Thirty-five and Single

“I invited him over, not wanting the night to end.” I pause for a second. “He turned me down because he had to get home to relieve the babysitter.” He’d told me about his daughter, so I wasn’t surprised. “He offered for me to go with him to hang out at his place, since it was late, and his daughter would be asleep.”

“Did he hurt you?” Joel demands, obviously coming to the wrong conclusion about why I had a limp.

“No, of course not. After we got there and he paid the sitter, his daughter came flying into the foyer where we still stood.” I sigh. “I don’t think he expected to introduce me, as it was just our first date.”

My mind replays the events as I tell them to Joel.

“Daddy, who is this?” the tiny girl says with so much snark she sounds twenty years older than she is.

“This is my friend Olivia.”

“Isn’t it too late to have her here? I’m going to tell Mommy.”

Paul bends down to talk to his daughter at her eye level. “We’ve talked about this. Mommy and Daddy are divorced.”

“I don’t care,” the girl yells, running in place and throwing a tantrum. “I want my mommy, not this stupid woman.”

With surprising strength, the little girl kicks me on my shin before stomping on my toe then running off, wailing all the way.

“Shit,” Joel says, bringing me back to the present.

I glare at him as he tries to hold back a chuckle.

“What did the guy do?” he asks.

“Well…” I breathe. “We mutually agreed it was best I go.”

“Doesn’t sound too bad.”

“No, but when he didn’t offer to call me a cab or ask me to call him to let him know I got home safely, that pretty much ended any interest in him on my part.”

Joel looks thoughtful. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I raise my head and meet his gaze. “Do what?”

“Date?”

One jealous daughter wouldn’t be the end of me. Everything had been good up to that point.

“Yes. I’ve never really been on a date until tonight.”

“Corey?”

“I don’t think it counts when your first date was getting together on the playground or him asking if I wanted to be his girlfriend, and me saying sure.”

“Okay.”

“I do know now that kids hate me,” I whine.

He rubs my leg, and suddenly my lady parts are screaming, Up a little higher. But he keeps it PG, much to my regret.

Sable jumps to stand next to him. He removes his hand in favor of giving her a stroke and I almost call her a cock blocker, but stop myself in time. Pussy blocker is probably a better name anyway as she purrs under his ministrations.

Joel ends my musing. “Kids don’t hate you. You told me you get along well with your nieces and nephews. That little girl sounds like a brat. Anyway, I have an idea.”

I wait for him to speak, and when he doesn’t, I prod him. “And?”

He stares into my eyes for a long time before saying, “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

I do too. The problem is, I worry that what I want is right in front of me.

“If you’re okay, I should go,” he says.

I open my mouth to ask him to stay, but it’s too late as the door closes behind him.

One thing I can do is congratulate myself for not asking him about his date with Cara or if he plans to see her again.

Chapter Thirteen

“A dating site?” I ask.

Ella sits next to me holding my phone in my face.

“All you have to do is choose. Swipe right if you like him and left if you don’t,” she says.

“I’m not going to hook up with any of these guys.”

She rolls her eyes. “Like that’s a bad thing, but no. This isn’t a hookup site.”

As it turns out, there are a lot of cute guys in the city. Unfortunately for me, their profiles say things like looking to start a family or not interested in an exclusive relationship.

“At least they’re honest,” Ella says as I pass on around the thirtieth guy.

“Here’s one,” I point out and she perks up.

He’s handsome if his profile pictures could be trusted. I read his bio out loud. “Divorced and looking for someone to share adventures with and maybe make a life with if things work out.”

“Not bad,” Ella agrees.

“Not great either. Sounds like a hookup.”

“No, it sounds like you’re not willing to give anyone a chance.”

She takes my phone and swipes right.

“Wait,” I say.

But it’s too late. Then my inbox lights up.

“That’s quick,” I say.

“Maybe he just happened to be online. Let’s look.”

“He wants to meet for dinner,” I say.

Ella takes my phone again and I’m too stunned to move.

She texts him back.

I reach over, but she bats me away.

“What are you doing?”

“Making you a date. If someone doesn’t do it, you’ll sit here on the couch forever.”