Page 7 of Finding Frankenstein a Date

“Look, I’m not wasting my time with some asshole who doesn’t have an income, has no ambitions, and just wants to ride my coattails. I need someone who can hold their own, and who can impress people. The whole look is a bit much, but I can overlook it if you answer my questions how I want you to.”

“Are you interviewing me for the role of boyfriend?” Franky asked.

Wilson smiled, looking pleased for the first time since he’s walked in. “Exactly! So, family money, yes or no?”

Franky shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think so.”

“What?”

“Thank you for the opportunity, but I’m not looking for a job right now.”

Wilson snorted. “You look like that and you think someone is going to go out with you just for shits and giggles.”

“I’m hoping for giggles, yes.”

Wilson snorted again, the sound was rather unpleasant. “I’m a great boyfriend. Good looking, loaded, and well worth the time to answer a few questions and see if you can hold your own in a conversation.”

“Make you look good, you mean.”

“Of course.” Wilson said it as if there would be no other reason for Franky to ‘date’ him.

“Thank you, but no.” He wanted a relationship, not a transaction.

Wilson huffed and stood. “Well, good luck with your giggles then.” The man sneered at him and turned on his heel, heading out as quickly as he’d come.

Franky looked over at Bob and Drac. Would they think he’d been too hasty?

Drac had one eyebrow up, and Bob looked, well, flabbergasted might have been the right word.

“Okay…” Bob took a long sip of his almost finished milkshake. “So that’s two down. I’m sure the next guy will be better.”

“I’m not seeing it getting much worse,” Drac drawled. “That guy should have put his ad in a jobs listing or something.”

“No.” Bob shook his head. “If he did that, he’d have to offer an actual salary other than the privilege of going out with him.” Bob put air quotes around the word privilege.

Franky thought the nightclub option was starting to look good.

He looked at the clock. Well, Wilson had lasted longer than Jason, but he’d been early, so it still was just shy of two fifty-five. Thirty-five minutes until the next meetup was scheduled.

Franky went to the bathroom and did his business, made sure he hadn’t spilled milkshake on himself and pondered just going home. That wasn’t fair, though, because he wouldn’t want to be stood up, and he wasn’t going to do that to the last two guys he was supposed to meet today. Besides, Bob and Drac were right. It couldn’t get any worse.

He tried really hard for the next half hour to not check the clock every two minutes, and to not get depressed about how things had gone. He couldn’t remember meeting someone being quite this hard, but he had been on his own for quite a few years now and he supposed he hadn’t moved with the times.

Time crawled slowly, making him wish he’d just stayed home. He could be binge-watching Dead Boy Detectives for the umpteenth time. It would be better than this.

Three thirty finally rolled around, and the door opened almost on the nose. Oh, right on time, this guy had real potential.

Franky smiled at the man who came through the door, watching as he looked around, then headed in Franky’s direction. He stood, ready to shake the man’s hand and invite him to sit.

The guy got about five feet from his booth, his eyes widened and he raised his hands in a warding motion.

“Oh no. Nope. Just no.” He turned on his heel and headed out the way he’d come.

Franky stared in that direction for a while, stunned. The guy hadn’t even bothered to stay long enough to say hello.

“He’s not coming back,” Drac said softly.

“No, I’m afraid not,” Bob added.