Page 21 of Catching Feelings

Sweet, those two are.

Me? I’m a sweet guy. Funny. Love to dole out the compliments and charm the panties off a lady. But give my heart to?

I don’t think so.

“We met at a wine bar close to his office in the financial district,” Rowan says, bringing my attention back to the douche canoe date she had last week. “He neglected to mention the reason he gawked at believing I was a twenty-two college grad was because he has a son who just graduated from college, and a daughter who graduated from med school.”

“Too old for you?”

She curls her lip and shakes her head. “It’s one thing to read an age gap romance when the guy is hot. Frank was anything but hot. Maybe if he shaved his head instead of opting for a combover. And maybe if he didn’t have grease stains on his dingy white button down that was bursting at the seams around his middle. And it wouldn’t have hurt if he plucked the hairs hanging from his nose before our date.”

I can’t help it. My stomach shakes and I bowl over in laughter. “Nose hairs?” Shit. My eyes are watering. I stand back up and wipe my tears. “Please tell me as soon as he saw you, he realized you were so far out of his league NASA couldn’t even see the other side.”

“I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I stayed for two hours and made small talk. Thankfully, he didn’t try to kiss me or anything and walked me to my car.”

“How soon did he message you for a second date?”

“An hour.”

I nearly bust a rib with laughter. “Please tell me you said no.”

“I politely declined.”

“Row. He had to have a clue. What did he say in his profile that made you think he’d be a good match?”

She curls her bottom lip between her teeth and links her fingers together. “I thought we had a lot in common.”

“Maybe you and his kids.” When she lowers her head, I tip her chin up with my finger. “I’m kidding, Doc. I didn't mean to make you feel bad.”

“My profile is pretty boring compared to some of the other women, and his was on par with mine.”

“I can’t imagine anything about you would be boring.”

“Always so charming.” She lifts a shoulder and stares at my chest. “My profile is basic. I like going for walks, exploring the city and nature, floating on the river, cooking for my friends, and I love kids.”

“Let me guess. His says something about being a family guy and being one with nature.”

“Pretty much. To be fair, I shouldn’t have agreed to meet up with him after corresponding for only two weeks.”

“Don’t lead the guy on by talking to him, okay? You’re gorgeous. You don’t need him stalking you.”

“It’s not like he knows where I work or even my real name.”

“A fake alias? Do tell.”

She rolls her eyes and waves her hand through the air. “It’s nothing like that. We’re encouraged not to use our full names, and since mine isn’t common, I used my middle name and the number seventy-seven.”

I search my brain for the Rev’s roster and can’t think of anyone who wears seventy-seven. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a crush on someone from a different team. Or worse. A hockey player. Not that there’s anything wrong with hockey dudes. I have a few friends on the Boston team, but they takeplayerto a whole new level.

“Who’s seventy-seven?”

“It’s my birthday.” Noise from the kitchen ends our conversation. “Please don’t tell them about the app.”

I squeeze my lips together. “Sealed,” I squeak out.

Rowan steps into the bathroom and I head to the kitchen.

Bankes reaches into the fridge for a pitcher of cold water. “What are you doing?”

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