Page 7 of Perfect Date
I narrow my eyes and point my fork at her, “Don’t you dare laugh.”
“Did you saymatchbox cars?”
“Stop.”
“Not an actual car, but a child’s toy?”
“Don’t laugh,” I demand, but it’s pointless. She’s shaking and giggling, and a few people curiously look over at her. “It’snotfunny.”
“You’re making that up,” she insists.
“Nope. I’m not. I wish, believe me.” I sigh again, even more deeply, and set my fork down and wipe my mouth with my napkin. “Kimberly, did you hear what I said? He broughtsomeof them in acarrying caseand had them all lined up on the table when I returned from the restroom.”
She full on laughs now and tears pour from her eyes. I can’t help but join her because it’s absolutely as ridiculous and unbelievable as it sounds. Besides, laughing is better than crying, right?
“What did you do?”
“Well, it was humiliating because the bartender there saw and was laughing about it…”
“Wait, what do you mean? Back up. Are you talking about the bartender that you’ve been crushing on in prior visits that you told me is… what did you call him?”
“Eye candy.”
“Yes, that’s it. Eye candy.”
“Yep, the one and only.”
“Oh god,” she chokes on another laugh.
With yet one more sigh I start from the beginning and by the end she’s laughing so hard that people are definitely staring now. Some even are straining to hear what the laughs are all about. No doubt our lunch date will make the gossip rounds, people making assumptions, putting bits and pieces together, or jumping to conclusions about what we’re discussing.
“You need to keep, like a journal, or something. This is material for a book.”
“Hell no. I don’t want people to know about this!”
“Well, maybe not, but you don’t want to forget it.”
“Why not?” I ask wishing I already could.
“Because when you finally find the one, you’ll want to remember all you had to endure to get there.”
“If you say so.”
“I do,” she nods emphatically. “Alright, so who’s up next?”
“Excuse me? Next you say?” This time it’s me that chokes.
“Yeah. Tell me about the guy you’re meeting next.”
“I’m not meeting anyone else!” I scoff at the ridiculous notion. “How could you even think that after what you just heard?”
“Seriously? You have to! You can’t stop now. You just started and you certainly can’t give up after just one experience. And especially after this experience.”
“I sure as hell can!”
“No, you can’t!”
“And why not?”
