I tapped his phone and saw several sentences of a text from his mom saying she hoped he wouldn't be late. The time on it was right at the time we were meeting. As I laughed, another text from her came through.
Mom:She's sweet, isn't she? What do you think? Will you ask her on another date?
Taylor read the text but didn't reply to it. He put his phone back into his shirt pocket and patted it affectionately.
"Eventually she'll ask me about my date before it's even begun," he said. "She's nothing if not committed."
My phone buzzed as a text came through.
Gideon:You're in luck, I got a better offer tonight. Enjoy your date.
"Was that him?" Taylor asked. "He's not coming, is he?"
"It was him and no, he's not coming. How did you know?"
"You look disappointed."
"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, feeling bad. "He's my best friend and lately…" I shook my head. "I don't know. Anyway, we haven't been spending much time together lately. You don't want to hear about this. Let's talk about something else. We are on a date after all. What kind of stuff do you usually talk about on dates?"
"Just whatever comes up really. I hate to say that as many of these dates that I've been set up on, none of them are ever the same."
"So you just keep going on blind dates?"
"I do. My mother is relentless. Every few months she starts pushing for me to meet someone." He shrugged. "I can't say no. But that's enough about me, I want to hear more about you."
* * *
"You've got to be kidding me," Sandra said. "You're telling me you were on a date with a gorgeous doctor last night and you ended up talking about Gideon?"
"Yes," I said as I squeezed some lemon into my tea. "I couldn't help myself. Taylor was so nice but whatever we talked about, it brought me back to Gideon."
"Oh, you're just a great date. He didn't mind you talking about another guy?"
"I really don't think he did. I don't think he was serious about it being a date. It was more like meeting a new friend."
"Something's not right then. What guy doesn't mind you talking about someone else and doesn't make a move? You said he didn't even try to kiss you."
"He didn't. But like I said, I did spend the evening talking about Gideon," I said with a laugh. "Anyway, I don't think it mattered. He asked me out again."
"No way! Maybe you found the secret to getting the second date - by talking about someone else. Are you going to go?"
"I don't know. I mean I did have a good time and Taylor seems so nice, but I didn't feel that, you know."
"The 'ah ooo ga?’"
I laughed imagining a cartoon character's eyes popping out with hearts.
"That's exactly it," I said.
"And when you're with Gideon?"
I sighed. It was something I had avoided admitting to myself.
"I don't know," I said. "When we were friends, we were friends. I seriously never thought of him as anything more. But something happened." I paused to think, and Gideon's voice ran through my head, giving me that 'ah ooo ga' feeling. "I think it was the day of the benefit. You know, that fundraiser at the Boone Art Gallery. He didn't recognize me from behind because I was dressed up and geez, his voice." I sighed as I thought about it again. "But it doesn't matter. He texted me he got a better offer. I guess the girl he was taking on the date was too hot for him to show up on my blind date."
"You don't know that. Maybe he realized he was acting like an ass. You've told me he can be a bit unpredictable," she said. "Why don't you call him? Have you spoken to him lately?"
"Of course I have."
