Page 4 of More Than Just Friends

‘It really is! I mean a thousand pounds is still a lot of money for a week, but like you said, it’s a hell of a lot less than the normal cost. And I’d get to go to Santorini and be part of Stella and Max’s wedding, which I know will be epic.’

‘Yep! If I told you what they’ve got planned, you’d shit your knickers.’

‘Gross, but I love the enthusiasm!’ I chuckled.

‘So, what do you say? You interested?’

‘Hell, yeah! I’m done with the apps and if this gives me a chance to meet my dream man, I’d be a fool to let the opportunity slip through my fingers. And Mama didn’t raise no fool!’ I said in a terrible American accent.

‘Yay!’ Sammie said. ‘I’ll send you the link right now to sign up.’

2

NOAH

‘Get home safe.’ I flashed a half smile at my date, then leapt on the train, willing the doors to close quickly.

Once I was safely out of the station, I breathed a sigh of relief. That date was the longest two hours of my life.

My phone buzzed and when I saw that it was Colin, my friend and the ‘matchmaker’ responsible for setting me up with Ingrid, I sighed. He’d had such high hopes for tonight, so I knew he’d be disappointed.

‘So?’ he said as soon as I answered the call. ‘How’d it go? She’s already messaged to say she’d love a second date. Shall I set something up?’

I paused, searching for the right words before deciding I just had to tell him straight that I wasn’t interested.

‘I’m grateful for you arranging the date, but I’m not the right guy for her,’ I said diplomatically.

‘What?’ Colin bellowed so loudly I had to hold the phone away from my ear. ‘Why not? She thinks you’re great. Tall, dark and very hot were her exact words. What’s the problem? She works in IT like us; she’s attractive.’

‘I’m sure she has some nice qualities, deep down. It’s just…’

‘It’s just she’s not Alicia.’ Colin huffed.

‘What?’ My jaw tensed. ‘What does Alicia have to do with anything?’

‘Admit it. You’re still hung up on her. You’re still holding out hope that you two will get together even though she has zero romantic interest in you and has kept you firmly in the friend zone for decades.’

‘This isn’t about her,’ I said, defensively. ‘Just because I didn’t have a connection with Ingrid tonight, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s because I fancy my best friend. Which just to clarify, I don’t.’

‘It’s me you’re talking to,’ Colin scoffed. ‘You were obsessed with her at school, then college, even when you went to different unis, and you’re still obsessed. You’re thirty now, mate. It’s time to get over her.’

‘Ingrid was rude to the barman, which was an instant red flag,’ I countered, aware that I hadn’t directly replied to his comment about my supposed ‘obsession’ with Alicia, which was obviously stupid. ‘And she literally spoke at me for the entire date. It wasn’t a conversation. It was one long monologue about her job, how pissed she was that she hadn’t had a pay rise, how her boss didn’t want to give her time off to go to the doctor’s about an itch she had “down below” as she called it. And that was before she committed the cardinal sin of trying to discuss politics. I’m relieved I made it out alive.’

‘Oh,’ Colin said. ‘Sorry. I didn’t realise. I thought you were just… My mistake. Maybe Ingrid was nervous.’

‘I get that.’ I nodded. ‘Dating is tough, but there’s no way I’m putting myself through that again.’

‘Fair enough. I’ll speak to Shania and see if she’s got any other friends she can set you up with. Give me an hour and I’ll get back to you.’

Colin hung up before I had the chance to tell him there was no need.

We’d been friends since we were eleven and I knew he meant well, but I really didn’t want to be his pet romance project.

For some reason, when I’d moved to his neck of the woods in North London a year ago and started my new job as an IT technical support worker at the same firm as him, Colin and his wife Shania decided to make it their personal mission to find me a girlfriend. And so far, it’d been wildly unsuccessful.

I’d tried, but I hadn’t connected with any of the women. I’d considered going on second and third dates, just in case, but decided against it. That wouldn’t be fair to them or me.

It was fine though. I wasn’t fussed about being single. I liked my own space. Doing what I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it. And despite what Colin and Shania thought, if I wanted a date, I could find my own.