“Are you joking?”
“I wish I was.” He pointed to the paper. “Make that number one on the list if you’re prioritizing. It sorta freaks me out.”
Simon stood and looked at his watch. “Gotta run. You going to make me a list, or do I have carte blanche.”
“As amusing as I find your list, I’m really not ready for a fix-up yet.”
Simon smiled from ear to ear. “Carte blanche, it is.”I was really doing this.
Exhaling, I waved to Brendan after dropping him off at my mother-in-law’s. It had taken a few weeks to find a night that both Simon and I had off for this double date.
Was I crazy for letting him set me up blind?
I’d chosen an acquaintance from the yoga studio for Simon. Her name was Leah, she was around my age, and was the only single person I knew in town. Her job in finance kept her pretty busy, and she’d always put her career first. But I remembered her telling me that she was looking to get into the dating game, although not looking for anything serious or to really settle down. And I knew that was what Simon wanted. In all honesty, I hadn’t bothered to check off any of the other criteria on Simon’s list. I’d felt funny asking her the animal question. And how on Earth was I supposed to ask her if she was a “starfish” in bed?
For all I knew, she had probably met Simon before, since he’d gone to visit Calliope at the studio in the past. All I’d told her was that my roommate was a hot, British doctor nearing thirty and that I was looking to set him up on a blind date. She jumped all over that without questioning anything else. I probably would’ve done the same.
Each of us would be arriving separately to the restaurant on Federal Hill, an area of Providence known for its fine Italian dining. Simon and Leah would be coming straight from work, and I would be heading straight there after dropping Brendan off.
I spent the ride from North Kingstown to Providence obsessing over whether or not this date was a good decision. I suppose it was too late for that to matter, in any case.
My roommate had given me no details about my date, so I was definitely on edge by the time I pulled up to Il Forno Ristorante.
I remembered Simon saying he had made a reservation.
“Hi, do you know if someone named Simon Hogue checked in? Tall, blond, British accent…”
The hostess grinned and grabbed a menu. “Yes. He did. Right this way.”
He’d picked a really nice place. The lights were dim, and there was someone playing piano. Simon and another man were sitting at a table in the corner. When I got a look at my date, my spirits dampened immediately. I never considered myself a superficial person, but there just wasn’t an iota of attraction for the man sitting across from Simon.
There’s still time to turn around.
They both stood up as I approached.
Too late.
Give him a chance.
“Bridget, glad you made it in good time,” Simon said.
I nodded. “Simon.”
To make matters worse, Simon looked absolutely gorgeous in a fitted, ribbed sweater and dark jeans as his manly scent wafted in the air and floated right between my legs. It was hard not to compare the two guys.
“I’d like you to meet my good friend, Dr. Alex Lard.”
I held out my hand. “Hi, Dr.…Lard.”
Lard? Like the grease.
What a name.
“Please, call me Alex.”
“Alex.” I smiled. “Good meeting you.”
He let out a single cough. “The pleasure is all mine.” He coughed again.
Simon gestured to the seat. “Let’s sit, shall we?”
Alex Lard coughed another time before sitting down. Was this a nervous habit, or was he ill?
Either way, this was going to be a long night.Full disclosure…Dr. Lard, the unattractive incessant cougher, was probably the wrong choice for Bridget. I knew that. Now before you judge me for setting her up with him, keep in mind that it wasn’t easy finding someone whom I could honestly deem a decent human being. I was operating on limited time.
I’d promised to find her a date, and it was either Lard or someone I didn’t fully trust, which if I was being honest, was pretty much everyone else. At least I knew Alex wasn’t a scumbag. In fact, he was a well-respected Providence physician and Brown University professor. He was a lot of things—sexually appealing just wasn’t one of them.
The initial conversation at our table was very awkward.
I sipped my wine. “Did you hit any traffic?”
Bridget looked behind her shoulder then checked her watch, seeming incredibly tense. “No, but Leah must have. She’s fifteen minutes late.”
I lifted my brow. “Leah, huh?”
Dr. Lard turned to Bridget. “So, Simon was telling me you have an eight-year-old boy. Cough. He must keep you busy. Cough.”