Chapter 5: Contact Information

The rain stops mid lunch and doesn't pick up again regardless of how many times I check out my window or wish it would. Finn said he'd pick me up if it was still raining, but with the lack of the wet stuff and no text from him about what time I leave work, I've given up hope by quitting time.

My steps to the elevator are sluggish. As I reach it and press the down button, Amanda, the one friend I've managed to make at the office this week, stands beside me.

"I'm so ready for Friday tomorrow. Aren't you?" she asks and tucks a piece of her short blonde hair behind her ear.

"I guess. Do you have big plans?" Amanda is one of the friendliest people I've met, but she hasn't given me the party-girl vibe.

"Not at all. I'm going to spend my weekend with a good book. One that won't even mention the decline of granola-based dog food sales in our East Coast market. You?"

Her comment makes me grin. Our company president has asked us all to think of ways to make up the four percent decline we've taken on the East Coast. I'd planned to spend some time this weekend charting out new growth areas. I need to secure my promotion to Executive Account Manager within a year to stay on target with my career goals.

"I'm the new girl. I figured I'd throw around some ideas. My brother is coming over Saturday to watch the baseball game and I'm having brunch with a friend on Sunday. You should come."

The elevator arrives and we both step in.

"I don't want to intrude on your friend time."

"Nonsense." Great, now I'm not only thinking about Finn an insane amount of the time, but I'm starting to sound like him too. "Marissa, my friend, moved to Oakland after college. She'll use any excuse to get into the city, so she's mandated a Sunday meetup."

"From what I've heard, people in San Fran love their brunch, but I haven't had anyone to go with before. You're sure I won't be the third wheel?"

"Absolutely not. It's done. I'll text you the details as we figure them out." Amanda moved here about three months earlier, but I get the impression she hasn't had time to make many friends. It will be nice to add another person to my small circle of friends.

Our elevator stops and as the doors open, I head to the front while Amanda takes a side exit. A hand reaches out, grabs my forearm, and pulls me back into the building. Without thinking I brush it off and get ready to scream.

"Hey. It's me." Finn's voice cuts through my fear.

"Oh my god, Finn. You scared me." I lean forward to catch my breath. People stare as they walk out of the building, but no one stops to help.

"I'm sorry. I stopped by to see if you wanted a ride." He looks awkward as he stands with his hands now in his jean pockets.

"Oh. I figured since it wasn't raining...." I tail off and pick up a new sentence, not wanting to admit I was disappointed when I thought I wouldn't see him again today. "How did you know when I would get out?"

Finn smirks with his answer. "I used reasonable inference from the other times we've met up in our lobby and subtracted the time it takes to make the walk and stop for groceries. I took another thirty minutes to account for if you were the world's slowest walker. Then I waited around, similar to a stalker, so I didn't miss you."

Wow, half of his words fly over my head, but I still think of the action as incredibly sweet. "It must have taken some time. Didn't you have video games to play today?" I joke.

Finn reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a cell phone. Waving it in the air he says, "We're testing the mobile version."

His excitement is contagious and I chuckle. "Well your day sounds much better than mine. Your job must be fun."

"Sometimes," he replies somber again for some reason. "Let's go. I decided we're going the long way today to give you a guided tour of the city."

Finn takes my hand in a tight grip and leads me out the door to the waiting Escalade.

"A tour? Can you point out a nice place to eat? I'm meeting friends Sunday and we want to do the whole San Fran brunch thing."

Finn pauses in front of Jake and puts his hand up to stop him from opening the door. "There is so much wrong with what you said, but let's address the worst one. You live here now. You're one of us. I don't want to hear you ever say San Fran again. Yes, we will wait in line for hours to eat brunch, but we would never say San Fran." He stares at me and waits with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Um, okay. Sorry. No more San Fran." Geesh. I'll have to warn Amanda.

"Good." Finn steps back so Jake can open the door and jumps in first. We settle and he continues, "Now with that out of the way, let's discuss issue two."

I'm not sure I want to know what else he finds offensive, but I nod in his direction.

"Before I tell you where to get the best brunch in the city, tell me more about these friends of yours. Are they girlfriends or boyfriends?" he asks.

I'm relieved but hold in my laugh at his ridiculous question. "Girls that are friends." I say and watch as Finn visibly exhales.

The rest of the ride is spent with my nose to the glass as Finn points out all the various tourist attractions. Two hours later we order In-N-Out Burger while he apologizes for not taking me somewhere nicer. At the door to our complex, he offers to show me the local attractions on foot one day, and then he and Jake leave with a promise he'll see me tomorrow. I have no idea why he didn't come in with me, but I was so wrapped up in his attention I didn't think to ask until their taillights were in the distance.

It was simply riding around in a car looking at landmarks. We didn't get out except to grab our food, but somehow tonight felt date-ish. More than a neighbor showing me the sights. And worst of all, I loved it. I've started to look forward to seeing Finn before and after work. It could become a problem. Especially since I spent most of our car ride wondering if he was ever going to lean over and kiss me. He didn't. Not even as our night was ending. Is it a first date if there isn't a first date kiss?