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I think it’s the way she determines if people are worth her time or not. If they can handle her without pushing her away then you’ve passed her test. Once you do, then she’s loyal as hell and an amazing person to have on your side.
If you don’t, then…well, then you’re simply not worth her time and are dead to her. She won’t take you out at the knees or anything, but she won’t invest any energy in you.
I’m glad we’re on the right side of things with her.
“Fine,” I hold out the word and go to the back of my closet where the dress is. When I pull it out, I like it more now than I did when Coral forced me to buy it. She had a look on her face which told me either I buy it for myself, or she was buying it for me. Never one to accept charity, I bought it and then stuffed it into the back of my closet. “I’m going to need tights on, it’s too damn cold outside for a dress.”
“Wear heels,” Coral demands before I can look longingly at the flats in my closet.
I groan, “Are you serious?”
When I’m met with silence, I have my answer. I begrudgingly tell my oldest friends bye and make promises to update them about how it goes. As if they’d let me get away with anything less. Please, I know them too well to even entertain the notion.
I’m not sure if this speed dating event is the thing I need to jump start my love life, but it’s too late to back out now. Willow stuck to her resolution and look what it got her. She found her perfect dad bod of a man who wants to love and protect her.
Who knows what I’ll find if I follow through with this?
I don’t want a man who is going to protect me. I think I do okay with that all on my own. I want a partner. I want someone who I can spend the night snuggled with on the couch. I want a man who will cook me a nice dinner and doesn’t assume I’m the one who needs to be in the kitchen because I have a vagina. I want someone who makes my world better just by seeing him and I want the same to be true for him when he sees me.
It’s not too much to ask for. Is it?
The drive to Aces, the club where the event is taking place, isn’t long, but still enough to make butterflies fill me. It’s been a long time since I’ve put myself out there this much. I’m not sure how to feel about it.
I’m used to being at home, alone, most of the time. It’s the life of an illustrator, but I’ve worked damn hard for my career and the success I’ve had. When I sold my first illustration, I didn’t think I’d be where I am now. I have people who not only buy prints off my website, but commission me for work all the time.
My parents thought pursuing art was a mistake. They didn’t think it would be a sustainable job. After school I set out to prove them wrong. Which I did, but it was at a cost, one I paid with my love life.
I’ve been fine with it for years, but this year when it was time to come up with resolutions with my girls, I knew something needed to change. Willow felt the same way, so we made a promise to ourselves, and each other, to get back out there and see what the whole dating scene is like now.
Willow lucked out, but I’m not sure if I’ll fare so well.
Although, her finding her man is what led me to this speed dating event in the first place. Willow’s man, Lincoln, is head of security at the club and when she found out about the event, she put my name in without asking. I had the option to not fill out any of the forms they sent, but I figured I didn’t have much to lose.
Aces seems to be good luck and I could use a little of that in my life.
Even though Willow met Lincoln about a month ago, we’ve only come to the club once since for a girl’s night out. Mostly because Lincoln wasn’t going to let Willow come back to Aces until all the riffraff was taken care of. Considering Willow was drugged at the club, I could understand where he was coming from. I’m not looking to go out and get roofied anyway. No, thank you.
When everything was cleared up, we didn’t hesitate to come out for a night of fun. Mostly, I wanted to scope the place out before the MatchMakers Inc event tonight. I’m the kind of person who wants to see where I’m going, where to park, figure out the best routes, and know what I’m getting myself into. With speed dating having so many variables I could never predict, it made me feel a little better knowing the building layout at least.
The interior looks a little different now since the club isn’t open and the lights are all on, but it still has the Victorian vibe I loved when I came here the first time. It’s decadent while also being approachable. It’s hard to focus on anything other than my nerves though and I find that getting inside, my coat checked, and herded in with the rest of the speed daters is kind of a blur.
The next thing I know I have a drink in my hand, and I’m expected to mingle. The introvert in me wants to go and hide in a corner with my drink. But I force myself to not give into it.
There are some very attractive men, and women, at the event enjoying the happy hour. The buzz in the air feels like excited anticipation. Everyone else looks so much more at ease than I feel. When a man comes up to me, a big smile on his face, I force myself to smile back.
“Hi,” his voice is welcoming, “are you enjoying yourself so far?”
“I am,” I give him a little smile and kick myself for my lack of small talk skills. “Can’t go wrong with a cocktail to start off the evening.” I go for lighthearted, but does it only make me come off sounding like a lush? Do I care?
Fucking hell, I kind of hate this shit. I shouldn’t have agreed to it.
At least there aren’t any nametags. Small victories must be celebrated.
“For sure, for sure.” He looks around as if weighing whether to keep talking to me before he looks me in the eye again. “So, what time of day are you the perkiest?”
I arch my eyebrow at his use of the questionnaire all the attendants were sent and in his choice of question. At least he asked me something. I looked over all the questions, but secretly hoped I wouldn’t have to use any of them. No such luck it would seem.
“I don’t know if I’m ever really perky,” I tell him laughing at myself slightly. “However, I am a morning person. I tend to be up pretty early, and I do my best work then too.”
