Page 2 of Hate You to Love You

‘Harsh,’ says Dave. ‘I always tell people it takes three tries with a negroni until you like it.’

‘Only if you like the sensation of your throat on fire.’

We laugh and I do my best to give Dave a flirtatious look. Although, based on the confused expression on Dave’s face, I’m not entirely sure that it’s working. He probably thinks I’m having a stroke or something.

I school my face back to normal. ‘I’d take a cosmo over a negroni or Aperol spritz any day.’

‘Okay, Carrie Bradshaw,’ Dave says playfully.

My face lights up at the Sex and the City reference. ‘Perhaps we need to order a cheeseburger, fries and a cosmopolitan?’

With that, we’re off on a deep dive of our favourite Carrie Bradshaw moments. The cosmopolitans we order eventually turn into margaritas, which we’re about to follow up with red wine – a Spanish one that Dave is convincing me to try – when I suddenly feel a bit panicked. Maybe another drink isn’t such a good idea. When the room begins to tilt, I take a deep breath and focus on Dave. There is no way I’m going to mess this up.

One of the waiters is clearing a table across from us when she looks over and asks, ‘Can I get you two another round of drinks?’

‘I’m okay, thanks,’ I reply, filling up my water glass from the little bottle on the table.

‘I’ll have two glasses of the red, please,’ Dave adds.

‘Two glasses? Double parking, are we?’ I say arching my lips up into an overbearing smile.

Dave responds with a relaxed laugh. ‘The second glass is for Giselle.’

‘Who?’ I ask.

‘My girlfriend,’ Dave replies.

I almost spit out my water. Girlfriend? Did he just say girlfriend?

‘I did tell you about her, didn’t I?’

I realise I’ve been sitting in silence, staring down at the table in confusion.

‘No… No, you didn’t,’ I reply, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. ‘Your Bumble profile didn’t say anything either.’

‘Oh, Bumble. That would be it. Sorry, mate, I haven’t updated all my details there in ages. It’s a struggle to keep up with all the apps I’m on.’

Oh god. There it is. He’s hit me with the dreaded mate. Confirmation that this isn’t a date.

‘You’re not disappointed, are you?’ Dave says, leaning back in his chair.

‘Disappointed? No, no. I’m not disappointed at all,’ I reply, my voice rising an octave.

What follows is a long monologue from Dave about his idea of soulmates. He tells me he believes that we all have more than one person that we are destined to be with. That it’s incomprehensible to him that anyone would go out into the world and share deep connections with so many people, only to be tied down to one person. Which is why he is in an open relationship with his girlfriend, Giselle.

In theory, I get it. It’s nice to believe that you don’t just have one shot at love. It’s nice to believe that no matter what happens in your life, or what the universe throws at you, you can find love everywhere and anywhere. I don’t have anything against open relationships, but a heads-up would have been nice.

The waiter returns with Dave’s drinks. I focus my slightly blurred vision on the extra glass.

‘So… is Giselle joining us?’ I ask.

‘She’s on her way. I thought it’d be nice if you two met, I can feel it in my heart that you’ll get on well.’ Dave’s joyful smile leaves me crushed.

I can’t believe that this date, like all the others that came before it, has spiralled into chaos. This bar is the last place I want to be. I shouldn’t have listened to Addie. My night could have gone so differently. Pizza and wine at home while blasting ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ by Taylor Swift. Instead, I’m facing humiliation, a large bill and a girlfriend called Giselle.

I push my chair back and begin to stand. ‘Look, Dave, it was nice to meet you, but I think there might have been—’

‘Babe!’ someone calls from the other end of the bar.