Kimberly's week had started with the same routine: wake up, work, repeat. The encounter with Ryan had left her unsettled, and as the days passed, she found herself praying—quietly, internally—that she wouldn't run into him again. It wasn't just the awkwardness of their last interaction, or the strange flutter of something she wasn't ready to face. No, it was the overwhelming fear of letting herself care for someone again. She wasn't prepared for that kind of vulnerability. Not now.
She had to avoid him. It wasn't like she could erase their meeting entirely, but she could control how much it affected her moving forward. The fact that he didn't have her number was the only thing that brought her any peace. If he wanted to reach out, he could do so in person—but that didn't mean she had to respond.
Please, God, don't let him reach out, she prayed silently as she sat in her living room that afternoon, laptop open in front of her. I can't do this. I can't go through that again. I'm not ready.
It was a strange thing to pray for, but Kimberly couldn't help it. She wasn't sure what it was about Ryan that made her so panicked. He had been nothing but kind and polite, yet his smile, his warm eyes, the way he'd made her feel something—something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years—terrified her. She wasn't ready to take that risk. She wasn't ready to let someone in.
Meanwhile, Ryan was catching up with a friend of his—Laura. They had been childhood friends, and though they had grown up and moved in different circles, they still found time to meet up for lunch when their busy schedules allowed.
Ryan found himself excited for this lunch; it had been a while since they'd had a chance to talk about anything other than work. He had been meaning to share something that had been on his mind.
As they sat at a small table in a cozy restaurant, Ryan fiddled with his water glass, staring off for a moment before speaking. "You know," he began, "I met this woman last week at a bookstore. I haven't stopped thinking about her since."
Laura raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A woman? That sounds like more than just a casual meeting. Tell me more."
Ryan leaned back in his chair, his voice dropping slightly. "I don't know. It was a random thing, really. I was just browsing, and she came up to the same shelf I was looking at. We had a brief conversation. She was nice, easy to talk to, but something about her was... different."
Laura tilted her head, sensing there was more. "Different how?"
Ryan shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, it's hard to explain. It was like there was this wall around her. Like she was closed off, but also... open. Like she wanted to connect but was too afraid to let anyone in."
Laura took a sip of her drink, her curiosity piqued. "Sounds complicated. Did you get her number? Or at least ask her out?"
Ryan shook his head. "I didn't. And that's the weird part. I didn't even ask for her number. I felt like I should, but at the same time, I didn't want to pressure her. She was kind of distant, and I didn't want to make things awkward."
Laura nodded thoughtfully. "I see. So, you're just... thinking about her then?"
"Yeah," Ryan admitted. "I can't shake the feeling that there's something more there, but she's not making it easy to figure out. I don't know what it is, but I feel like there's something between us—something that I can't quite put my finger on."
Laura studied him for a moment before speaking. "You sound like you're really into this girl. What are you going to do about it?"
Ryan let out a deep breath. "I don't know. Part of me thinks I should just let it go, but then another part of me can't stop thinking about her. I don't even know if she's interested, but... I guess I just feel like I want to see her again."
Laura gave him a knowing look. "You know, you're not the type to get so worked up about a woman. If you really want to see her again, then maybe you should reach out. I'm sure you could find a way."
Ryan thought for a moment, but then shook his head. "I don't know if it's the right time. She seemed really hesitant, and I don't want to force anything. If she wants to reach out, then... maybe she will. But I'm not going to chase her down."
Laura smiled knowingly, her tone playful. "I'll leave it to you then. But you're not off the hook for giving me more details next time we talk. I'm curious about this mysterious woman now."
Ryan laughed, his mind wandering back to the brief but memorable encounter with Kimberly. He didn't know what to do with his feelings yet, but something told him he wasn't done with this connection just yet. He wasn't about to give up on it, no matter how complicated it felt.
As they continued their conversation, Ryan couldn't help but think about Kimberly. Would she ever reach out? Would he ever see her again? Only time would tell.