Anna’s been bouncing in her seat all day. She keeps grinning at me, and even for her, it’s weird. But, as much as she’s giving me funny looks, she’s also avoiding me when I try to go talk to her. Every time I’ve tried to walk over to her desk, she’s disappeared by the time I get there. Then, as soon as I sit back down, she returns. Finally, when we leave to go eat lunch, I get the chance to ask her.

We place our usual orders at Ruby’s and after the waitress leaves, I pounce. “What is your deal today? Are you hopped on caffeine? Decided to try out cocaine?”

“What are you talking about?” she asks, eyes wide and trying to look innocent. Spoiler alert — she fails. If anything, she looks even more guilty. I narrow my eyes in a glare and she pouts, but doesn’t answer my question. Instead, she gets defensive. “For your information, there’s no such thing as too much caffeine. Starbucks is the drink of the gods.” I snort, but it doesn’t stop her. “And, please. Ecstasy is way more likely to be my drug of choice then cocaine. I’m a lover, not a crackhead.”

The offended look she gives me makes it impossible not to laugh. Only Anna would be offended by the type of drug I insinuate she’s on. “Yeah, yeah. That still doesn’t explain why you’re acting like a spaz.” She raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything else, so we just stare at each other across the table. “C’mon Anna. I know there’s something going on.”

“My lips are sealed,” she says, miming pulling a zipper across them and throwing the imaginary key over her shoulder. Then she says something I can’t understand with her mouth closed. It’s all hums and mms. I know she just said whatever it is knowing none of it will make sense and I want to strangle her. Between her caffeine-over-dosing act and David’s weird demeanor last night and this morning, all signs point to them planning something together. Add in him telling me he’d pick me up after work tonight so we can celebrate Valentine’s a day early, and it’s even more obvious.

“Anna,” I whine, pitifully. “You have to tell me. I promise I’ll act surprised. Please?” She smiles, eyes sparkling as she leans across the table like she’s about to spill all her secrets, and I think this is way too easy. My suspicion is confirmed when the waitress places a plate on the table in front of me. Damn her. She saw her coming. Anna sits back with a smirk and waits for the waitress to set her plate down too.

Ignoring my hard stare, she takes a huge bite of her burger and chews so slowly. I can tell she’s counting in her head, and with a sigh, I focus on my food. She can’t hide behind her plate forever. Eventually, it will be empty and I’ll have another chance to grill her. Maybe once her belly is full, she’ll go into a food coma and answer without thinking. Probably not, but it’s the only hope I have.

Normally, I’m the slow eater of the group, the last person finished, and everyone has to wait on me. Anna? Well, she’s normally the one who shovels it into her mouth like she thinks someone is going to come by and take it before she’s finished. Not today though. Today, I’m done with my food a full fifteen minutes before she is. By the time she wipes her mouth and puts the napkin on her empty plate, even she looks irritated with herself. With the amount of chewing she just did, I don’t think her stomach will have to do much work to digest. Gross, but true.

“Are you finished?” I cock my head to one side and give her a look that screams I know you did not just ask me that. “What?” she asks defensively, then makes a show of looking down at her watch. “Oh, look at that. We have less than ten minutes to get back to work. We better hurry.” Before I can tell her she’s full of shit, she grabs the check and jumps out of her seat. When I meet her at the register, she looks at me sheepishly, but continues playing her role. “Lunch is on me today.”

“Fine,” I say with a shrug. “But, since you’re paying for lunch, I get to ask you anything I want, and you have to answer.”

That literally makes no sense, and Anna just laughs. “Whatever, Crazy-pants. I don’t have to answer anything I don’t want to.” When I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her, she sighs. “Look, Lyr, just chill out and enjoy.” The girl at the register hands her some change, and she turns to head for the door. As we walk back to work, she says, “I swear to God, I’d tell you if I could, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. David has everything planned out for tonight, and I promise you’re going to love it.”

This time, I’m the one who sighs. “I’m trying!” Anna scoffs, and I explain, “It’s the truth! You know ‘surprises’ haven’t gone well for me in the past. He’s acting all weird and you’re acting like you’re hopped up on sugar. What am I supposed to think?”

“Uh, maybe you should think that this is David. Has he ever done anything to make you doubt him?” Instead of waiting for me to answer, she does it herself. “No, of course not. Stop acting like a psycho and trust in your man.” At those words, I look down at my feet, embarrassed, because I do trust him … I was only worried because they were both acting strange.

“Well,” Anna drawls, “speak of the devil.” I look up, and David’s standing just outside the entrance to the magazine.

He looks just as surprised to see us as I am to see him, then cocks an eyebrow at Anna’s devil comment. “Devil?”

She shrugs. “You are a handsome one.” He laughs, and she gives me a quick hug. “PS – you’re off for the rest of the day. I already cleared it with Bastian.” Then, she walks inside, leaving me standing on the sidewalk with David.

“Hey darlin’,” he says, leaning in to give me a quick kiss. “Happy Early Valentine’s Day.” I lean into him, and he wraps his arm around my shoulder, leading me over to where he’s parked. Opening the door, he helps me in, then goes around to get in the driver’s side. Starting the car, he turns to grin at me, and I can almost see the dirty thoughts going through his mind when he says, “For the next twenty-four hours, you’re mine.”