Five First Dates (Sassy in the City 2)

I was almost scared to hear what she was going to say. “Lay it on me.”

“You have to continue with the four first dates. Two down, but you still have two to go. And now you have Maddox in on the action providing you with a fifth date. It’s the only way you can continue to have sex with him and yet hold him at some kind of a distance. Or rather, keep yourself at a distance.”

I had decidedly less enthusiasm for the project than I’d had a few weeks earlier but I knew she was right. “I agree. I have to see this through. It’s a numbers game. If I want to find my Prince Charming I have to just keep dating. I might even need a round two.”

“Think of it this way,” Isla said. “Hanging out and hooking up with Maddox makes you way less desperate on these dates. You’re coming from a power position. You have a great job, an adorable child, and you’re getting your sex needs met by a guy you trust. You don’t need anything from these guys, so if they suck, you just move on.”

She was right. “Sometimes you are very smart,” I told her.

“Sometimes? Try all the time.” She gave me a grin. “Now let’s see if Felicia’s guy has answered her/you.”

“He has,” Felicia said. “He was married for five years but his wife died ten years ago.” She made a sympathetic face. “That’s so tragic.”

“A widower. Wow. And he hasn’t been married since? He must have really loved her.” I felt myself softening to this guy.

“Oh, God, here we go,” Isla said. “How do you know he isn’t lying?”

“How do you know he isn’t telling the truth?” I countered.

She sighed. “I suppose suggesting that he’s probably still married and looking for side ass isn’t going to go over well with either of you?”

“No,” we both said simultaneously.

Isla sighed again, this time even more pronounced and dramatic. “You asked me to save you from yourself and I’m pretty sure it’s a lost cause.”

She was probably right. “I believe in love, you grump. You’re right. In that way, I am a lost cause.”

Nothing was going to change that. One day I would have my perfect rom-com love story.

If I could prevent myself from falling for my brother’s best friend in the meantime.

Walking back to the apartment after leaving Sully with Savannah, I called Steve. “Hey, what’s up?” I said as a greeting when he answered.

“Is this important?” he said, sounding tired and like his phone was right against his face. “Because I have a friend over.”

I knew what that meant. He was still in bed and had a girl with him. “Anyone I know?”

I paused at the corner, debating whether I wanted to return to the apartment or not. I decided to go change, then hit the gym. Or at the very least go running in the park. I had a ton of pent-up energy that I needed to get out. The conversation in the coffee shop had jacked me up and I couldn’t exactly talk to my best friend about why it was bothering me.

“Uh, I don’t think so. We met last night at the Tavern. Say hi, Kelsey.”

I heard a female voice pipe up in the background. “Hi, Kelsey.”

That actually made me laugh. “Nice.” The wind had kicked up and it felt good on my face. I spotted a garbage can and pitched my now-cold coffee remnants. “I just met a couple of Savannah’s friends. They seem cool.”

“Are they hot?”

That made me roll my eyes. “You’re a dick to even ask that when you have a friend next to you.”

“She went to the bathroom. And you didn’t answer my question.”

I thought about Isla, who seemed like a badass. Pretty, but prickly. Felicia was attractive, but she shrank into herself a little. Neither were my type and neither were Steve’s type. But that wasn’t even the point. “You can’t hit on your sister’s friends, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?”

“Picture me hitting on Savannah.” Yeah, I was testing the waters. I couldn’t help it. I felt agitated and pissed off at the idea of Savannah going out with other men.

“Fuck that, bro. I’d kill you.”