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He nodded. “It is. For the most part, it’s scary. Running into burning buildings isn’t easy, and then when you lose people, that’s even harder.”
“I can imagine. I wouldn’t ever be able to do a job like you do.”
There was a topic that Greg was more than happy to talk about, and she sat listening to him. He spoke of some of the people he’d saved, and showed her a few pictures of cats he’d rescued. There was even a dog as well, a rabbit and a guinea pig.
They enjoyed their meal. She had some kind of pasta dish—she couldn’t even remember the name—while he had a large steak. By the end of the meal, she was ready to go home, and she knew there was no way a second date. It had been fun, but there wasn’t a spark.
“Do you need me to call you a cab?” he asked.
“No, no, my friend is here, waiting to drive me home.” They stood from the table and smiled. “This was fun.”
“Fun but not again?”
“I…”
“Don’t worry about it. We didn’t have that spark really.” He nodded toward her, and left.
It was a strange end to one of the most uncomfortable experiences of her life. She took a seat beside Slade, and ordered herself a shot of whiskey.
“He’s gone?” Slade asked. “What did you say to him?”
“That you’re my pimp and if he doesn’t get gone, you’re going to beat him to a pulp.”
Slade laughed. “What did you really say?”
“That it was fun, it wouldn’t be happening again, bye.”
“Really?”
“Pretty much. It was so uncomfortable, and I didn’t know what to talk to him about. We’d read each other’s profiles, and it all just felt so cold. It was so weird I didn’t even know what I ate.” She shook her head. “Never again. I’m not doing the online dating. Jessica even mentioned speed dating as well. Not happening. This has been a real eye opener.” She thanked the bartender, and knocked back the stinging liquid. “Ready to go home?”
“Yep. I certainly am.”
****
Slade had wanted to do a victory dance when her date had got up and left. He sat down in her sitting room, waiting for his iced cold beer that she’d promised him. His shoes were already kicked off, and he placed his feet on the coffee table in front of him.
They had sat in her sitting room many times eating a box of cheesy chips, and drinking a cold beer.
Cassie entered, carrying two bottles of beer, and a tub of chocolate ice cream.
“Hold on a second.”
He watched as she kicked her shoes off and sighed as she made her way toward him. She handed him a beer and a spoon, taking a seat beside him. Her bottle of beer was on the coffee table. Her feet were curled up underneath her. She rested the ice cream tub on a pillow, and then they were diving in.
“I don’t even know why I let myself be talked into it.”
“You wanted to date,” he said.
“That wasn’t it.”
Slade looked at her, and he saw her cheeks were already bright red. “You can’t just say something like that and not elaborate. I’m a guy. I don’t know what the whole blushing thing means.”
“It doesn’t matter. Forget I said anything.”
He sighed. “What is it? If it wasn’t for the date, then what was it for?”
She took a bite of chocolate ice cream, and her brown eyes stared at him. He saw the conflict in her gaze, and he held his hands up.
