Page 13 of Hockey Player Seeking Fan (Billionaires Seeking Wives Club #2)

Chapter Seven

E rica

"Erica, what the hell? So now you guys have a bet?" Sabrina looks at me, and I can tell she wants to say something else, but instead, she's silent. I’ve just spent the last twenty minutes filling her in on everything, and I know she thinks I’m crazy. Which I likely am.

"Yeah, it's a bet... kind of. I mean, there's no actual prize. It's not like he's going to give me a million dollars if I win or anything," I say jokingly, even though I'm not quite sure I find the situation as humorous as I'm making out.

"So let me get this right. He thinks that you have your head in the clouds, and you think that he's a jaded asshole."

"That's about it," I say, nodding. “I mean, he may be right, but I still think my way of thinking is best for humanity.”

"And how does this work, exactly?"

"Well..." I shrug. "I guess I'm going to go on dates and see if I meet anyone who seems like they could possibly fit the standard I have for a relationship. And if I meet someone who's close enough, I win. And if I don't, he wins."

"But couldn't you just say that you've met someone and then you still win?"

"I mean, I could, but I have morals, and I'm not going to lie."

"Okay, so that's cool. How often are you guys going to update each other?"

"I don't know. I mean, it's not like we exchanged numbers or anything."

"Oh, he didn't ask you for your number when he walked you home?"

"No, though I thought he was going to," I admit, thinking back to how Tyler had walked me home and then left. I'd been a little bit disappointed, if I was honest, but I wasn't going to tell Sabrina that.

"So do you think he's cute?" She leans in, her eyes twinkling.

"I mean... he is cute, but he's definitely not my type. The sort of man I'm looking for is not someone like him."

"I'm your best friend, Erica, and I don't think you're giving this guy a fair shot."

"What do you mean, I'm not giving him a fair shot?"

"I mean, you've had it in for him since the first time we met him, and it's really not his fault that he threw his drink on you."

"Like I've said a billion times before, I don't even care about the fact that he threw the drink on me.

Wes was an idiot and told him to throw a drink on you—whatever, I get it.

He wanted to get your attention and win your heart.

Whatever his reasoning was, I understand.

The fact of the matter is, when Tyler threw the drink on me and realized that he'd thrown the drink on the wrong person, he laughed.

He thought it was funny. He didn't seem like he was upset or wanted to take it back at all. He thought it was a big joke."

"I mean... it was kind of funny."

"I guess." I shrug. "I don't know. Anyway, I promised him we weren't going to speak about it again, so it's fine. It's whatever. There are other reasons why I know he's not my perfect man."

"And those reasons are?"

"Those reasons are: he doesn't believe in true love. He doesn't believe in soulmates. And, well... you know that I do."

"Yeah, that's true. So, have you been swiping? Have you found anyone?" She pauses. "You're not still on that one dating app where you're doing those group dates, are you?"

"No way, Jose. Those dudes were not good. I mean, I'd hoped I'd meet someone out in the wild like I met Elliott—but he ended up being a douchebag, too."

"True. But just because Elliott was a douchebag doesn't mean they're all douches. I mean, look at Wes."

I groan as she makes a face of pure bliss. "I am happy that you love my brother, and I wouldn't want you to be with anyone else... but gag me with a knife. My brother is not romantic. He's not sweet. He's annoying as—" I pause as she makes a face at me.

"Let's just agree to disagree," she says. "He's so sweet. Do you know what he said to me last night?"

"No, and if it's anything sexual, I don't want to know."

She bursts out laughing. "Erica! I'm not going to tell you about our sex life like that."

"I know. Thank you. So what did he say?"

"He said that if he were to be born a hundred times, in each life, he would look and search for me.”

I stare at her. While I think the sentiment is very sweet, and I would love a man to say it to me, hearing that my brother has said it doesn't make me feel the same way about it.

"Did he get that from a movie or something?"

"No. Why would you say that?"

"Because that just does not seem like something Wes would say. But fine. I will accept that he said it, and I'm glad for you. Maybe I'm a little bit jealous. Maybe I want a guy to feel that way about me. But at least I know that no matter how long I'm single, Miles will be single much longer."

"Why do you say that?" she asks, a look of confusion on her face.

"Because Miles is never going to settle down. That dude thinks that a long-term relationship is like winning the lottery."

"You think?"

"I think it would be kind of nice if he were to meet someone and fall in love, but it's never going to happen. By the way, how's your sister? You haven't said much about her."

"Oh, she's okay." She lets out a long sigh.

"My dad is not exactly happy with everything, and she feels guilty about having a relationship with me because of her mom, and she doesn't want Dad to think that she's judging him.

He's got all these excuses. He said he's going to get sober.

" She shrugs. "You know how men are. They've always got an excuse.

And she loves him. I mean, he's her dad, and.

.. well, she's hoping that this time, it's going to be real. "

"And how are you feeling?" I ask her. "I know it's a lot."

"Honestly, I am trying not to think about it too much.

I have Wes, and he's just amazing. We're making this podcast, and I have you and my mom, and.

.. well, I'm just taking it a day at a time.

Because, unfortunately, sometimes life isn't pretty. It's not like a picture book. We don’t have big, bright, colorful lights and happy endings all the time.”

“Yeah, I feel that.”

“But I don't want to talk about that," she says. "Let's go on your dating app and see if you've got any messages."

"Okay, sure. Let me see." I grab my phone and open it. "Three new messages. Okay, this guy's name is Brett. He's twenty-six. He has a degree in finance, and he works on Wall Street."

Sabrina says, winking, "You got a man with money."

"I guess." I read aloud. "He says, Hey there, sexy. Would you be interested in grabbing brunch one day? "

I roll my eyes. "Number one, I'm not interested in anyone who is calling me sexy before they have even met me. That tells me everything I need to know."

"I think you're right about that," she says. "Okay, who's next?"

"Well, this is Luther." I hold up the phone and show her a photo of a tortured-looking artist. He has very light blond, wispy hair and blue eyes. "It says he's originally from Scotland, and he's a poet."

"Oh my God. Not another poet." She giggles. "Like good poetry or bad poetry?"

"Well, he has a poem on his about me page, and... it's okay, I suppose."

"Let me hear it," she asks eagerly.

"No, you're going to judge him."

"Let me hear it, Erica."

"Fine. Let me bring it up. Okay, so this is what he says:

“Blonde hair, blue eyes, almost like you're looking in the sky.

I am a gentleman looking for a lady, looking to whisk you off your feet.

I don't eat meat, but I don't care if you do, because we can share other things—like the way our bodies rumble and the way our stomachs grumble and the way people bumble and the way I like to jumble my words and assorting hats and the world is not flat.

One thing I know, one thing that's true is that I am looking for you . "

I look up and wait for Sabrina's reaction. "So, what do you think?" I ask her.

"I think that he likes to rhyme," she says with a small smile. "And it's not the worst thing I've heard. I mean, it's not the best. You're interested in him?" she asks me.

"I mean, I know that guys don't always come off the best on these apps, so I do think he's worth a date."

"Okay, and who's the third guy?"

"The third guy's name is Abby."

"Abby?" She stares at me. "Like Abigail?"

"No, just Abby. He said that he's originally from Nigeria."

"Oh my gosh. He's not asking you for money, is he?"

"No, actually he's really educated. He has a master's in engineering, and he is contemplating going back to school so that he can get an MBA and open his own civil engineering company."

"Wow. Impressive," she says.

"And he seems nice. I mean, so far. Let me see his last message:

“ Hi there, Erica. It is really nice getting to know you. I would be interested in taking you on a date if you feel like that would be something you're interested in. How about dinner or perhaps a quick bite for lunch, whatever you would feel most comfortable with. Always, Abby ."

"Oh, well, he's really polite," Sabrina says. "Let me see what he looks like."

I hold up the phone.

"Ooh, he kind of looks like a younger Idris Elba," she says.

"Yeah, he's cute. I mean, not as cute as—" I pause.

“Who?”

"Tyler Kane…”

She gasps. "Did you say what I think you just said?"

"No! No, of course not. I was just joking," I say quickly, my face going deep red.

"Oh my gosh. I am absolutely crazy."

"I don't know about crazy, but you literally just said that none of them are as cute as Tyler. But you're not into Tyler."

"I'm not into him. I just?—"

“Oh my gosh, I think he’s cute. Should I go on a date with him?”

“Has he asked you on a date?” Sabrina asked.

“No. Of course, he hasn’t asked me on a date. You would know if he’d asked me on a date.”

“So then why are you asking me if you should go on a date with him?”

“I mean, I’m sure I could make a date happen,” I say, grinning at her. “Do you not think I could make a date happen?”

“Girl, you can make anything you want happen. But what would be the purpose of it? Wes would not be happy.”

“I’m not going to live my life by what my brother wants. If he could put me in a nunnery for the rest of my life, he would.”

She giggles. “He has always been overprotective of you. And I mean, he was overprotective of me, as well.”

“Yeah, but that’s because he was in love with you,” I said. “He just wants me to be his little baby sister forever. Well, I’ve got news for him. I’m a woman, and I am going to find myself a man.”

“And is that man Tyler Kane?” she asks.

“I don’t know. I mean, no, of course not. Do you think I should get his number?” I ask her, and she bursts out laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“I mean, are you into this dude or not? Because why are you asking for his number?”

“I don’t know. I guess one part of me is like he’s cute and kind of funny, and even though he’s obnoxious and annoying, he’s still caring.

I appreciated how he stuck up for me with Elliott.

And while he’s very sexy and maybe he’d be fun to mess around with, the other part of me is looking for my soulmate.

I want someone that I’m going to connect with, who I’m going to fall deeply in love with, and who will fall deeply in love with me, and we’re just going to have that moment.

It’s going to be like a fairy tale. I don’t want to miss out on that guy because I’m messing around with Tyler. ”

“Yeah,” she says. “That’s true. And you’re sure he’s not interested in any sort of serious relationships?”

“Girl, you’ve most probably spent more time with him than I have. What do you think?”

“Yeah. He doesn’t seem the sort to be looking for anyone serious.” She nods. “But maybe?—”

“What?”

“Maybe he will change his mind one day.”

“I’m not waiting for the one day that he changes his mind and begins looking for someone. Anyway, I forgot to tell you that I went through the first episode, and I think we’re ready to launch it next week.”

“Oh my gosh, really?” Sabrina sounds as excited as I feel.

I nod. “Yup. It sounds great. I think we really have a unique insight into what it means to be a young woman, dating and looking for true love, and how that compares to literary characters who may or may not be an ideal.”

“Yeah.” She sounds excited. “I think that episode one was really good, and I’m excited to get it out there.”

“Me too,” I say. “Me too.”

“So, which one of these guys should I respond to about going on the date first?”

“Which one are you most interested in going on a date with? You have the Scottish guy with his poetry, who may or may not be cool, and then you have the engineering guy who seems very polite—but maybe he’s not going to be as fun. Do you want a poet or an engineer?”

“I don’t know,” I say, wrinkling my nose. “I mean, none of them are really lighting a fire in my soul, if I’m completely honest.”

“So then what would light a fire in your soul?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes you just think about meeting someone and looking at each other and there being that spark.

And you just need to talk to each other.

And then as you talk, maybe he touches your hand and there’s a little spark.

And you just want to continue getting to know each other.

And he asks you if you want to go and grab something to eat, and then you do.

And then you go for dessert and then drinks before winding up back at his place on the couch, and the next thing you know, he’s kissing you, and it’s amazing.

And he’s telling you how beautiful you are.

And then he takes you to bed and makes sweet, passionate love to you, while looking you in your eyes and saying, ‘You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met in my life. And I’m so?—’”

I pause as I realize Sabrina is rolling her eyes. “What?”

“I hate to say it, Erica, but your head is completely in the clouds. That is just not how real life works. Are you really going to go on a date with a guy, have dinner, then go for ice cream, add drinks, then go back to his place and have sex with him all on the same night?”

“I mean, if he’s the one, that could possibly happen.”

“I love you, and I believe in ‘the one,’ as well, but I don’t know if that’s really how life goes.”

“Well, that’s how it’s going to go for me,” I say. “That’s what I want. I want to meet my perfect match. I want to meet the man who is going to absolutely blow me away.”

“Okay,” she says. “I hope that is what you find.”

“Me, too. Anyway,” I say, stretching. “I think I’m going to go and take a bath and relax. Maybe watch a movie and swipe some more and see if I can connect with someone else.”

“Sounds like a plan,” she says. “I mean, if you’re going to win this bet, you need to start going on dates.”

“Exactly,” I say. “I need to start going on lots of dates so that I can show Tyler that the perfect man is out there—and a good man is not an outlier.”

“Yeah, you show him,” she says. “I can’t wait for you to win that bet.”

“Me, too.”