Page 16 of Rich Girl
Hey there, Hayden. You might just be who I’m looking for, too. I’d love to chat whenever you want. In exchange for me being your date at the wedding, I need you to join me for a Cinco de Mayo party. I need for my friends to know we met on the app. On your end, I understand why you wouldn’t want to shout if from the rooftops. We can get to know each other to make it more believable.
Ray
Before I get a chance to think about it, I clickReply, type in my phone number, and hitSend.
I throw myself against the back of the couch and fan my face with my hands, relieved that this part is done and over with. In all honesty, I’ve always been just a tad reckless, mostly because I could afford to be. I was never at risk of losing a job or any prospects, and always had something to fall back on.
With that said, I am not stupid, and what I’m doing right now feels like it might be. This is a first for me, especially the part where I chase a guy like this. How can I feel a connection with someone’s picture? Not to mention that this app was not created to find one’s life companion. It is meant to help people find a date when in a pinch. The rules are clear.
But rules are meant to be broken.
I press a hand to my chest when I get startled by my cell phone ringing. The caller ID shows a number from out of state. I frown in confusion when I see New York flashing across the screen until I realize why that must be.
“This is Hayden.”
I sound breathless when I answer.
“Hayden, this is Ray Parker.”
Oh my God, his voice matches the picture. I feel weak in the knees, and I’d have to sit down had I not already been doing that.
“Hello? Can you hear me?”
I guess I stayed silent for too long.
“Yes, I’m here. Sorry.”
“I hope it’s okay that I called.” I can hear the smile in his voice.
“I’m so happy that you called,” I jump to say. “That’s why I sent you my number.”
“It’s easier than going back and forth through email,” he agrees.
“Sure is.”
We fall back into a companionable silence this time, where I just stare at my wall, unable to wipe off the grin off my face.
“Well, Hayden B,” Ray finally says. “Tell me about yourself.”
The request throws me off despite the fact that I should have expected it. After all, it was me who suggested we do this. Now, I can think of anything I can share about myself.
“Uh, I’m really nervous,” I admit. “Why don’t you start?”
“Happy to,” he agrees. “Well, my name is Ray Parker. But you already know that.” We both laugh. “I am twenty-eight, live alone, have a steady job. I have some newly acquired friends who got me drunk and talked me into signing up for theHolidatesapp.”
“Nice,” I chuckle at that. “Those are the best kind of friends.”
He doesn’t seem to agree. “I don’t know about that. This whole thing has been a nightmare. I was about to quit the app when I came across your message.”
“I feel so special, Ray. And I’m glad I caught you just in time. My experience with this app hasn’t been exactly a walk in the park either.”
There’s some shuffling happening on his end. At some point I think I hear something like a refrigerator opening and closing.
“How did you find out about it?” I ask him as I try to drag this out a bit before I have to share about myself.
“I was out with my friends,” he explains. “I may have had just a little too much to drink. One of them dared me to sign up for the app. Here I am. Now I have to take you to this Cinco de Mayo gig so they believe me that I really did it.”
A small giggle escapes me. “What happens if you don’t show up with a date?”
