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The next guy, Mike, seemed nice enough. I attempted small talk, cautious about not being weird or awkward. Which, of course, made me evenmoreself-conscious.
As Mike talked, I made the mistake of laughing a little too loudly at one of his jokes. Out of the corner of my eye, Killian’s hand tightened around his glass, his knuckles turning white. Was he already disappointed in me?
I turned my attention back to my date. It was going really well until he asked about my favorite movie.
“Oh, I love … ” I wracked my brain for a movie title. Any movie. “The Godfather,’” I practically shouted, proud of myself for coming up with one. Didn’t a lot of guys like that movie?
Mike’s face lit up.Jackpot.I wanted to do a little dance in my seat. See, Brad was just practice. Dating was like riding a bike or maybe a horse. Either way, I was crushing this speed dating thing. “Really? What’s your favorite part?” he asked.
My mind went blank. I’d never actually seen “The Godfather.” Why had I said that? “Um… the part with the horse,” I said weakly. I vaguely remember Peter’s driver, Leo and Peter talking about it when a marathon of all the movies was on after Christmas one year.
Mike blinked a few times, his enthusiasm deflating like a balloon. This time, he didn’t hide that his eyes swung to the timer set at the front of the room. When the buzzer went off, he didn’t even bother to say goodbye before he slid off his seat and headed to the next table.
Between dates, when they called for a break, I sipped my drink to calm my nerves. At one point, I knew instinctively who hovered behind me. Killian leaned over, his lips close to my ear. “How’s it going, Tink?” His gruff voice sent shivers down my spine.
I turned to face him, suddenly aware of how close we were. “It’s been … interesting,” I managed to say, my voice catching as his cologne invaded my nose.
His eyes searched mine, and his gaze pinned me in place. Then they dipped to my lips.
Was he thinking about kissing me?Holy hell.Did Iwanthim to kiss me?
“Yeah, that’s one word for it,” he grumbled. “This was a dumb idea. Let’s get out of here.” His voice was low and tight, with an edge that surprised me. This had been his idea. Why had he changed his mind?
I didn’t think my self-esteem could reach a lower level than it was already at. It was clear he thought I was a failure.
I needed to prove to him I could. “No,” I argued. “I’d like to stay. To keep trying.”
Killian’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. When his lips pressed together, I was sure he was about to demand I leave the building. Then, without a word, he returned to his seat. I watched him go, confused by the combination of relief and disappointment I now felt.
As the event wore on, my panic grew, and my answers became increasingly bizarre. I told one guy I collected vintage spoons. I didn’t. Another that my dream job was to be aprofessional bubble wrap popper. It wasn’t, but I couldn’t tell him I worked for Peter Young. By the time I met with the last guy, I was ready to crawl under the table and hide.
The final guy, Mason, seemed sweet. He had kind brown eyes and a gentle smile. “Rough night?” he asked sympathetically.
I sighed, slumping into my chair. “Is it that obvious?”
He chuckled. “Well, the last guy tried to warn me on my way over. He seemed convinced you were an undercover alien studying human mating rituals.”
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “I told him I wanted to probe his brain for science.”
Mason’s laughter was warm and genuine. “Well, that’s unexpected.”
“He asked if I believed in aliens, and I was trying to make a joke. Clearly, it didn’t land as intended.”
“If he can’t take a joke or realize you were making one, he’s not the right guy for you.”
For a moment, I relaxed. “Thanks. This is even harder than I thought it would be.”
He nodded. “Listen, I get the feeling you’re not really here to find a date.”
I tensed. “What do you mean?” Had I been that obvious?
He smiled reassuringly. “It’s okay. Neither am I. My sister set this up for me. She thinks I need to ‘put myself out there’ more.”
“Oh,” I said, relief washing over me. “Yeah, I’m … I’m not really looking, either. To be honest, I still have a thing for a guy.”
He sipped his drink. “Same. There’s someone I’m struggling to let go of right now. My sister is well-intentioned, and I know she worries about me, so I came tonight to make her feel better.”
I reached over and laid my hand on top of his. “It’s sweet that she cares so much.”