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I straightened my shoulders and smoothed my knit top, one shoulder bare, leaving it clear that I was wearing a strapless bra. My top clung to me in a way that begged attention. My skinny jeans, heeled boots, hair in loose waves over my other shoulder and a little smoky eye completed my look.
I was ready. Let’s do this.
Half an hour later, after the start, more women than men were here. I sat at my table alone with my wine, waiting for the bell to ring and the men to move on to another table to meet other women.
So far, I’d met two guys, and I’d forgotten their names already. Cardigan Guy had talked about the complexities of taxlaws in Australia and given me a coupon if I needed help with my tax return. Zero attraction.
The second man was Hardware Store Guy. He’d stared at the tablecloth while answering my awkward questions ‘What’s your favourite colour?’ grunting ‘green’ and ‘What do you like to read?’ with ‘I don’t’. Another hard pass.
I’d set up a Tinder profile just before I’d left Sydney, my career and Wes Schumacher, but hadn’t used it to pick up someone swiping this way and that. I was about to give up on Mum’s speed dating night and head home when thunder rumbled, shaking the building. Everyone tittered and ‘ooohed’ as a guy walked in at the same time lightning lit up the doorway. He brushed raindrops from his fringe and introduced himself to Mum at the registration table.
Droplets clung to his forearms which flexed, doing very sexy, muscly things. He leant down, placing a motorbike helmet and a leather jacket on the floor, his jeans hugging his butt and thighs. His black AC/DC tee shirt was stretched across his chest. His biceps looked strong enough to bench press me. Two of me.
Arm Porn.My skin tingled from my scalp to my toes.
He was nothing like Wes.Perfect for a night of rebound sex.
He was in a different league to every man here. A fantastically ripped league.
I gulped a large mouthful of wine.Shit, I must get something to eat …
Mum handed him the speed dating scorecard we’d all received to tick off who we liked during the event, and then she laughed. “Call me Debra! Like zebra.” Mum leant into him, squeezing his forearm. “Not Debbie or Deb-bor-rah. Deb. Ra.” She let him go, breathing, “Oh my!” and then pointed to me. “Ariane Wilde is free right now at that table over there. But let’s get your details first.”
I looked away, straightening my back, and downed the rest of my wine to drown my nerves.I can do this,I chanted in my mind for the thousandth time.I’m a sexually independent woman who can ask a man for casual sex.
Ryan caught my eye from the bar and tipped his chin in a universal gesture of ‘another?’ I nodded vigorously.
A bell rang, and the men swapped tables, still leaving me alone. Some of the women went to the bar for another drink as the next round started. I shuffled the date night cards to distract myself. Thank goodness the sex toys question hadn’t randomly been chosen with Cardigan Guy or Hardware Store Guy.
I’d asked Cardigan Guy what his ideal first date was, and he’d launched into a monologue about cost-effective dates, including no-cost alternatives for the budget-conscious. I wasn’t a high-maintenance woman who wanted high-end restaurants, or clubs, or expensive bars.
I just wanted to be seen.
I jumped when Ryan appeared with another glass of white wine. “Added it to your tab. Just pay at the end, Ari.”
I thanked him, placed the cards on the table and took a sip.
“You’re braver than I am, attending a night like this.” Ryan brushed a love heart from his face as he cleared an empty table beside me.
I chuckled. “I am questioning my life choices right now.” I glanced to Arm Porn who was paying the registration fee with his credit card. “I think Mum’s hoping I’ll meet a nice young man who will talk me out of my road trip around Australia. Tonight is Operation Insta-Love.”
“Ha. Heard that you bought Cody’s Kombi. Happy to check it over before your big trip if you like.”
Ryan worked three jobs: with Ash as bar staff on weekends until she started her promotion as a line order cook for the pub’s bistro. During the week, he worked at Turner’s Mechanical as amechanic as well as running his family’s historic sheep station just outside of Ballydoon.
“Oh yes, good idea. Thank you.”
Ryan turned to walk away and hesitated. “And, ah, sorry to hear about Wes. Your mum mentioned you’d split up with him.”
Everyone knew Wes from his TV show, and everyone knew everyone’s business in Ballydoon.
“I’m fine.” I grimaced, clearly sounding not fine.“I’m moving on.”
“Hope you’re not going anywhere just yet.” Arm Porn was standing beside my table, smiling. He then offered his hand to Ryan. “G’day, I’m Jet. Jethro Cummings.” As they shook hands, Jet glanced my way as if sizing me up, and then winked. “That’s right. Plural.”
My eyebrows slowly rose.
Ryan coughed, his eyes widening briefly before he asked Jet for his drink order and then hastily retreated.
