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“He’s good-looking, right?” she repeats.
“Yeah, he is, but I’m still not going on the date.” I hand her back her phone and return my attention to the TV as I surf through the channels.
“Oh, come on, don’t be like this, Jessy, okay? I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about this date, but I’m just trying to help you. Even though you try to hide it, I know you are frustrated about this whole situation with your boss. I’m only trying to help you forget him.”
She’s right about that. Even though Amy convinced me that Ethan is her brother and not boyfriend, she said that he might have a thing for me. I still know that we both can’t be together.
I don’t want to set myself up for heartbreak by thinking that we can end up together. Men like him are not the commitment type, and I don’t want to only be the girl of the moment. You don’t do flings with someone that you have feelings for. And I definitely have feelings for Ethan.
It’s the reason I’ve been trying really hard to avoid him and get him out of my system.
“Why don’t you just go on this one date, and if you don’t like him, you don’t have to see him again. But I think you should just give it a try. There’s no harm in trying.” She’s still holding out her phone with the guy’s picture on her screen.
As I study him, I can’t help but feel a flutter of curiosity. He’s not exactly my type, but there’s something undeniably appealing about him. Maybe Chloe is right—maybe going on a date with him wouldn’t be the worst idea after all.
“What’s his name again?”
“Tom. He’s a sports photographer.”
“Hmm, not bad. Where did you meet him?”
Chloe swallows hard, looking away, scratching the back of her neck.
“Chloe? Where do you know that guy from?”
“Er…Tinder.”
“What? I thought you deleted your account after you and your boyfriend started dating?”
“Yeah, but I had to reinstall it and set up an account to help you get one of your own.”
“Oh my God, it keeps getting worse. Of all places you chose a dating app?”
“I know, I know, but I vetted this guy, and I made sure to set up a date for you two at a busy restaurant, so…”
“I’m not going. You and I know that guys from that app are never serious—none of my Tinder dates turned out well.’’
“Oh, come on, have a little faith. Besides, I met my Mark on there, and he has turned out to be a very loving guy.”
I’m silent for a moment as I contemplate going on this date. “Fine, I’m only going on this date because of how much effort you’ve put into this, even though I didn’t ask you to.’’
Chloe throws her arms up in excitement. “That's the spirit! Now, we have to look for something beautiful for you to wear.”
“I can do that later.” I curl up into a ball on my couch, already regretting my decision to do this.
“No, there’s no time. We have to find you a dress and then there’s your hair…”
I let out a groan as Chloe lists out all the things that we need to do before my almighty date. I hope I don’t come to regret this.
By some minutes past seven, I walk into the prestigious restaurant, my heart pounding with nerves. Chloe had insisted that I give this guy a chance, so here I am, reluctantly stepping into the unknown.
A waitress greets me with a warm smile and leads me to the table that was reserved for us. It’s a cozy corner booth, dimly lit by flickering candles, with a view overlooking the city skyline. It’s undeniably romantic, but I can’t help feeling out of place.
As I settle into my seat, I glance around the restaurant, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my date. Minutes tick by, turning into what feels like an eternity as I fidget nervously with the napkin in my lap.
I check my phone for the umpteenth time, wondering if maybe he’s running late or got lost on his way here. But there are no messages, no missed calls—just silence.
“He’s going to be there with you soon,” Chloe had said the last time that I called to tell her about his tardiness.
