Page 32 of Champagne & Handcuffs
“Okay, Crystal. We’re all done.”I took off my latex gloves. “The girls at the front will book your appointment to put your crown on when it comes in.”
“Thank you, Dr. Stone.”
“You’re welcome. See you in a few weeks.” I patted Crystal on the shoulder and made my way to my office.
For the past three years, I’d been working at my father’s practice. At first, I thought I would only become a dental assistant, but I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to have to depend on a man to survive, so I made sure that I would be financially stable and wouldn’t have to worry about money. Instead of going to school to be a dental assistant, I went to the University of Florida College of Dentistry and graduated when I was twenty-six. What I hadn’t planned on was never finding a man who I couldpretendI needed to depend on.
I closed the door to my office and moved to sit behind my desk. I had patient charts to sign off on before I was able to leave for the day. The more time passed, the more my father gave me patients of my own. He was on his way to retiring, and when that happened, he wanted me to take over. I didn’t want to disappoint him, and every day I tried to be the best. I’d been working in his practice doing various jobs almost my entire life and was looking forward to being the boss one day. In fact, I practically was the boss. He spent more days on the golf course than in the office these days.
My phone buzzed in the pocket of my white coat.
Hannah:Are you ready for tonight?
I groaned. Iwasn’tready for tonight. My best friend Hannah was dragging me to speed dating. Apparently, she had two tickets, and the co-worker she was going to go with had bailed as of last night. And since I was her only other single friend, I was up.
Me:Let’s just go out to dinner. My treat.
Hannah:No. We both need to find men. We aren’t getting any younger.
Well, that was the truth. In less than a year I was going to be thirty. How did that happen? The older I got, the faster time flew by. It felt as though it was yesterday I was spending summers with—
My childhood friends.
I’m not sure what happened with Joss and me. After Seth broke my young, naïve heart, it was as though that part of me fizzled out. Joss and I still talked on the phone now and then, or onFacebook, but I hadn’t seen her since I was eighteen. At first, I’d told her I was busy with school—which was true—and then I was busy with my career. She became a cop, and then went into the FBI. We both just drifted apart as most friends do after high school. And Seth—
I could never look at him again.
There were times when I would be drunk off my ass andsomehowFacebookwould bring up Seth’s profile. Granted, it wasn’t a Seth McKenna profile. Once, my drunk detective work had figured out he had a profile under the name Michael Wade. You see, Mrs. McKenna discoveredFarmvillea few years back and apparently wanted more friends to play with, so she had requested me as a friend. I accepted, and that night after a half a bottle of wine on an empty stomach, I searched her friend’s list. The moment I saw the name Michael Wade, I knew it was him. Even with a different name and a generic profile picture of the Washington Capitols logo, the name Michael stood out like a sore thumb. Seth Michael McKenna. I’d never forgotten that name. But why Wade? Well, my detective work was in full force that night because I’d figured out that the lead singer of the band Lifehouse had the last name of Wade. Needless to say, after I figured that out, I drank the rest of the bottle and passed out on my couch.
Hannah:I’m picking you up at 8. Be ready!
I sighed staringat myself in the mirror. I was running out of dresses to wear on first dates that weren’t cursed. Tonight I chose to try my luck with a navy, sleeveless, knee-length dress that had a wraparound waist and black belt. Maybe it was the black heels I wore each time that was the actual curse, so I opted for silver strappy heels that paired well with the silver clutch I had to go with them.
Hannah:I’m here.
Time to get this disaster over with.
“So,”Hannah started. “Do you see any hot guys?”
I scanned the crowd as I sipped from the straw of my margarita. “Not a single one.”
Hannah rolled her sky-blue eyes. “Don’t be stupid. This can work.”
“You think I’ll find the love of my life in five minutes?”
“If the key fits.”
Ding. Ding. Ding.
Before I could respond, I looked to see a lady tapping a glass. She was the same person who'd checked us in and handed Hannah and I each a key style lock. “Each guy will have a key. And you never know. He might hold the key to your heart.”
Gag.
“Okay ladies. Go ahead and take a seat at one of the high-top tables. Once everyone is ready, we’ll begin.”
Hannah and I grabbed tables next to each other, and I felt as though there were eyes on me. I looked up to see a man in a black suit with a navy tie staring at me. He grinned, and my eyes moved up to his, taking in more of his face. He wasn’t bad by any means. He had short brown hair, dark eyes, and what I could tell from where I was sitting, nice teeth. I noticed everyone’s teeth since working in the dental field. When the speed dating started, nice teeth dude didn’t make it to my table in time. Instead, he made it to Hannah’s.
There were twenty-five guys and twenty-five girls. We were given five minutes with each partner. Guy after guy I heard the same line over and over. “Does your key fit?” “Wanna stick your key in my lock?” “Is it in?” My key fit in one lock and the guy was a total flop. There was no chemistry whatsoever. Then it was finally good teeth guy’s turn. Also known as the last man standing—or the last hope.
