Just me? 21:20 Andy: Recently, yes 21:21 Patrick: I managed to put myself to bed that night 21:22 Andy: I heard Slamming the phone down on the couch, I stalked across the living room and stared out the doors at the snow-covered deck and icicles hanging from the pergola. Her painfully concise responses were fucking infuriating. Was my game so rusty that she couldn’t decipher flirting when it was ringing in her hands? What I wouldn’t do to spank her ass until it was hot and pink, and she was all mine. 21:28 Patrick: Am I bothering you? 21:30 Andy: No. 21:31 Patrick: You don’t give me much 21:32 Andy: How much would you like me to give you? Eyes wide, mouth open, I stared at the screen. I felt my heart thumping up my throat. 21:32 Patrick: More than you think you can 21:33 Andy: That seems like a lot of responsibility for you 21:34 Patrick: If you haven’t noticed, taking on a lot of responsibility is my thing. It’s either an incredible strength or massive weakness. 21:35 Andy: Let’s go with strength 21:35 Patrick: Let’s Getting up for another beer, I kept my eyes glued to my phone in anticipation of her response. The ball was squarely in her court, and I wanted her to take the next step. 21:37 Andy: May I ask why you’re texting me tonight? 21:38 Patrick: You can ask me anything, anytime 21:39 Patrick: I realized that we spend 60 hours a week together and only talk about work 21:40 Andy: I like talking about work with you. 21:41 Patrick: me too 21:43 Andy: we talk about food. A lot. 21:44 Patrick: ok, so work and food. but I don’t know much about you even though we spend all this time together 21:45 Andy: that would require you to ask me questions 21:45 Patrick: I can do that 21:45 Andy: so then maybe you should ask me out for a drink. I finally understood why footballers ripped off their shirts and hugged each other like long-lost twins when they scored a goal: that moment when everything aligned and you seized the opening to sink your shot was fucking amazing. 21:46 Patrick: I’d suggest tomorrow…but I know you have plans 21:47 Andy: And how do you know that? 21:48 Patrick: I noticed a text on your screen when you were going over the Capriossi designs 21:50 Andy: You’re very observant 21:51 Patrick: I try. 21:52 Andy: Some people might see that as early stalking symptoms 21:53 Patrick: But not you? 21:54 Andy: no…I just know you’re thorough 21:55 Patrick: I can be very, very thorough 21:56 Andy: promise? 21:56 Patrick: swear. 21:57 Andy: ok stalker, what about that drink? 21:58 Patrick: I could ask you questions over a drink and fried clams in nh 21:59 Andy: I’ve seen plenty of nh and i could do without the clams 22:00 Patrick: you haven’t had the right clams 22:01 Patrick: what if we talked about the possibility of clams? 22:02 Andy: I would be open to that 22:03 Patrick: I think everyone’s going to 21st amendment. At 6 on fri 22:03 Patrick: it’s near the office 22:04 Andy: that sounds like asking questions with everyone 22:05 Patrick: doesn’t have to be 22:06 Andy: I’d rather be alone with you when you’re asking me questions Gulping, I gazed at her message and felt the joy of another shot hitting the net high and right. 22:08 Patrick: as would I but I know Matt believes it’s his duty to formally welcome you to Boston and the firm. He sees himself as a goodwill ambassador or something these days 22:09 Andy: Yes. He does. 22:09 Patrick: it’s his new thing 22:10 Andy: I’ll have a drink with Matt. Then you can ask me questions 22:10 Patrick: If I’m getting you a drink, what am I ordering? 22:12 Andy: That depends on a number of factors I started typing out my recollection of the beers on tap at Twenty-First Amendment with the hopes of collecting another morsel of Andy knowledge. On a sigh, I erased it all when it dawned on me her response wasn’t necessarily related to the menu, and I was a loser who memorized that sort of