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down.
    He looked over his shoulder at the door and then gestured toward it with his helmet.
    “Look, I’ll just go. I really don’t want to freak you out any more than I already have. I just thought… you know, maybe you had felt something, too. After you got over the psycho part of your reaction.”
    I grinned wildly all of sudden. “I watched it on the weekend,” I said. “I swear I’m never taking a shower again.” I started to laugh nervously. Why did I say that? I didn’t want him to conjure up images of me in the shower.
    He cleared his throat. “Is that a weird way of saying you thought about me over the weekend?”
    “Yeah, I suppose.” I wasn’t about to say I nearly ran off the PCH fantasizing about him making me bend over the hood of a car. “Yeah, I’m sorry I just dumped you at Dunkin’ Donuts. That was rude.”
    He took another step toward me. “It was totally understandable. I can see how you freaked out. Can we start over?”
    I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Well, I didn’t drive today so it’s not like you can jump into my car again.”
    “Hey, you said ‘my car’ this time.”
    I shrugged. “Fake it till you make it.”
    He smiled. “I could come back when you’re off work? There’s fro-yo place over on Melrose that’s really good. We could go there.”
    I figured a guy who said ‘fro-yo’ probably wasn’t a stalker.
    “I guess so,” I said. “I”m off at five.”
    His shoulders kind of relaxed and his smile looked so relieved. “Great,” he said, just as Brian turned into the aisle.
    “Can I help you?” said Brian in an uncharacteristically unfriendly voice.
    “It’s okay, Brian,” I said. “I’m taking care of it.”
    Josh nodded politely at Brian. To me Josh said, “Thanks for your help, uh….?”
    “Oh, it’s Heather.”
    “Thanks, Heather.” He offered me another quick smile before heading toward the door.
    Brian crossed his arms. “He didn’t buy anything.”
    I shrugged and smiled as I walked back to the counter. Josh may not have bought anything, but I was pretty sure he got what he came for.

    I felt nervous all day, which stretched on interminably. I couldn’t wait until five o’clock, but when 4:30 rolled around I suddenly wanted time to stop. What was I getting into? What did a dangerous charmer like Josh see in me? He could pick up a zillion hot babes at Venice Beach if he wanted to. He could strut down Rodeo drive and fulfill all kinds of desperate housewives’ fantasies. He could cruise his motorcycle down Santa Monica Boulevard and sweep any tourist or local off her feet. What the heck did he see in me?
    I thought about asking Brian if I could leave early, so I wouldn’t have to worry if Josh showed up or not. But standing him up would be beyond rude. I might be shy and lack confidence but at heart I wasn’t a rude person. If he didn’t show I would feel stupid and embarrassed but I would probably get over it, eventually. I remembered that I still had a bit of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia in the freezer. That would help some.
    Just before five, Brian asked me if I wanted a ride home.
    “No, thanks. I’ll walk.” I did this fairly often but Brian always offered to drive me.
    “All right,” said Brian, finishing the cash out. “I’ll lock up the back and go out that way. You can do the front.”
    I nodded. That was perfect. I didn’t want Brian and Josh to cross paths again just yet.
    After Brian left, I locked up and waited out front listening for the roar of a motorcycle engine. My heart was pounding. Cars swooshed by but I neither saw, nor heard, anything on two wheels.
    At 5:06, my heart had stopped its pounding and was beginning to sink. I looked up and down Fairfax, telling myself to have faith for another 5 or 10 minutes in case Josh had gotten stuck in traffic. A couple more minutes passed, still no Josh. I was about to give up and start walking home when I heard someone yelling my name. I turned toward the end of