Page 22 of Finding Romance
“You’re very pretty,” I say, leaning down and letting it smell my hand before I scoop it up in my arms. I stroke its soft fur and its eyes drift closed. It starts purring and I smile down at it.
“Oh, there she is. Licorice!” Roxy scolds and I hand the cat to her after she opens the door.
“I swear that cat is going to give up all nine lives before she even reaches nine years old.” She pauses and looks at me. “Long night?”
“You have no idea,” I reply, following her inside while she opens the store. I sit in a big comfy chair by the front windows.
She looks over at the café and back at me. “Kasen, huh?”
I blush. “Oh, no. It’s not like that. I was helping him with his fish tank and then we had dinner, and I drank way too much whiskey and passed out on his sofa,” I explain.
“I mean. Kasen is hot,” Roxy says.
“I suppose so. I just…hadn’t really thought about that,” I lie. She gives me a pointed look.
“Fine, yes, he’s hot.”
She sits down in the chair next to me and Licorice rubs against her legs. “I think he’s interested in you.”
“You do?”
She nods. “Yeah. He keeps glancing over here every three seconds. I’ve never seen him do that. Not that I know him super well yet, but Gray said he thought maybe he liked you. And I agree.”
“You think Kasen likes me?” I ask, pointing to my chest. And since when did I become the focus of gossip? No one ever pays attention to me.
“Yes. Wait. Do you already have a boyfriend?” she asks. “Or a girlfriend?”
I shake my head as my whole face turns red.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” She gives me a sympathetic look.
“It’s not that. I just…I’ve never had a boyfriend,” I whisper as if someone might hear it.
“Like, ever?” she asks with a raised eyebrow.
I shake my head and bite my bottom lip.
“Wow. OK. Well, there’s nothing wrong with that,” she says. “I mean, lots of women haven’t had boyfriends.”
I give her a pointed look. “I hardly think that’s the case. I just…my parents' separation made having friends hard and then I was always in art programs and busy in high school. And in college, I just never got the hang of the dating thing.” Why am I telling her all of this?
“You’ve never dated?” a voice says from the doorway as the bell rings.
It’s Al. Great, just great. Now, everyone can really gossip about me.
Al looks to Roxy. “I think we need to remedy that.”
Wonderful. Now a senior citizen is trying to fix my dry spell. If you’ve never had sex, is it still a dry spell? Could my life get any more embarrassing?
“Remedy what?” Kasen says from behind Al.
Yes, yes my life can get more embarrassing.
“Oh, nothing. Just trying to set our Piper up on a date,” Al announces. I look down at the floor, hoping a hole will open up and swallow me because there is no way I can look Kasen in the eyes ever again.
“A date, huh?” Kasen repeats.
“Yep. She’s never had a proper one. Sounds like she could use some practice,” Roxy says and gives Kasen a look.
