Page 4 of Heart Me Up
While Amy went to the kitchen to get Silvia a beer, I stuck the card and envelope back in the plastic bag and put it with my keys on the table by the front door. When I walked back into the kitchen, everyone was filling plates with tamales and chips and complimenting Silvia on her cooking. She seemed much more like her usual self now.
Mike had sat down at the dining room table, and when I walked by a sly grin took over his face. He leaned back and said loudly, “Hey, Foster, I almost forgot!” He sounded gleeful. Crap, what now? “How’s Project FFAM coming along?”
“Fuh-fam?” Silvia wondered aloud for the rest of us as she seated herself next to me and spread her napkin across her lap.
“F-F-A-M,” Mike’s grin took on a shit-eating tint. I could tell I wasn’t going to like this.
I was right.
“It’s Project Find Foster a Man!”
I groaned as the others laughed and catcalled. “Amy, I can’t believe you told Mike!” Glaring at her, I sat down and set my plate in front of me. Everyone would give me shit if I chugged down my beer to fortify myself, but it was still tempting.
“There are no secrets between wife and husband, boyo. You know that.” I knew I was doomed when she grinned as evilly as Mike. “But now since everyone wants to know more, why don’t you get it over with and tell them?” She winked as she took a bite of tamale.
Fuck. “Fine,” I bit off. I took a bolstering swig of my beer.
“You wanting to settle down, Foster?” Carlos sounded… nice? He didn’t even seem like he was about to make fun of me. Weird.
“Yeah,” I admitted. “It’s been over a year since Eric and I broke up. I’m tired of meaningless—” I darted a glance at Silvia, who gazed back with rapt attention. “Dates,” I finished lamely. Silvia laughed along with everyone else.
Mike said, “Hey, if it’s time, it’s time. I can personally attest to the beauty and happiness of a committed relationship.” He batted his eyes at Amy, who gave him the finger. “But, since I’ve been in a beautiful and happy committed relationship for almost two decades, please, please tell me all about the dating apps.”
Carlos and Artie madeooooohnoises, so I smirked. “I think the apps you’re interested in hearing about are the ones Carlos uses.” I ducked the wadded up napkin he threw at me.
Straightening again, I sighed and tapped my fork listlessly against my tamale. “Yeah, I’ve tried a couple of dating apps. But they haven’t worked out very well.” I shuddered thinking about some of my so-calledmatches.
“And, even worse, on Thursday….” I trailed off in horror as the ramifications of telling them ran through my mind. Shit, I’d given them a clue; they wouldn’t leave me alone about it now. I’d just fucked up.
“What about Thursday, Foster?” Artie, like Carlos, sounded like he was trying to be supportive. I wasn’t sure about Carlos, but I knew Artie wanted the gossip. This would be all over the station by morning.
Fuck it. What the hell.
I crossed my arms. “I agreed to let my Great Aunt Charlotte set me up on a blind date for Thursday night. He’s the grandson of a woman she goes to church with.”
There was silence. Then, as I’d expected, laughter combined with heckling remarks filled the room. I gave them all my best disapproving stare. I’d learned it from Amy but mine didn’t seem to have the same effect as hers always did. Was it too soon for another beer?
“Enough, youimbeciles!” Silvia smacked her hand on the table.
“Foster,” she said to me when everyone else had quieted down. “A blind date is a wonderful way to meet someone. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Carlos cleared his throat. “Uh, she’s right, Foster. Good for you. What do you know about the guy?”
I groaned and put my hands over my eyes. “I know his name is James. He’s thirty years old, and he’s gay.”
There was another moment of silence. “Hold on. That’s it?” Mike sounded baffled. “Why does your great aunt think you might like him?”
I laughed. “Oh, she doesn’t. She actually doesn’t even like the guy’s grandmother but she wants the woman to owe her a favor.”
Mike again. “Um, and you agreed to be the favor?” Artie had been taking a sip of his beer and started coughing.
When Artie could breathe once more, Amy wanted to know, “Exactly what do you have todoto be the favor?” More laughter.
“Nothing likethat,” I snarled at them all. Deflating, I sighed. “Aunt Charlotte told me if I stayed for an hour she’d bake me a pie every week for a month.” A round ofooohswent through the room. They’d all had Aunt Charlotte’s pies. “So I’ll meet him for a couple of drinks on Thursday and we’ll see.”
Carlos nodded. “I’d do it for your Aunt Charlotte’s pie, and I’m not even gay. I hope you told her to make the cherry one. You should bring it to the station.” Amy and Artie loudly agreed with him while I shook my head.
“Nope, not happening.I’mearning the fucking pie. You aren’t.”
