Piper
Sorry, I have a date. Thanks for last night by the way.
Beau
Oh cool, hope it goes well.
The fact he’s wishing me luck speaks volumes of my dating life. Every single date I’ve been on the past few months has been disastrous. None of them meet the expectations I’ve set for myself. I don’t know if it’s because my parents taught me to have high standards, or if it’s because none of them will ever replace Beau.
I don’t really have time to worry about that right now, though. I need to get ready for tonight.
Piper
Thanks. I’ll share my location when I get to the restaurant. You know in case the guy tries to kidnap me.
Beau
I seriously doubt that would happen. But sounds good.
He says that every time I tell him I’m sharing my location. It’s a safeguard that makes me feel more comfortable going places without him. I mean, it would be weird to show up to a date with my best friend. The one time I suggested it, Beau looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
He’s the one person who has always made me feel safe. I’ve been in love with him since the day he helped me carry my flowers home in middle school. Too bad I’ll never do anything to jeopardize our friendship. He’s too important to me. It’s why I keep going on these dates. Maybe one of these guys will make me forget the feelings I’ve always harbored for Beau.
Eventually one of these guys will knock my socks off, right? At least once I should be able to hit the dating jackpot. I’m not holding my breath, though. For whatever reason, I tend to attract people who are self-involved, only want to get free booze, or think they’re getting in my pants right after the date. Sorry, that’s not happening. Nothing against folks who live more freely than me, but I need to know sex isn’t all they’re after.
My phone dings again, but this time it’s the alarm. A not so gentle reminder I need to leave sooner than later to avoid hitting traffic.
I rush to my room and quickly change. A glance in the mirror shows my hair and makeup are still perfect from this morning. It takes me a few seconds to share my location with Beau before grabbing my clutch and hauling ass out the front door. Being late isn’t the first impression I want to give this guy.
four
. . .
beau
It’s takingeverything in me not to constantly check Piper’s location. I wasn’t playing when I said I didn’t think anyone would try to abduct her. But it’s for my own peace of mind, too. You can’t trust people these days, and she has a penchant for choosing douchebags to go on dates with.
If only she saw me as a viable dating option. She doesn’t realize how happy I could make her. I won’t bring it up, though. I can’t. Not at the risk of losing her forever. For now, I’ll stick to being the person she comes to when she needs me. It’s what I’ve done for over a decade, and what I’ll continue doing.
My phone vibrates in my hand and it scares the shit out of me. I glance at the message.
Piper
You home?
Beau
Yeah. What’s up?
Piper
I’m coming over.
Okay. I wasn’t expecting her to need me quite so soon. Preparations probably need to be made. If she’s leaving her date this early it didn’t go well at all.
I grab my keys from the counter and head out the door. My house isn’t as well stocked as hers. But I know she’ll want her favorite wine and maybe some cupcakes. There’s no point in getting dinner for the both of us since I’m sure she’s already eaten. Or, maybe she didn’t. I’ve got food in the fridge I can cook if she’s hungry.
My shopping trip takes me twenty minutes and I’m unloading the bags when the door opens. She almost beat me here. Was she speeding the entire way? I glance at the clock on the stove. No wonder she got here so fast. The traffic should be non-existent by now.
