True Bliss (Bliss #2)(11)
Author: B.J. Harvey

In other words, back off, Kate! God, I’m an idiot.

Fireinthesky24: Of course. Yeah. Sounds good.

I feel rejected now. Why do I feel like this when I’ve only been chatting to this guy for a little while?

Nightdancer23: Well, I’d better get back to my laundry. There’s a cute 70 year old here giving me the glad eye, so I might go try my luck. You never know ?

Fireinthesky24: OMG, I just snorted my drink up my nose! You go, stud muffin. That is beyond a cougar, so you’re setting your sights high.

Nightdancer23: I love a challenge. Talk again soon, I hope. Have a great day, Firebird.

I’m in trouble.

The dreamer in me is already pinning my hopes on this guy, and I don’t even really know him. No photo, no real details in his profile, and I’m already building up an image of him. I can see him being tall and muscular. Not huge like a bodybuilder, but definitely someone who takes care of himself. Piercing eyes, strong jawline, and big hands that he knows what to do with.

Our messages and banter are so smooth, effortless even. I’m finding myself not wanting our conversations to end. And I’m not going to lie, when I saw him come online and message me, I got excited. He might just be interested in me. Even if it’s just a little bit, that’s a start, right?

Maybe this internet dating thing isn’t going to be a write-off after all.

A new message snaps me out of my daydream.

Princeinwolfsclothing: Hey, Kate. You sound very suitable. Would you be interested in meeting for a drink this evening?

Oh shitballs! I usually like to talk a little before I jump into a first meeting, but he’s just blown that plan right out of the water by asking me out.

I’m still deliberating what to do when Mac and Daniel walk into the living room, and going by the glow in Mac’s cheeks that is not of the pregnancy variety, I’d say they shared the shower.

“What’cha doing?” Mac asks, plopping down on the couch beside me. “Ooh, look Superman, she’s got another date.”

Daniel leans over the back of the couch between us, reading the message on the screen before frowning and standing up, running a hand through his hair.

“What is it?”

He looks down at me with concern. “Kate, do you really want to carry on with this internet thing? Take it from me, you’re a catch and sooner or later someone is going see that and run with it. There are some real creeps on sites like that.”

“Oh, and I’m going to just walk onto the L and find my soul mate like you two? Do you know how many dates I’ve been on?”

Mac puts her hand on my arm. “Hon, he’s just worried about you.”

I let out a big breath and slouch back into the soft cushions. “I know. But you guys always know where I am, and we’ll just do the whole twenty minute check-in phone call thingy this time.”

“So you’re gonna go out with this prince in wolf’s clothing guy?” Daniel asks incredulously.

“Yeah, why not? It’s not like I have any other plans tonight,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.

He growls low in his throat before he walks to the fridge and grabs himself a beer.

“What?” I ask, looking at Mac.

“It’s okay, hon. As I said, he’s just worried after the Roger fiasco.”

“I know,” I mutter under my breath as I type out a quick reply to Prince.

Fireinthesky24: Sounds great. Where and when?

I put the laptop down, making a mental note to check for his reply later. I spin around on the couch to face Daniel.

“I know you’re just looking out for me, but this time we’ll do it right. A twenty minute check-in phone call from Mac after I arrive, and if I say it’s okay, you’ll leave me to it. If I say it’s not, you’ll come save me. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” he says, smiling at me like a proud big brother. Although, in all honesty, if my real brothers knew about this they’d be shitting bricks.

I jump up off the couch and give him a side hug as I grab his beer and take a swig before handing it back to him. “And with that, I’m now off to make myself beautiful for my date,” I say, walking off down the hallway, leaving Superman with his mouth open and Mac giggling her tits off.

Chapter 6: “Wake Up Call”

KATE

It’s Saturday night, 8 p.m., and I’m standing outside Spirelli’s, an Italian restaurant just a few blocks from my apartment. I’d heard of it before as this was where Daniel had brought Mac for a date and she had raved about the Tiramisu, describing it as being like a food orgasm waiting to happen, so I’ve been dying to try it out. Princeinwolfsclothing-aka Spencer-suggested we meet here for dinner and I couldn’t come up with a reason not to.

All afternoon I’ve been psyching myself up for this date. It’s only my second blind date as such since joining the dating website, so my nerves hit overdrive as the afternoon dwindled away. Mac tried to get me to relax, and the glass of wine she literally poured down my throat before I left definitely aided her efforts.

She also helped me choose the perfect dinner date outfit. I’m wearing a black pencil skirt with a sleeveless burgundy peplum top and black patent pumps. I’d styled my hair half up, half down, letting a few curls loose to frame my face. I was going for classy, but not over the top. Mac and I pretty much gutted my closet finding the perfect combination. Daniel said there was too much estrogen in the house, so he left us to go workout. To be honest, it was nice to have some one-on-one girl time with my bestie, despite my threatening panic attack.

As I stand on the sidewalk, I can’t help but reflect on my past first dates. They’ve never really been anything to write home about. Nothing stands out as being epic or romantic comedy-esque. Then, of course, I wonder where nightdancer23 would take me for a first date. Would it be to a restaurant like this, or would it be something more fun? More low key? There’s no point thinking about it since he all but brushed me off this afternoon.

I walk into the restaurant and up to the hostess station where a waitress is standing to greet me.

“Welcome, madam. My name is Holly, and I’ll be your hostess this evening. Table for one?”

“Uh, no. I’m here to meet Spencer Carrington,” I say hoarsely, my voice giving away my nerves.

She looks me up and down, then smiles at me. “Right this way,” she says before leading me to a table set for two in a far corner of the cute restaurant.

I look at her with uncertainty written all over my face when I realize that he’s not here yet. I look around the restaurant nervously, still unable to find him. God, I hope I haven’t been stood up!

The waitress puts her hand on my forearm, obviously realizing that I’m worried. “Oh hon, don’t you worry. Mr. Carrington called about fifteen minutes ago and explained that he was running late, but asked that I seat you and pour you a glass of white wine. Is that okay?”