mouth full. It was adorable.
“I just wanted to let you know”—she looked down at her half empty pizza box so she wouldn’t have to meet his eyes—“I’m grateful for all you’re doing for me.” She looked back up at him, her expression sincere. “And I’m really impressed with you. You’ve done really well for yourself. I hope I can someday accomplish all that you have.”
Sealey was quiet for a moment as he studied her expression. “Thanks, Foamer,” he finally replied, nudging her with his shoulder and grinning. He had pizza sauce stuck in his teeth. She laughed.
The last half of the game passed quickly, now that Alex understood the rules. She cheered at all the right moments and kept her eyes focused on Lucas’s form. When he caught a pass and ran it in for a touchdown, she thought she might have screamed louder than anyone in the stadium. By the end of the game she was slightly hoarse.
“Well, let’s head down,” Sealey said, as the navy-clad USU fans began
Alex started laughing. “I’ve never heard you use an expletive before.It’s nice to know that you do that kind of thing, even if you used the goofiest one you could’ve chosen.”
Sealey looked at her through his tearing eyes and shook his head. “I don’t know where you come up with these ideas about me,” he sputtered, trying to keep his mouth open to let the heat from his pizza escape. “Why wouldn’t I use expletives? Everyone uses expletives. Even goofy ones.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not everyone,” Alex claimed, taking another tiny bite. “You’re the untouchable, imperturbable Sealey Witchburn. Nothing and no one surprises you. Well, except for thoroughly heated pizza, apparently.”
Sealey rolled his eyes. “Well, anyway , I picked up a few clients while I was finishing up my MBA. But once I graduated and was able to focus solely on my company, the business really took off. Turns out the small mom-and-pops in the valley really like a locally owned firm promoting them. Plus, due to my ‘single and fancy-free’ status, I’m able to travel wherever and whenever I need to for work, so I can do some advertising for them in other areas of the state if needed. Sometimes in other areas of the country.”
“Wow, that sounds exciting,” Alex replied. “I have to admit, I’m really jealous.”
“Jealous?” Sealey asked, his eyebrow raised. “Have ambitions in advertising yourself, Foamer?”
“No, not about that,” Alex said, smiling. “I just . . . I’ve always wanted to make a difference, you know? Not just here in Logan, but out there.” She gestured widely with her arms. “In the wide world. I feel so strongly about the importance of nutrition, especially for children. I just wish I could do more to educate people.”
“It sounds like you make a big impact where you are right now,” Sealey reminded her. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
“Oh, I know I make a difference with the individual people I work with,” Alex assured him. “I just wish that I could reach more. That I could, I don’t know, change the world.” She laughed self-consciously. “Wow, that sounds really corny.”
“Sure does,” Sealey said and winked at her. “No, it’s not corny. I think it sounds kind of noble, actually. It’s not like you’re aspiring to become famous or wealthy. You’re aspiring to change people for the better. It’s a very unselfish goal.”
“Yeah, well, it’s unlikely I’ll get anywhere with it.”
“Probably not, with that attitude,” Sealey said, with a smirk. “Come on! Where’s that confidence you’re so famous for?”
Alex chuckled. “I’ll find it someday.” She watched him as he enthusiastically downed the rest of his pizza. “Sealey?” she finally said, capturing his attention.
“Yeah?” he asked, looking at her with his mouth full. It was adorable.
“I just wanted to let you know”—she looked down at her half empty pizza box so she wouldn’t have to meet his eyes—“I’m grateful for all you’re doing for me.” She looked back up at him, her expression sincere. “And I’m really impressed with you. You’ve done really well for yourself. I hope I can someday accomplish all that you have.”
Sealey was quiet for a moment as he studied her expression. “Thanks, Foamer,” he finally replied, nudging her with his shoulder and grinning. He had pizza sauce stuck in his teeth. She laughed.
The last half of the game passed quickly, now that Alex understood the rules. She cheered at all the right moments and kept her eyes focused on Lucas’s form. When he caught a pass and ran it in for a touchdown, she thought she might have screamed louder than anyone in the stadium. By the end of the game she was slightly hoarse.
“Well, let’s head down,” Sealey said, as the navy-clad USU fans began
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