Page 81 of Accidental Blind Date

“One, it’s how every busy and or lazy person finds someone these days. And also, it just seems like a you thing to do. So, what’s her deal?”

“Her deal?” I stand up and reach for my water bottle.

“Yeah. Why her and no one else? Is she hot? She’s hot right?”

Despite the fact I hate the way he asked the question, I must have a smirk on my face because Kai laughs and nudges me.

“Of course she is. You always get the hot girls. Even if you are graying around the edges a little.”

My hand instinctively runs through my hair.

“I am going to say this though,” Kai goes on as if he doesn’t always just speak his mind. “You’ve been different.”

“Different how?” I ask.

“Different…good. Different…happy. You’re more laid back, less stressed out, less angry. I mean shit, you’re even being nice to my sister about not turning the shop inside out. I’m not too sure about that, by the way. But for real. I’m not trying to be sappy here, but I haven’t seen you like this since…”

Since Tess died.

“I know,” I say. Those feelings have been floating around my mind too. Complicated little things that I’m not sure what to do about. It’s easier just to go with the flow with how I feel in themoment and not overthink it. And when I’m with Libby, it’s easy to know how to feel. It just feels…right.

“Anyways, she must be something else if you’re willing to pass up our annual Vegas trip to be with her, especially since it’s the only time of year your kids are with their grandparents and not your high-strung sister-in-law. Maybe you should take her somewhere.”

“Take who somewhere?” I ask.

“Your girl. You’re staying home for her but why stay home? Take her on a trip. Just don’t take her to Vegas. It might be kind of awkward if me and the boys are picking up chicks on the strip and run into you two love birds, am I right?” he nudges me.

He has no fucking idea.

As we are getting ready to leave the gym, I throw on a black t-shirt and bend down to grab my bag. As I do, I catch my own reflection in the wall mirror that spans the length of the room. I run my hand through my hair. “Is it really that obvious?” I ask.

“What?” Kai stops next to me. “Your grays? I mean…it’s not invisible.”

“But do you think she notices it?”

He offers a one shoulder shrug. “Depends. How much younger is she?”

“Fifteen years. Ish,” I say and Kai grins.

“Nice. But also, yeah. She notices. Most girls do. They’re shallow like that. At least some of them. The thing you gotta figure out is– is she one of those girls who likes an older man and all the characteristics of one? If so, you’re golden. Or is she silently thinking about those gray hairs while also noticing much younger, less silver men on the streets out of her peripheral?”

“I don’t think L–” I stop. “She’s not like that.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” he says, walking out. “Let’s grab a brew. I’m thirsty as fuck and I could go for a burger too.”

“Maybe some other time,” I say. “I have something to take care of.”

When I get home, I take the bag I just got from Walgreens and go into the bathroom. Again, I look in the mirror. Again, I run my hand through my hair.

Libby isn’t a shallow girl. I know that much. She’s sweet, real, and smart, and the least superficial girl I’ve ever met. And yet– these gray patches are growing. And since my hair is blonde, they really show. It’s not like the guys with dark hair who look sophisticated and sharp with streaks of silver. It makes my hair look washed out. Even though it’s not thinning at all. Even though I have a great hairline that never seems to recede.

I look old.

And on days when I go to the gym, take the girls to school, go to work, pick them up, do all the home life dad things and barely have time to check emails, let alone watch a game or get a beer with the guys,I feel old.I hit the bed like a dead man before 10pm.

I pull the box out of the bag and open it. The instructions might as well be in French (I think on the reverse side, they actually are) because they feel so foreign. How hard can dying your own hair be though?

Chapter 29