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“See you at work tomorrow.” With that, Harper hops off the barstool and leaves me confused as hell. I know it was a little bit of an awkward date, but was I that bad? Damn, this just reminds me why I don’t date anymore. It is all drama and awkwardness that I don’t need. I didn’t have that with Isabella and it only makes me crave that more. Cravehermore.
I finish my drink and decide to head home. There is no point in going anywhere else when I have work tomorrow. I call for Chinese takeout on my way home and stop in on the way to my apartment building. I am a regular so they know my order from my phone number, something I’m still not sure if I am proud about yet or not. Digging in at home, I kick my heels across the floor and snuggle up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket and the Queer dating show,Ultimatum. I stuff my face with fried dumplings and rice, trying not to think about how much of a disaster the night has been. Harper was supposed to be an ego booster, not dump me before the night was even over.
It is only after 8pm and I am thinking about Isabella, wondering what she is up to right now. Is she studying for classes? Is she out with her friends? My stomach clenches, is she out with someone else? The thought of her out with anyone else is enough to send me in a jealous rage even though I know I have no right. We are nothing more than a business transaction, but fuck if I don’t want that to change. I haven’t felt like this about someone, ever.
Against my better judgement, I decide to call Madame Angelica. I don’t know if phone calls are something I am allowed, but maybe it is an a la carte thing.
“Dylan? Lovely to hear from you, dear,” Angelica says on the other end.
“Hi, Angelica, I was wondering if I might be able to schedule a phone call with Isabella? I had a wonderful time with her last night.”
“Of course, let me make a quick phone call.” She puts me on hold, presumably to call Isabella, and I wait patiently on the other end. Part of me is nervous while the other part of me feels a little pathetic. At least she isn’t out on a date with anyone else tonight.
“Hello? Isabella is free, let me put you through. I’ll make a charge to your account at the end.” I can hear her typing on the other end.
“Sounds good.”I have enough money so who cares how I spend it?
“Hello?” Isabella says on the other end.
“Hi, it’s um Dylan…from last night,” I add in case she’s forgotten.
“Of course, I remember.” She laughs lightly.
“How are you?” I smile, hearing her voice.
“I’m good, just studying for an exam I have in the morning.”
“Should I let you go then?”
“Nope, I deserve a break.”
“Okay.” Am I always this awkward? Or is it just that tonight shook my confidence a bit?
“What are you up to?” Isabella asks.
“I just had dinner and honestly this terrible night out with a woman.” I laugh.
“Tell me about it,” she says quietly.
“It was with this woman I work with. I turned her down a few weeks ago and I should’ve left things alone. It was just so awkward and we had nothing in common except work,” I explain.
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out with her.” She sounds sincere about it.
“It’s okay, I hate dating, I’m not cut out for it.”
“So then why are you talking to me?”
“It’s easy to talk to you,” I say honestly. “I like talking to you.”
“I like talking to you too,” she says quietly. “And I don’t say that to everyone.”
“Well, thank you.”
The line goes quiet for a moment but it’s not awkward at all. It feels like we’re both just taking a second to think about what we might want to say next.
“You don’t happen to know anyone looking for a nannying job, do you?” I blurt out anxiously.
“What?” she asks, confused.
