Page 11 of Debugging Love

A brief silence follows. Danni opens her eyes. The seagull gives up its pursuit and veers off into calmer air.

“Good luck catching someone in your net,” Danni says. “In the future, I wouldn’t call your dates racist, though. Or stare at any hot blondes. Or come across all arrogant.”

I guess Danni doesn’t understand the difference between arrogant and self-assured. Another reason we don’t mesh. Also, who is she to question my scientific methods? My plan is outlined and tracked. I have data for my data. This is going to work. It just didn’t work tonight.

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” I say.

Danni levels her eyes at me, holds my stare beneath a heavily furrowed brow. “Do whatever it takes to what?”

I shrug. Danni and I didn’t hit it off. She doesn’t need to know my life story. She doesn’t deserve to know it. “You know.”

“No, I don’t.”

“What do you think the point of dating is?”

She rolls her eyes. “Nice. I was just offering some friendly advice.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“Sure. Okay. You do you.”

“I will.”

“Well, it was nice not getting along with you.”

She shoves out her hand. I grab it and give it a firm shake.

“You want to go up top and watch the boat dock?” I ask.

“No. I’m calling it a night. This boat is big enough for us to retreat to our separate corners.”

“If that’s what you want.”

She glares at me.

A cranky woman is not the woman for me. I head up to the top deck by myself, grab a chair and pull it over to the starboard side. Streetlights, colorful signs, and stringed lights bathe the city in an inviting glow.

When we near the wharf, I peer down while the sailors hop onto land with their thick ropes and draw us to the dock. Ina flurry of motion, they secure the gangway and prepare the boat for disembarkation. Moments later passengers stream off, couples hand in hand, children racing down the ramp to the admonitions of their parents.

I join the flow and descend the stairs, my eye out for Danni. I don’t know why. She ended our date. If she hadn’t, I would have, the two of us going our separate ways for good. Probably.

I can’t write her off yet. I need to rate our date and consider the numbers logically. I have a hunch they’re not good, but she might rank high enough for a callback.

When I’m back on land, I head to my car. I found a decent parking spot on a side street not far from the Carolina Excursion’s dock. Streetlights guide my way, and soon I’m headed to my apartment.

During the drive, my brain replays the moment on the dance floor when my body lit up like the Charleston skyline and a burst of heat nearly incinerated me from head to toe. That’s never happened before. I don’t know what to think. I guess I’ll just score our date and trust the numbers.

At my apartment, I hop out of my car and slam the door behind me. Another car door slams. I think nothing of it. I think nothing of the dark form crossing the parking lot, heading up the sidewalk. Until she turns.

Her expression is downright evil. I stop in my tracks.

“Are you stalking me?” Danni hisses.

“No.”

“Then why are you following me?”

“Why areyoufollowingme?”

---