The Assignment

• • •

It was around 8 PM when I finally got back to my house that Saturday night. Since it was the weekend, Kiki was with my parents. She went over there on Friday afternoons, and she’d stay with them until my mother dropped her back off at my house on Sunday evening. On weekdays, I got her from my parents after I got off work at four, and she slept at my house Sunday through Thursday. It worked out better that way since I was more equipped to help her with her homework. And her being with my parents on weekends allowed me a social life. Or the potential for one, I guess. The only problem was, lately I was in a bit of a rut.

Tonight, I decided to have an evening of self-care. After the week I’d had, it was badly needed. So I took a bath, put on a green face mask, and got into my comfy pajamas. I threw on my fuzzy robe, a recent late-night impulse buy after spending too much time watching one of those home shopping networks. Then, I brewed some green tea.

Despite my vow to relax, Troy Serrano was still filling way too much of my head tonight. I kept thinking about the conversation at Jasmine’s, and then those thoughts moved on to what Troy had implied about me having no life. His comments the other day had been what motivated me to reactivate the dating app. I didn’t want to admit his words affected me, but they’d given me the kick in the ass I needed.

I picked up my phone to scroll through that sea of mostly contaminated fish on the app again. This always felt like a side job I had no time for. Either I got to chatting with someone I got along with and then he ghosted me, or I’d meet guys who turned out to be unappealing in person compared to their online profile. It was mostly a huge waste of time.

It was time to try again, though. I hadn’t gone out with a man in ages, and I needed to get back in the game before I shriveled up. I laughed to myself. If only these dating app boys could see me in this mask and robe.

I sipped my tea and began to alternate scrolling with shoveling unsweetened cacao nibs into my mouth.

After several minutes of swiping through, I suddenly stopped chewing at the sight of a familiar pair of pearly whites.

I know those teeth.

I know that man.

Oh God.

Staring me in the face was none other than Troy Serrano.

Holy crap.

Troy, 29

I tossed my phone as if it were infected with a contagious virus.

A few seconds later, I picked it back up and stared at his profile picture. I wouldn’t have imagined Troy needed to use a dating app, but being new to town again, maybe he felt like it was the easiest way to meet people. Of course, the app had sent him my way in part because we were geographically close to each other. I wanted to block him, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to do that. I’d never had to block anyone from seeing my profile before. But there was no way I wanted him to notice me on here. If he’d come up as an option for me, surely the app would present me to him at some point. My stomach sank. I’d figure out how to block him right after I thoroughly scrutinized his profile.

The photos he’d chosen were, of course, really good. But could he even take a bad photo with that face and fuck-me hair? In one, he wore a form-fitting black sweater and leaned up against a brick wall. In another, he held up a fish he’d caught, with his chiseled abs on display.

Then I scrolled down to the section where you were supposed to describe yourself. Whereas most men write a simple paragraph, Troy had written an obituary.

God, what the hell is this?

Financial advisor Troy S.’s love of life will live on through his many friends who will continue to honor his legacy by living their lives to the fullest.

Born in Meadowbrook, New Jersey, to a single father who broke his ass raising him, Troy learned firsthand what it meant to work hard. On his own, though, he figured out that working hard meant you should play harder.

Troy attended the University of Florida for both his undergraduate degree and Masters in Business Administration. (Go Gators!) After several years of partying it up, Troy decided to take life seriously for once as he embarked on a career as one of the premier financial advisors in the Pacific Northwest. Troy shared his passion for numbers with his many happy clients.

The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Troy. He was equally happy Netflix-and-chilling as he was ziplining in Costa Rica. On weekends, Troy often spent time teaching himself how to play the guitar. He loved to explore local hiking trails and struck up conversations with strangers in many of Seattle’s coffee shops, charming people with his charisma and verve for life.