Page 8 of Simply Irresistible
A thought suddenly came to me, and I wasn’t sure how I hadn’t thought of it before. We didn’t have the obligatory sports conversation. All serious New Yorkers picked sides. It could make or break a relationship…none of that house divided crap.
Tyler: Wait…I can’t believe I didn’t ask you this the other day…Yankees or Mets?
Melanie: Wow. I also can’t believe we didn’t get this out of the way. Mets. You?
Tyler: Mets. Giants or Jets?
Melanie: Eh. Neither. I prefer hockey. And before you ask, the Rangers. The only New York hockey team.
Tyler: Phew. This could have been over before it even started. I am a little disappointed you don’t like football, but I can live with that since you’ve got good taste in hockey.
Melanie: Yes, we definitely dodged a bullet. The Rangers were ingrained in me at a young age.
Tyler: Me too.
Melanie: Your parents fans?
Tyler: They were.
Melanie: Were?
Tyler: They passed away.
Melanie: I’m so sorry, Tyler.
Tyler: Thanks.
Way to go, Ty. Mood killer.
Tyler: About that date…
Melanie: Yes?
Tyler: When should I pick you up?
Melanie: How about Thursday at 7:00?
Tyler: That works for me. I’m going to be honest. Sometimes I get stuck working late for my asshole boss. I’ll text you if that happens, but I wanted to let you know in advance in case it happens.
Melanie: I appreciate that.
Melanie: We can always meet in the lobby after work?
Tyler: No. I want to do this right. Let me pick you up?
Melanie: Of course.
Tyler: Perfect. I need to get back to work, but text me your address and if I don’t see you in the elevator before then, I’ll see you Thursday.
Melanie: Looking forward to it.
I plugged in my earbuds and went to my music app. My fingertip hovered over the search field, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t step outside my perfectly crafted music box. The eighties werenotbetter than the nineties, so really there was no point at all. In fact, I was going to make Melanie a mix tape. What aninetiesthing for me to do. I’d give it to her on our date and she’d love it. I’d make her a nineties girl yet.
***
“That was so much fun,” Melanie gushed as we walked out onto the sidewalk.
“I’m glad you liked it,” I said, taking her hand and leading her in the direction of the restaurant where we’d have a late dinner. She blushed again; it was a good look on her. She was dressed plainly, as I’d suggested when I texted her earlier that day, in dark jeans and a teal short-sleeve shirt. She dressed the outfit up with some jewelry and fancy, gold sandals. She looked amazing, but she’d look good in a potato sack. “I figured it was better than a movie,” I winked at her, and she smiled.
