Page 33 of Curvy Girl Summer

Donte:I’m in marketing. I like what I do, but if I could do something else, I would.

Aaliyah:Why can’t you?

Donte:I make a good salary, and the benefits are better than most companies. It’s a risk I’m not willing to take right now.

Aaliyah:I get that. At least you like your job, though. Even if you don’t love it and you would do something else, at the very least you like it and you’re being paid well.

Donte:Exactly. But a risk I am willing to take is getting to know you better, if you’ll let me.

Aaliyah:I would like that.

For the next twenty-five minutes, I sat outside grinning at my phone. When the waitress called me in, I didn’t even realize how much time had gone by. I was seated in the booth and handed menus.

“You want me to give you a few minutes?” the waitress asked, gesturing to the empty seat across from me.

I nodded. “Yes, please.” I checked my phone. “She’s five minutes away. But I do want to place an order for two waters and two mimosas.”

The waitress nodded and smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

Aaliyah:I just got seated at the restaurant, waiting on my friend to get here.

Donte:Somebody has you waiting? That’s unacceptable. When we meet, I’m going to make sure you’re not waiting.

Aaliyah:If that was your way of asking me out, that was smooth.

Donte:Good, because that’s all the game I got! I would love to meet you in person and see if we click.

Aaliyah:Would you like to meet for drinks on Friday at Onyx Bar? It’s downtown.

Donte:Yeah, that’s cool. I never heard of it, but I’ll look it up.

Aaliyah:My friend just walked in the door. If you’re free later, I can message you.

Donte:I’m relaxing today, so definitely hit me up.

Aaliyah:I sure will.

“What’s all this about?” Nina questioned as she slid in the booth. “I know it’s a man. Who is he?”

“Who is who?” I returned, placing my phone down.

She eyed me and held up one manicured finger. “One, you’re smiling so hard; I can see your molars.” She held up a second finger. “And two, I know for a fact that you put on your best outfits when you’re trying to make yourself feel better.” She narrowed her eyes, trying to read me. “So this could go either way.”

I snickered because she wasn’t wrong. “I was talking to Donte, and so far, I like him!”

“Good!”

I wiggled my eyebrows. “Hopefully, he’ll give me reason to delete this app!”

Nina’s expression was skeptical. “I hope so. But just in case,make sure you’re talking to other people, too. Men start off promising and then—boom—trash.”

I cackled. “Well, that was uplifting.”

She pointed at me. “That’s the truth.”

Cocking my head to the side, I eyed her. The only reason I didn’t say anything immediately was because the waitress brought our drinks. When she walked away, I leaned forward.

“Is everything okay? Did something happen last night?” I wondered.

---