The Match

I let out a frustrated groan. “Ugh, you expect me to wear a dress?”

“Of course I do. Get your shit together, woman. If you ever want to get laid again, you need to put on a bra that pushes up your tits instead of those frumpy sports bras you’ve been wearing. Maybe shave your legs. That would be a good start. He doesn’t need to brush up against a cactus. And makeup. I am going to make you look like your old self. The girl I met four years ago was hot. Let’s find her.”

I follow behind Stacey out of my bedroom and into hers. She tears apart her closet until she finds a strapless black dress that stops mid-thigh and a pair of red heels. Stacey hands them to me with a smile.

“You’re all set. Now, go shave, pluck, and whatever else you need to womanscape. This guy is expecting the person he saw in the picture, not the worn-out med student who hasn’t straightened her hair in over a year.”

I tug at the high, messy ponytail on top of my head and sigh. “A guy should like me for me. All of this is stupid. I don’t get online dating.”

Stacey gives me a disapproving look. “Knock it off, Ava. You are going on this date with McDreamy’s twin, okay? No bullshit. I am doing you a favor. You need this. Once we start our residency on Monday, our lives belong to Penn General. This is our last chance for freedom. Thursday through Sunday morning we are partying our asses off, starting with your date with the hot doc.”

I force a smile, even though I know she’s right. The last guy I dated was about eighteen months ago, and that was a complete train wreck. He tried to steal my hospital badge to get into the pharmacy to sell pills. I have never had the best taste in men. My radar is broken when it comes to picking potential mates. Maybe I am better off having Stacey choose men for me on some dating app.

Either way, I have to go tomorrow night. I can’t back out now. What do I have to lose?

The Fountain Bar is a lounge inside the Fountain Club, a brand-new luxury hotel located in downtown Philadelphia. They have a steakhouse that occupies the first and second floor, with guest rooms on the upper floors, and a bar on the ground floor, to the right of the front desk. I have no problem spotting the lounge when I walk into the brightly-lit space.

Everything looks expensive, from the white marble floors to the glass windows that span from floor to ceiling, showing off the city skyline. The view is impeccable, unlike any other hotel in this part of town. At least Sloan has good taste. Well, I think this was Stacey’s idea to meet here. Of course, she would choose a place this expensive. She likes to make men pay for the pleasure of her company with their American Express cards.

I run a hand down the front of the black dress Stacey picked out for me and take a big breath, letting it out as I step inside the bar. My eyes scan the room for a few seconds before landing on the gorgeous man from his dating profile. Sloan is at the bar, his body slightly angled toward the door. He’s dressed in a black suit, his jacket open, and the top buttons of his white oxford unbuttoned. A silver tie hangs loose at his neck, as if he was playing with it and would rather ditch it all together.

I stroll over to Sloan, nervous, my body set on fire the closer I get to him. What if he doesn’t like me? What if the picture Stacey painted of me is nothing like what he was expecting? The idea of online dating and meeting strangers scares the crap out of me. I prefer the old-fashioned way, even though that hasn’t worked out too well for me in the past.

Sloan hears me approach and turns on his stool to face me. His eyes travel from my face to my legs and back up to my face. He smiles so wide it reaches up to his green eyes. Up close, the color of his irises has me so entranced I can’t help but stare.

“Ava?” Sloan asks.

I nod. “Yep, that’s me, and you must be Sloan.”

He stands to pull out a bar stool for me. “What are you drinking?”

We take our seats, and I contemplate his question. “I haven’t drank in a while. Umm…What’s good here?”

“Are you not supposed to drink?”

I shake my head. “No, it’s nothing like that. I just never have time to do anything fun. School takes up most of my time.”

“I know all about that,” he says. “I spent four years working on my undergrad, then another four in medical school, and seven for my surgical residency.”

“That’s a lot of school,” I tell him. Changing the subject, I say, “I’ll have a Heineken. It’s been a long time since I had a beer. I kind of miss it.”

I never like to talk about my background because of my father. Because Sloan is a doctor in this city, he knows my dad. Everyone knows Dr. Lawrence Roberts, the top cardiothoracic surgeon in the state. My dad is legendary and an idol to most surgeons. He invented his own methods that made him a superstar in his field from an early age.

At least Stacey had enough sense to leave medical school out of my profile and kept it to full-time student. The last thing I need is another fanboy who wants an introduction. I’m curious if he works at the same hospital as my father but am too afraid to ask.

Sloan takes the beer from the bartender and sl

ips it into my hand, making a point to touch my skin. Tiny bumps dot on my flesh from his warmth. All too aware of our closeness, I push my chair back. Sloan seems to notice, his body tightening in response.

Shit, I already made this awkward.

He turns to drink from the pint of beer he ordered, avoiding eye contact with me. Unsure of what to do, I place my hand on Sloan’s thigh and move into him. The further I slide my hand up his leg, I feel him tense beneath me.

Before I realize what I’m doing, my mouth is only inches from his. Our lips are almost touching.

“Wanna get out of here?” he asks me, covering my hand with his.

An awkward pause passes between us, where we stare into each other’s eyes, breathing against the other’s skin.