Page 62 of Banter & Blushes #1

MIA

A s soon as I get home, I plug my phone into the charger and stare at it, waiting for the first signs of life to appear so I can text Ethan.

How long did he wait at the restaurant for me? Ten or fifteen minutes? Half an hour? I can only imagine what he must have thought of me when I didn’t show up. And what do I tell him? Can’t hide that I’m a schoolteacher if I tell him I was on a class field trip and the bus broke down.

See? He’ll think I’m a total snooze fest before he’s even met me in person. I can picture his eyes rolling back in his head already. This romance will end before it ever has a chance.

After I wait an eternity for my phone to finally register it has juice again, I open our text conversation and rapidly tap out a message, which of course means I make a thousand mistakes and have to retype and correct most of it.

Mia: I’m so sorry, Ethan. Engine trouble and my phone died. I didn’t have a charger with me and just got home.

Sounds a little vague, but I don’t know what else to say. Either he’ll understand, or he won’t. Feels like an eternity, waiting for those three dots to appear. I fall back on my bed, preparing myself for his response.

This could be a good thing, really. If he ghosts me, that tells me he’s not a very considerate person and that I avoided a potentially awkward breakup at some point.

Or he’ll show his true colors and be sweet and understanding. That’s the Ethan I’m banking on, the one who showed up so sweetly in those text bubbles and the guy who let himself get distracted—by me—that he wound up splayed out on the ice, grinning at me.

Ethan: Engine trouble and a dead phone? Hey, if you changed your mind, just tell me.

Feeling the day, I flop back and cover my eyes.

I don’t blame him for doubting me. If the tables were turned, I’d be thinking the same.

The only way he’ll believe me is if I tell him the entire truth.

But then he’ll know I’m a boring second-grade teacher, who spends her days conversing with seven- and eight-year-olds.

Maybe I should call Iris and ask her what I should do.

I’m almost certain she’d have an opinion.

Next thing I know, I’m blinking my eyes awake. I fell asleep?

“No, no, no…” I grab my phone and let out a strangle cry when I see several messages from Ethan.

Ethan: Forget I said that. Sorry to hear you had engine trouble, but glad you’re okay. Reschedule?

Thirty minutes later…

Ethan: Still having engine and phone troubles?

Fifteen minutes later…

Ethan: Like I said, if you changed your mind…

Now he thinks I’m fickle. First, I don’t show up for our date, and then I don’t reply to his texts. Either I come up with a better excuse, or I tell him the entire story of what happened.

I take a deep breath for courage and tap out a new message.

Mia: No, fell asleep. I know that sounds lame, but there’s a good reason. One I’d rather tell you in person. Can we meet so I can explain?

The dots preceding his reply show up, then go away. And I wait…and wait.

Until finally…

Ethan: I’m heading home now, but I can make a stop. How about a walk on the beach?

Mia: On my way.

I launch off the bed, pausing for a moment to look at the salmon-colored dress with a flared skirt and an asymmetrical neckline hanging on my closet door, but I don’t want to risk running late again.

Ethan would think I was playing games with him, and that’s the last thing I want him to think about me.

My schoolteacher slacks and blouse will have to do. I grab my wallet and keys and shoot out the door as my brain plays out various scenarios of what I’m going to say and hoping he understands in real life like the Ethan in my head does.

This isn’t at all how I envisioned our first date, but at least I get another chance to have a face-to-face with him. A giddiness races through me at the thought.

Until I turn the key and only a clicking sound comes from the engine, which is supposed to roar to life and take me to meet my potential soulmate.

Not that I put a lot of stock into the whole ‘one person meant for each of us.’ Just doesn’t add up, but I do believe you can fall so deeply for someone that they become your one and only.

But none of that matters now. Clearly, Fate is trying to have her fun at my expense, and she’s won. There’s no way Ethan will believe me. I mean, come on. Engine trouble twice in one day? Seriously?

With a loud groan, I rest my head on the steering wheel. Might as well get this over with and accept whatever could have happened between Ethan and me just isn’t meant to be.

I hear you, Universe. You can step off your soapbox now.

Mia: I’m sitting in a car with a dead battery. I totally expect that you won’t believe me, but it’s the truth. I’m sorry again, Ethan. I guess this just isn’t going to work out.

Back inside my apartment, I consider calling Sophie for a good cry on her shoulder, but I’m not in the right frame of mind to hear her ‘I told you so’ about my car. I’ll fill her in tomorrow.

Instead, I turn off my phone, take a bath, and go to bed without eating dinner because that would be the sad icing on this disastrous cake of a day.

Goodbye, my hot hockey guy named Ethan. Sure was nice never getting to know you.