Page 34 of Surprisingly Us

“So you’re looking to date?” I ask.

She clears her throat. “Um, maybe.” Then she nods. “Yes. That’s why I’m filling out the profile.”

Her hand drops to her chest where she promptly starts scratching. In real time, I’m watching an angry patch of red start to spread up her neck.

“Are you okay?” I point to the red splotches. “Jesus, are you having some kind of reaction?”

“Oh, no!” She jumps up and rushes over to the freezer. I follow her to find she’s pulled out two large ice packs and is holding them against her chest.

“What is going on?” I ask.

“Don’t say the d-word.”

“D-word?” I wrack my brain for what that could be.

“It’s four letters. And it’s really hard.”

“Dick?”

She closes her eyes in frustration. “No, what you said earlier about the profile.”

“Oh, date.”

I follow her back over to the couch where she leans back with the ice packs on her chest and closes her eyes.

“Hold on.” My eyes drop to the angry red splotches that are working their way up her neck. “This reaction is to the thought of dating?”

She groans. “Stop saying it. It’s stressing me out.”

“Lettie, look at me.”

Slowly, she opens her eyes to meet mine.

The vulnerability in those blue gems framed by dark lashes pull me in. She’s got no makeup on her face, and I can make out a light dusting of freckles over her nose. Damn, she sure is pretty.

But that’s not why I’m here.

“What about dating is stressful to you?” I ask.

“Um, let’s see, what isn’t stressful about it? Sitting across from a guy you know nothing about and interviewing each tofind out if you have any shared interests. The whole concept is terrifying.”

I’m shocked by this discovery. “You’re a professional ballet dancer. You perform in front of thousands of people on a regular basis, but going on a date is terrifying?”

She laughs. “Dating is nothing like dancing. Whenever a sequence is giving me trouble, I practice it until it’s second nature. It’s repetition, muscle memory. How does one train for dating? How do you practice something that involves other people? Conversations that can’t be anticipated? Situations that can’t be predicted? It’s madness and it’s overwhelming.”

That’s the moment everything clicks together. The lightbulb goes on. The key turns in the lock. Whatever metaphor you want to use. My question from earlier is answered.

Why would Lettie want to date me?

Lettie is looking to date but she’s clearly got anxiety about it.

I can be her practice. The guy that she already knows to guide her through the overwhelming parts of dating.

A wide smile pulls across my face.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks, ponytail swishing with the shake of her head.

I clear my throat, “Because I think we can be of help to each other.”

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