Page 19 of Actually Yours

She’s right. He had been a bit of a no-hoper, but he’d seemed so nice and caring. At the start. Before he inevitably turned into a jerk.Why do I attract these types of guys?

“You’ve picked some real stinkers,” Lilly says, sitting down and joining in, adding an extra sprinkle of humiliation to the conversation.

“What you need is someone with an actual job,” Bella announces, again loud enough for the whole café, block and surrounding suburb to hear.

“What does a job have to do with being a suitable partner?” I argue, because I feel like I should. Choosing a man based on his career feels all kinds of superficial and elitist and just plain wrong.

“Nothing,” she admits with a conciliatory smile. “But it’s more like breaking a habit. If you were to date an accountant, or a barrister or a carpenter…maybe things would work out differently?”

A laugh escapes me. “You’re just listing the ABCs of careers. There’s no validity in anything you’re saying.”

Lilly hums under her breath while she demolishes the cupcake in front of her, and Bella, well, she’s being too quiet for my liking. I can almost see the wheels turning as she watches me closely.

“Maybe that’s it.”

Uh-oh. Bella’s got an idea.A trickle of doom makes its way down my spine.

“We can make a game out of it.”

A game? Oh, I like games!

“What sort of game?” I’m intrigued, but still sceptical.

“You can make your way through the ABCs of professions. As a fun way to look for Mr. Right.”

I’m shocked into silence. Gobsmacked. Bella’s gone mad.

“Ridiculous idea,” I sputter out.

“I don’t think so,” Lilly chimes in while licking buttercream frosting off her fingers. “You’ve had little luck dating the traditional way. And what do they say is the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing, the same way repeatedly and…” she trails off, searching for the rest of her point.

“And expecting a different result.” This is from Jake, who has now turned his body completely in our direction.

“You shush.” I point my finger at him and give him my fiercest glare. He does not need to be a part of this. “And you two, this is a terrible idea. Why can’t I just go back to dating like a normal person? You know, with all the fun dating apps out there?”

Lilly gives an adamant shake of her head. “Bad idea. Been there, done that, would not recommend.”

I smile slightly despite myself. Before Lilly had married Oliver, she’d dipped her toe into internet dating, only to find herself on a terrible blind date with a man who’d ended the evening by stealing her purse. She’s been very anti-online dating ever since.

“It was one bad egg, Lilly,” I tell her as we all share a laugh. “Not everyone you meet online is a kleptomaniac.”

“You met Robby online.” Again, this was the not-so-helpful voice of Jake chiming in, reminding me of this very unfortunate fact.

“Hush, you.” I glare at him again and motion with my hand for him to turn all the way back around and out of our private conversation.

“Just think about it,” Bella says, putting her hands into a prayer position and giving me her best puppy dog eyes. “You don’t even need to take it that seriously. We can just find some nice, fully employed men to set you up with and see what happens. If you don’t like the As, then we move on to the Bs.”

When she puts it that way, it doesn’t sound terrible.But even so, why are we even talking about this? I don’t want a relationship. Do I?

“We can keep it light-hearted,” Lilly adds, sensing my resolve weakening. “You go out on one date, then we all catch up to get a report. It can be a fun thing for the entire group!”

Great. Humiliation with an audience.

“I don’t know…” I waver.

“Come on, what do you have to lose?”

Without thought, I look in Jake’s direction, startled at his expression as he stares back at me. I don’t know what it means, but it makes my stomach flip. And starts my butterflies dancing. And my heart racing. All those good things you feel when you meet someone who you think could be the ‘one’.

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