Page 68 of One Good Puck
“No, I have a date.”
A tinge of jealousy flashes through me. I have no reason to be jealous. Abby is my friend. She can date whoever she wants.
But if she weren’t currently living with you, you’d ask her out.
I ignore that thought and look at her, hoping my expression is natural and not as worked up as I feel.
She fidgets with the hem of her dress, a hesitant look on her face.
“It’s that guy you told me to message on that dating app,” she says.
“Oh. Cool.” I try to smile, but I can already feel the strain in my face, so I turn around and pretend to check on food in the microwave and resist the urge to punch myself in the face.
I convinced Abby to go out with another guy. Just great.
“I hope it’s not weird that I’m talking to you about this,” she says.
I turn back around and take in the way she’s nervously fidgeting.
I shake my head, feeling guilty for making her feel so nervous. “It’s not weird, Abby. We’re friends. Friends talk about what’s going on in their lives. Like dates.”
I’m proud of how easygoing I sound. Because I really do want to be friends with her. I really do want her to feel comfortable talking to me about anything. I just need to get my jealousy under control.
“It’s not weird that I’m talking to you about going on a date with another guy?”
“It’s really not.”
A relieved smile pulls at her mouth. She leans her hip on the counter and looks at the chicken breast and broccoli on my plate.
“So, um, have you dated much since you’ve been a single dad?” she asks.
“No, not much.”
“That’s surprising. You’re a catch.”
I smile at her compliment. “I’ve dated over the years, but nothing stuck. I work an intense job with a crazy schedule. And I can be a bit of a workaholic during the hockey season. Not a lot of women want to be in a relationship with a guy who they can only see once a week.”
“When’s the last time you went on a date?” she asks.
I squint at my plate of food, trying to remember. “Five years ago? Maybe six?”
Her eyes widen the slightest bit. “Wow, really?”
“Told you. Workaholic hockey coach over here.”
She chuckles. “This is my first date in, like, three years. I’ve just been so focused on raising Emma on my own that I never really thought about dating.”
I want to ask what made her change her mind about this dating app guy, but I hold back. I don’t want to hear her gush over some other guy, as petty as that is.
“You were prioritizing your daughter, Abby. That’s a good thing.”
Her eyes are warm as she looks at me. “Thanks for saying that.”
“But good for you for getting back out there.” I try to smile. “So who’s the lucky guy?”
“Jared. We’ve been texting on and off this past week, and he asked me out for a drink.”
“Where is he taking you?”
