Page 33 of Falling into Place
“I’m trying,” he muttered. “So how much do I have to buy today?”
Brooks’s dating profile had gone live and Sasha had put up an entire page on theLiveOKCwebsite dedicated to the endeavor. It includeddate ideas where people could vote for their favorite, with links to everything, of course, and an “About Brooks” section.
When Carly checked this morning, the comments had been out of control with women clamoring for a chance to date him. The print issue would be out next week, which would probably only heighten the frenzy. “That depends. How many dates have you set up?”
“Just one so far. Next Friday.”
A buttery-yellow linen button-up caught her eye for Vaughn, a twenty-three-year-old client she’d started working with last week. She grabbed one in his size and laughed at Brooks’s expression. “This isn’t for you.” Relief filled his features. “Where are you taking her?”
“I have no idea. I haven’t been on a date like this in years. What’s the norm?”
“You could always let her pick, but first dates are less stressful than they used to be. You don’t have to do a full-on dinner when you’re not even sure if you want to spend that much time together yet.” A chambray shirt called to her from the top of the table, and as she reached for it, she shivered when the cool air conditioning brushed her lower back when her shirt rode up. “Grabbing a drink or a cup of coffee is pretty standard. Takes some of the pressure off.”
When she straightened, Brooks snapped his eyes up from her waist with a blink. “I could just take her to Coffee Slingers?”
“Sure. That way if it’s clear early on there’s not a connection, you finish your drink and get the hell out of there.”
Brooks angled his head. “Sounds like you’ve done that before.”
“Many times,” she admitted.
“Really? That bad?”
“The awkward silences, inappropriate questions, suggesting we just head to his place after five minutes of talking.”
Concern etched across his forehead. “Maybe I don’t want to do this.”
“They’re not all like that,” she said quickly. “They can be pretty great, too. The first time I went out with Benjamin, we hit it off right away and ended up talking for three hours straight. After a date likethat, it’s like you float home on a cloud, wondering if you just had your last first date.”
He’d been listening, eyes on hers, but his gaze shifted to a rack of slacks to his left. “It sounds like you miss him.”
She shifted on her feet. “I mean, we’re still friends, and I’d miss any friend that moved away. Seoul’s fourteen hours ahead so it’s not easy, but we keep in touch. Texting and sometimes email since we’re on completely different schedules.”
“How long were you together?”
“A year and a half.”
“That’s a long time.”
“Yeah.”
“Have you dated anyone since he left?”
“Not yet.” But she would, soon. Probably. Maybe.
She grabbed a short-sleeved shirt from a rack. “Anyway, we can just find something for a casual first date today, if you want. We can meet up again when you have more plans.”
Brooks eyed the piece she’d just grabbed. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel like you have to shop with me before every date. Is that what you usually do for clients?”
“Sometimes. But even if it wasn’t, you’re not a regular client, you’re a friend. Plus, Sasha has some ideas for you. Depending on which offers you end up taking—like the white-water-rafting place downtown or the new escape room on Twenty-Third, we might need to go in completely different directions.”
“I’m definitely gonna let Sasha get me suite tickets to a Thunder summer league game,” he added. “But I won’t need you for that. I’ve got Thunder gear covered.”
Carly laughed. Loud. “You donothave that covered. I saw your closet, and you will not wear a T-shirt or a jersey”—she shuddered—“on my watch.”
Her volume attracted a saleswoman, who approached and didn’t hide a blatant assessment of Brooks. Most of the employees at Empireknew Carly and would have let her be, but this one must be new. “Can I help you two find anything?”
Brooks looked like a deer in headlights, and Carly offered a wan smile. “We’re good, thank you.”
