Page 78 of The Valentine's Bet

Parker lets out a sigh. “Try again.”

“He works on Wall Street?”

Parker’s shoulders fall. “No, it’s the fact that he didn’t ask about the two of you splitting the bill, he just decided that’s what he was going to do. It should’ve been a discussion—and if he chose a high-end, expensive restaurant, he should’ve been willing to pay for the whole thing. Honestly, a guy should always pay for the first date. But still, if he’s talking about how much money he makes on Wall Street and then decides without your input to split the bill, that’s a red flag.”

“Hmm.” I mull it over, taking another bite of pasta. “I guess that’s true.”

“Yeah, it is. On to the next.” Parker sifts through the index cards and then stops on one. “Okay, how about this one? You’re on a walk with your date. He grabs your hand and then tells you that you look great for your age.”

“Aw, that’s sweet,” I say, smiling. “No red flags there.”

Parker just stares at me for a moment and then shakes his head. “Yes, there is.”

“What’s wrong with holding someone’s hand and giving them a compliment?”

He sighs. “Amy, the compliment is backhanded. It’s equivalent to a guy saying that he’s never liked short women, but he thinksyou’reattractive.”

“I don’t understand. That’s a compliment...” However, the more I think about it, the more I see the negative indications. Maybe it would cause me to doubt myself a little...

“You’re out on a date and he checks his phone every few minutes, taking multiple calls with no explanation. He tells you he had a great time and wants to see you again soon.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “Um ... is that another backhanded compliment or something?”

“No, it’s the fact that he was checking his phone over and over.”

“Maybe it was an emergency?” I counter.

“But he didn’t say that, did he? He just kept checking it and taking calls... He should be giving you all of his attention on a date—the whole time. And trust me, if he’s willing to act like that on the first date, it’ll only get worse.”

I let out a groan. “I’m so terrible at this.”

“You are.” Parker chuckles, but when his eyes meet mine, they soften. “But a lot of people overlook red flags. You get caught up in the moment, and you just look right past them. My mom always dated guys withsomany red flags. She only focused on the flowers, sweet words, and whatever else they did for her. But the honeymoon phase only lasts so long, and then you’re left with the real person.”

“Dating shouldn’t be this hard,” I mutter, folding my napkin and setting it beside my nearly empty plate. “Why can’t people just be nice to each other?”

“Just because someone has red flags doesn’t mean they aren’t nice.It just means they have problems.”

“Everyone has problems.”

“Yeah...” Parker holds my gaze again and then lets out a soft sigh. “But you should find someone as close to perfect as possible. That’s the kind of guy you deserve, Amy. You’re nearly perfect, yourself.”

My brows shoot up. “Wait what?Youthink that aboutme? I thought you couldn’t stand me when we first met.”

He shrugs. “We didn’t see eye-to-eye. You’re a hopeless romantic, and I’m just ... not.But you know, maybe after Valentine’s Day, you’ll find someone.”

I giggle. “You just want me to go to that jazz concert with you.”

“Ha, no.” He shakes his head. “I just don’t want to lose the bet ... or pay for your overpriced concert tickets.”

I smirk. “They’re worth every penny.”

“Oh yeah? What’s your favorite song?”

“Um...” My voice trails off. “You’re going to laugh, but it’s a ballad called ‘Falling for You When I Didn’t Want To’.”

He chuckles. “It sounds cheesy.”

“Itischeesy,” I admit, smiling so much that my cheeks hurt. “I think that’s probably why I like it so much.”

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