“It’s no pressure,”Livi says. “It’ll be just like a group of people going out, and Mason and Iwon’t make you feel like you’re on a real date or anything.”
“Promise?” I say.
She nods. “Iwouldn’t lie to you, Alexa. And I also wouldn’t shove you together with someguy if I didn’t think you’d like him.” She smiles. “You did say you’re ready toget out there and find a relationship.”
“That’s true,” Isay reluctantly. And I believe it. I want a boyfriend. I want what Livi andMason have. Staying cooped up in my bedroom every weekend won’t make thathappen for me, but dating guys will. Even if the date isn’t amazing, at leastI’m trying. I’ll never know if I don’t try. And I’ll never get over Gabe if Idon’t meet someone better.
I take a deepbreath and stand a little straighter. “Okay, this sounds fun. Now exactly howcute is this guy?”
***
Livi didn’t lie. Leeis pretty cute. I kind of hate myself for even thinking it so soon after Gabe,but it’s true. Livi is driving us in her new/used truck, and she came by andpicked me up. Now we’re pulling into Mason’s long driveway as we get ready toembark on this blind date that’s not supposed to be an official date.
Lee and Mason arestanding in the garage looking at one of Mason’s new project bikes, an oldHarley that’s mostly dings and scratches. I get a good look at this blind dateof mine while Livi slows the truck and puts it in park.
He’s about averageguy height, not tall like Gabe, and has sandy blonde hair that’s cropped shorton the sides and is also pretty short on top. You couldn’t run your handsthrough it like you can with Gabe’s hair. He’s not too thin, but he alsodoesn’t look exceptionally muscular. But it’s not like I’m in amazing shape oranything, so I’m not complaining. He looks nice. Like a general nice guy.
But he’s nothingspecial, at least judging by the looks of him. He’s just a regular guy. I canwork with that, I guess.
Even though thisfake blind date doesn’t matter much on the whole scale of things, I am a littlenervous. It’s always nerve-wracking putting yourself out there for judgement bythe opposite sex.
When a guyapproaches you, like how Gabe approached me at the coffee table, you knowthey’ve already seen you. Already given you enough of a glance over that theythink you’re worth talking to. But this Lee guy has never seen me before. Whatif he’s not a fan of what he sees?
“Sorry we took solong,” Livi says, walking into the garage without a care in the world. And whyshould she have one? Her boyfriend already loves her so she has nothing toprove. She gives him a quick kiss on the lips while I slowly meander into thegarage, looking at the old Harley as if I give a crap about it.
“This is Alexa,”Livi says. And I have to give her some credit for it. She says it all casually,like she just realized it might be good to introduce the two strangers in theroom. She didn’t do something humiliating like say my name all sappy andsing-songy to make it obvious that she’s trying to hook us up.
“Alexa, this isLee. He’s always at the shop with Mason.”
(As if she hadn’talready told me that. Good one, Liv.)
“Oh, hello,” I sayin what I hope is just as casual of a voice.
“Hi, there,” Leesays. He’s got a deep southern gentleman type of voice, and that’s the firstthing that makes him similar to Gabe. It somehow manages to make me smile andhurt at the same time.
“You girls hungry?”Mason says. “We were just thinking about getting some dinner.”
Damn. These two arereally good at arranging a blind date and making it seem like there’s nopressure. I love my cousin so much. I shrug.
“I could eat.”
“Me too,” Livisays. “Where we going?”
“Have you been toSam’s Boat?” Lee asks, which makes the three of us laugh.
“Yeah, we go allthe time,” Mason says. He turns to Livi and me, waiting for our answer.
Livi shrugs andlooks at me. “I’m good with that.”
“Me too,” I say.The food is delicious, the lakefront views are spectacular, and I’m familiarwith the place so that’ll be one less thing to be nervous about.
After some smallchit chat, we all agree to take Mason’s new truck, and I’m climbing into thelarge backseat next to Lee. Just like the state of Texas, Mason’s truck is a monster,so even though we’re both back here, there’s a huge middle seat between us thatcould fit a kegger of beer or two. So it’s not very intimate at all. I bothappreciate it for being low pressure, and wonder how I’m supposed to get toknow this guy if everything stays so casual. I’m ready to get back out thereand start dating again and Lee is just cute enough to make my plan work.
He and Mason keeptalking about the fixer upper bike, and motorcycles in general. Lee hasn’ttalked to me once, nor has he paid any attention to me.
Then it dawns onme.
I take out my phoneand text Livi, even though she’s sitting right in front of me.
