Gold Digger – Story 24 – NO PROBLEM
Second date with Adam.
His suggestion. Somewhere quiet. A restaurant that wasn’t trying to be anything other than a good restaurant which is rarer than it sounds.
He was there when I arrived.
Already seated.
Not standing – seated, which is different from Richard and I noticed that immediately and filed it somewhere neutral because they are different people and I am a professional.
He stood up when he saw me.
Okay.
Filed that too.
The date worked.
That’s the only way to describe it.
Not fireworks. Not the specific electricity of someone who makes rooms go quiet or kisses you in doorways because the math worked out or listens like he’s been paid to notice things.
Just – worked.
Like a well-made thing doing what it was designed to do.
He asked about my week.
Listened to the actual answer.
Asked a follow-up that proved it.
He ordered without drama. Remembered I don’t drink white wine – I hadn’t told him, Claire must have – and didn’t mention that he knew.
He just – didn’t order white wine.
I noticed that for longer than was strictly necessary.
Halfway through dinner my phone buzzed.
I glanced down.
Work. Nothing urgent.
Adam stopped talking immediately.
“Do you need to get that?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Then he carried on exactly where he’d left off.
No irritation.
No performance of being understanding.
Just – okay.
I noticed that too.
Here is the thing about Adam that I keep writing notes about and then deleting.
He’s consistent.
That sounds small.
It isn’t.
Richard is consistent but Richard has the weight of Eleanor and eleven years and a painting that cost too much and I never know when something is going to land somewhere I didn’t prepare for.
Noah is consistent until he isn’t which is the definition of inconsistent.
D is –
D is not a column.
Adam is consistent the way well-maintained things are consistent. No drama. No mystery. No moment where the floor shifts slightly under your feet and you realize you’re further in than you thought.
Every man has a column that goes yellow eventually.
Adam’s columns stayed green through the entire meal and the dessert I didn’t order and the walk to the corner afterward.
I kept waiting for it.
The tell.
The crack.
It didn’t come.
He walked me to a cab.
Not a car he’d arranged – just a cab. Easy. Uncomplicated.
At the corner he said: “I’d like to do this again.”
Not a question.
Not a performance.
Just – stated. The way someone says something they’ve decided is true.
“Okay,” I said.
He smiled.
Said goodnight.
That was it.
No doorway kiss.
No math worked out.
No key on a hook.
Just goodnight.
I got in the cab.
Opened the spreadsheet.
Adam’s column.
Green.
Still.
I sat there for a moment.
Waiting for a note to write.
Problem: something.
Under review: something.
Filed under: something I hadn’t budgeted for.
Nothing.
I typed: date two: complete. consistent. no problems identified.
Looked at it.
No problems identified.
This should be excellent news.
A spreadsheet can tell you everything is right and still not tell you what’s missing.
I closed the app.
Looked out the cab window.
Didn’t think about D.
Almost.
Spreadsheet status:
Adam → date two: complete. consistent. no problems identified. this should be excellent news.
Richard → back from Florence. dinner pending.
Noah → friend zone. comfortable there.
D → [row does not exist]
The system is working. I wish that felt like enough. – Mila