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“It’s been three days, and I think we’ve been patient.” Sophie didn’t mince her words and her matter-of-fact tone said she wouldn’t be deterred easily. “How did it go?”
“It’s been six months,” Barbara said, her tone letting me know exactly how pathetic she thought that was. “It’s about time.”
“Good for you, getting back out there,” Duffy said, her tone almost not at all condescending.
I sighed and sent a glare towards both older women. Okay, fine, it had been a lone damn time since I went out on a date, but in my defense my ex did a good job of souring me on the notion of love and relationships. I still was, despite using a matchmaker. But living in a small town where all of your friends were startin’ to couple up, meant I had to at least try to get back out there. Didn’t it? “They’re all liars, why should I line up for that circus again?” If a man was a liar, a thief or a cheater, chances were good that I would fall for him.
“But that’s not Grant,” Olive insisted. “You came to us so we could weed out the jerks and the liars and the psychopaths, so trust the process.”
“And if you can’t trust the process, trust us,” Sophie added with a scowl. “The algorithm works. And Grant is a good guy.”
I wanted to believe that, because everything I knew of him so far said he was a good man. But he was also too pretty and too charming, and guys like that couldn’t keep it in their pants. They couldn’t resist using their looks and their charms to manipulate, to cheat. Then again, was I searching for fidelity? Maybe, but maybe what I should be searching for is fun.
Grant had that in spades.
“The date went well,” I finally relented. “We had barbecue and went line dancing, so it’s safe to say that we both had a good time.” The fact that they’d found me a man who could dance was a point in their favor and I wasn’t afraid to tell them so. “Good job, ladies. It was a good match.”
“Was?” Olive leaned forward, staring at my face to see if I was lying or holding back. I hoped she had no idea I was doing a little bit of both. “What’s that mean?”
Sophie wore her skepticism like an expensive accessory. “Do you plan on seeing Grant again? Have you set up your second date?”
And that was the other reason I wasn’t ready to proclaim Grant Lopez a good guy. After a date that fun and a night that ended so well, what kind of man wouldn’t call after that? A player, that’s who. “We didn’t talk about it.” Not between rounds of sex, and not during the long hot make out session at the door before we said goodbye.
Olive sighed, annoyed. “So, it was just one date and you’re done?”
“I don’t know. We didn’t talk about a second date.” Probably because you gave it up on the first night. At least that’s what Jessie May would have said if I’d told her how the night ended, which I hadn’t. Yet. Maybe that’s why he didn’t call, and if that was the case, I decided I was all right with that. I didn’t want a guy sticking around just waiting to get laid.
Sophie sighed and stepped in close, staring me right in the eyes. “Would you go out with Grant again, if he asked?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Definitely.
I should have giving my answer more thought, because the shared smile between Olive and Sophie sent a stab of fear through me. They were up to something, I just knew it. “Perfect,” Olive said and turned on her heels.
“We’ll be in touch,” Sophie said, almost as if they were sharing a thought. “Have a good day ladies.” She gave a short finger wave to the rapt audience that was Barbara and Duffy, before following Olive out.
“Grant? That hunky new guy who works at the bodyguard school?” Duffy clapped her wrinkled hands excitedly. “Tell us everything. That man flirts so well, I can only imagine the things he can do naked.”
“Duffy!”
“What? I’m old, not dead. And I have a very active imagination,” she said around a laugh as she wiggled her eyebrows.
“Too active sometimes, if you ask me,” Barbara added with a grumble.
“No one asked you, Babs.” Duffy laughed again before her gaze, and then Barbara’s, zeroed in on me. Expectant.
“He can dance,” I offered with a hesitant smile, thankful that the mention of a man who can dance sent the conversation hurtling into another direction.
Grant
“Good job today, guys. Rest up, because the afternoon course is twice as hard.” This week’s group was a bunch of new retirees gearing up for their first jobs in personal security, and we were all determined to make sure they were prepared. Over prepared.
