AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, obviously there was a glitch with the app,” I explain, “Basically, all three of us matched together at the same percentage. There’s supposed to be a failsafe to prevent that, but it was sort of set up assuming it would be two guys matching with one girl, not two guys matching with each other and a girl.”
“It is a pretty weirdly specific scenario,” Marco agrees.
“But clearly not impossible,” Russell says, “So all three of us matched at the same level?”
“Yeah, but it’s okay,” I say quickly, “I can just head home and leave you guys to enjoy your evening.”
“I mean, it’s sweet of you to offer, but that doesn’t seem quite fair,” Marco protests, “You took the time to get ready and come out here just like we did. Why should you have to go?”
“Really,” I try to insist, “It’s fine, I don’t mind.”
“No, he’s got a point,” Russell argues, “I mean, all three of us matched, right? So clearly the app thinks we’ll all hit it off. Why don’t the three of us just have dinner, no pressure, and then if any of us are feeling any chemistry by the end of it, we go from there?”
“I kind of like that idea,” Marco says, looking a little sheepish as he adds: “Takes a little bit of the pressure off.”
It’s an interesting idea. And I have to admit, there’s definitely a charm to both of them that’s tugging at me. While some of the old panic is nagging at me, I remind myself that Josie checked both of these guys out and has all of their information. And maybe Marco’s right, having both of them there might alleviate some of that pressure.
It's one extra person to keep the conversation moving, and unless I’ve gotten so massively unlucky, the chances of both of them being creeps seems pretty slim, so even if one of them is, I’ve got someone else here to keep things from going south, right?
And who knows, maybe best case scenario, I might come out of this with a couple of new friends.
So finally, even though I’m a little bit terrified by the idea, I nod, and just like that, I’m on the weirdest double date imaginable.
We sort of loosely explain to the hostess and she’s happy to seat us at a table for three, promising us as she leaves that our server will be right with us.
There’s a moment of awkward silence once the three of us are left alone, and I feel my nerves start to rise again. Am I going to have to be the first one to talk?
But mercifully, Russell speaks up and breaks the ice. “So, have either of you actually been here before?” he asks.
Marco shakes his head, but I nod. I’ve been to all of the date destinations that Josie picked for the app, and in fact helped her pick them out. We chose all of them based on multiple criteria. Price point, menu options for those with dietary restrictions, relative location…and honestly, this one was my favorite of them.
“Ah, well, since you’re the only one who’s been here, anything you recommend?” Russell asks.
“Are you asking as far as drinks, or food?” I ask.
“Either. Both,” he chuckles.
“Hmm, okay,” I decide to start with drinks, “Are you a beer guy, wine, cocktails? Or if you don’t really do alcohol, they have some amazing fruit lemonades.”
“I like anything,” he says, “But I always like to try a place’s signature cocktails if they’ve got any.”
“I think I’m going to have to go for one of those lemonades, that sounds delicious right now,” Marco adds, glancing over the drink menu for the different varieties.
“In that case,” I tell Russell, “I highly recommend either the sangria, which they do with some local wines, or the Tropical Mule. And personally, for the lemonades, I think the pineapple and the passionfruit ones are the absolute best. Although the raspberry is a close contender.”
“Sounds like you know your stuff,” Marco remarks with a smile.
“My best friend and I have come here a couple times, and we always sample whatever the other gets,” I explain.
I don’t add that the aforementioned best friend is the creator of the website that brought us here. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I feel weird about mentioning it, like I’m only here because of some sort of nepotism or something.
Our server arrives to take our drink orders and I opt for the sangria. Russell orders the same and Marco takes my advice and opts for the passionfruit lemonade.
Once the waitress disappears back into the kitchen, we start looking over food options, with me similarly steering them towards some favorites that Josie and I have tried.
I sort of lose track of how the conversation shifts, but somehow we end up talking about work, and I learn that Russell is a manager at an IT firm and Marco teaches fourth graders at an elementary school in the same district where I’m a high school guidance counselor.
I’m waiting for another awkward pause, but one never comes. We shift from talk about work to TV shows, which crosses over into movies, then soundtracks, which turns into music...it flows with an ease I wasn’t expecting.
Dinner comes and goes, and honestly, I’m barely paying attention to the food, I’m so wrapped up in the discussion that I’m eating completely on autopilot. And we keep talking long after our plates have been cleared away, too. In fact, we keep talking until the server comes around and asks if we need anything else because the kitchen is closing in ten more minutes.
I’m completely shocked. While I wouldn’t describe myself as antisocial, I normally don’t click so quickly and completely with a person, let alone two of them, but somehow after just this one evening, I almost feel like I’ve known Russell and Marco for ages.
We take care of the check, tipping the server generously, before heading out to the parking lot. “We’ll walk you to your car, Sofia,” Marco says, “Where’d you park?”
“I’m right over there. The little white Toyota,” I say, pointing across the lot.
I know I could quite easily make the walk alone, but I’m glad they come with me anyway. I hate to admit it, especially given everything I told Josie about not wanting to do this, but I’m kind of reluctant to let the night end.
And as far as Russell’s whole thing about deciding who we have chemistry with at the end of the night…I don’t really know what to make of it. There’s chemistry here, that’s undeniable. But the problem is, I feel it with both of them. Obviously I can’t see into their heads to see if it’s mutual, or to see if I’m right about what I think I see between the two of them, too.
But all too soon, we arrive at the driver’s side of my car. I pull my keys from my purse, fidgeting with them for a moment. “This was…definitely kind of weird, but surprisingly fun,” I tell them both.
“It really was,” Russell agrees.
Marco nods. “Yeah…but where do we go from here, then? I’ve got to say, I like both of you a lot and I wouldn’t mind getting to know you both better.”
“I feel the same way, but how do we go about that?” Russel asks, “We just…all date each other until we figure out this shit?” he laughs a little.
This is another opportunity for me to get out of this, to walk away and let them find happiness together. All I have to do is tell them that I’m not feeling it. Maybe I could even say I’d like to hang out with them as friends, but when I try to put the words together and bring them to my lips, my gut twists and I find that…I don’t want to.
It stuns me, but I don’t want to close that door on them yet.
So when Marco shrugs and says, “Yeah, maybe,” I can’t help but feel a little relieved.
“Think about it,” he goes on, “Lots of people date casually, see multiple people at once, the only difference here is that it’s…well, more connected. We could each try going out individually, see how things go, then decide what relationship we want to pursue.”
It’s an unusual idea, but I suppose he’s right. If anything, it seems slightly more ethical than the usual casual dating because everyone’s completely aware of the situation and each other.
“Sounds weird, but I’m game,” Russell says, chuckling.
They both turn to me. “What do you think, Sofia,” Russell asks, “You in?”
I never in a million years expected tonight to culminate in a second date, let alone two of them, but despite my misgivings, I find myself nodding. “Okay…sure, let’s give this a shot.”
