be on time, but Chrissy couldn’t locate her running shoes. She finally found them beneath a gym bag she’d left in the back of her car last night.”
“Better late than never,” Leslie said. “Especially since you came bearing gifts.” She grinned over her huge piece of chicken. “Thank you.”
For the next few minutes, Leslie filled her belly, thankful for the food to keep her from having to come up with conversation.
When she’d had enough, she sighed and wiped her hands on a sanitary wipe Tag’d had the foresight to bring along with the chicken. “You thought of everything,” she said.
“Not everything,” he said with a grimace. “I didn’t think to ask Chrissy if she liked fried chicken. I assumed everyone did.”
Leslie tipped her head toward Chrissy and Herman. “I think I need to be more specific when I say I like the outdoors. I like it in a stroll-through-the-park way, or a let’s go for a leisurely trail ride on well-trained horses kind of way. I don’t feel like I have to beat my record every time I climb to the top of a hill.”
“It’s admirable to stretch your limits,” Tag said.
“I do that every day with my brain. I don’t feel like I have to do it with my body.” She rubbed her calf and flexed her toes. “And we still have to get down off this rock.”
Tag nodded toward Chrissy and Herman heading their way. “Think we’ve matched another pair?”
Leslie smiled. “Yes. I need to review the code in BODS. That’s the second time it’s missed for both of us.”
“Do you get the feeling it’s testing us?” Tag said.
Leslie looked up at him, her eyes narrowing. “For what?”
“To see if we’re really ready. Maybe it’s giving us matches that are off just a little, working our way through a few to get to the right one.”
“It’s a computer program, not artificial intelligence.” She shook her head. “If that were the case, your next match would be your perfect match.”
“And Bachelor Number Four would be yours.” He met her gaze. “Maybe we should have skipped to the last.”
Leslie didn’t get a chance to respond to his statement before Chrissy and Herman joined them. The two runners shared stories about some of the events they’d participated in as they ate granola bars and drank water. Though they tried to include Leslie and Tag in the conversation, if it didn’t have to do with running, biking or swimming, they weren’t that interested.
At one point, Tag asked Chrissy if she’d ever been to a Comic Con. Her brow had wrinkled as she shook her head. “Never. That kind of thing doesn’t interest me.”
“How about you, Herman?” Leslie asked.
“I wouldn’t mind going just to see what it’s like, but I’ve been to so many automobile conventions, it just gets old. I prefer to be outside, rather than surrounded inside a convention hall.”
Leslie nodded, finally finding something they could agree on.
When the granola bars were consumed and the wrapping safely stowed in Herman’s backpack, Herman glanced down at Leslie. “Ready to head back down?”
She nodded. “But don’t wait on me. I’ll be taking my time.” She held out her hand. “It’s been a pleasure. Thank you for suggesting Enchanted Rock. It gave me a reason to visit.”
“I don’t want to leave you alone,” Herman said.
“I can go down with her,” Tag said. He glanced at Chrissy. “If you don’t mind. Or you can go down with Herman, if we’re too slow.”
Chrissy looked from Tag to Leslie. “Are you sure? I’ll wait for you at the bottom.”
Herman stepped up beside her. “You’re from Austin, aren’t you?”
The brunette nodded. “I am.”
Herman faced Tag. “I can get her home, if you two are going to be a while.”
Tag chuckled. “You two seem to be hitting it off better with each other than with us.” He held up a hand when Chrissy and Herman shook their heads. “It’s not going to hurt my feelings.”
“Nor mine,” Leslie said. “I’m just glad you two have so much in common. And since I drove, I’ll be driving myself home anyway.
“If Chrissy doesn’t mind, I don’t mind,” Tag said.
“Great.” Chrissy grinned. She held out her hand to Tag. “Thank you for suggesting this outing. I had a great time.”
“You’re welcome.” Tag gave her a crooked grin. “It was nice to meet you both.”
Chrissy and Herman hurried away, leaving Tag and Leslie to make their way slowly down the dome to the trail leading back to the parking lot. Tag helped Leslie over