Page 18 of Something Real with the Sea Monster
“Sure. If it would help. I’ll give up men too if you like,” I joke.
She laughs. “Well thanks. I appreciate that, but you don’t need to suffer just because I make bad life choices.” She smiles at me. “Friends again?”
Friends? That was not the word I would have chosen. I have a sinking feeling this conversation has not gone at all the wayI wanted it to. But I’m glad she’s not mad at me anymore. “Friends,” I say. After all, it’s a step in the right direction.
From the sounds of it, she could use a friend right now. Not someone trying to push his feelings and his agenda on her.
Tegan grins. “Well, if we’re friends, you should totally let me find you a date. You’ll never find your fated mate if you don’t get out there. And trust me, she’s out there. A sweet guy like you? You’ve got to have a fated mate.”
“A date?” Wait, this is not in the script.
“Are you on Tinder? Bumble? You’ve got to be on something. I’m sure there are lots of lovely ladies—or men—out there.”
“Ladies,” I say quickly, lest she get the wrong idea. Maybe my joke before wasn’t the best idea. I shake my head. “I’m terrible with those apps.”
“I can help! Oh please let me help. Let me make it up to you for being such a grouch this morning and for coming onto you so hard last night.”
I stare. She wants to help me date other women? I’m sure this can’t be a good sign, but there’s a light behind her eyes and her grin stretches all the way across her face, and I’m finding it hard to resist. I’m finding it hard to think about anything other than the way I wish I hadn’t turned her down last night.
“Well I guess it wouldn’t hurt to make a profile. Maybe you can help me with that.” Maybe the excuse to spend a little time together would be a good thing. After all, if she's willing to come round after work and hang out with me, that counts as getting to know each other. right?
I ignore the inner voice which whispers that this might just be the worst mistake I’ve made in a long time.
She claps her hands together. “Yes! This is gonna be great. We’ll find your fated mate in no time.”
I laugh ruefully to myself. “Yeah. I bet she’s closer than I’d ever guess.”
The dating apps are even worse than I remember. It’s a quiet afternoon, so between phone calls and emails, we chat while Tegan fills in details on the profiles she made for me on no less than five apps. I didn’t even know there were that many.
When I say that, she just laughs at me. “Well I didn’t sign you up for any of the dodgy ones. Or the kinky ones. We’ll keep it mainstream. I just know we’re going to find you someone.”
I nod meekly, sneaking peeks at her over my shoulder while I pretend to work.
She twirls a lock of long blonde hair around her finger, and I get a little lost in the shape of her lips as they curve into a little smile. “OK, how tall are you? Six one?”
“No. More like five eleven. I think. What’s one eighty-one in feet and inches?”
“I’m putting six foot,” she says.
A moment later she taps me on the shoulder, and when I turn, she steps close, staring into my eyes for a moment. “Hmm. Green or blue? Somewhere in between I think. I’m putting green. And body type is muscular.”
“More like dad bod,” I mumble.
“What are you talking about?” She steps closer, taking a handful of my shirt. “May I?”
“Uh, sure.” I should not be loving this as much as I am.
I do my best to keep still while she tugs the hem of my shirt up and lifts it so my belly and chest is exposed. And I try not to let it go to my head when she makes a low, appreciative noise and runs her hands up my abs making the muscles jump. “Yep. Definitely muscular. I’m putting muscular. God, I’m starting toregret my detox.” She drops my shirt and turns away, which is lucky because there’s an inconvenient bulge starting to form in my jeans, and there’s no way I was going to stop her myself.
“Sorry. Sorry. Tell me about you. What are you into? Do you have any interesting hobbies? Talents?”
I laugh. “Not really. I make really terrible craft beer, and I fish sometimes.” I shrug.
“I’m putting those down. That’s good. You’ve got a whole vibe going on.”
“What vibe?”
“You know…” She waves her hands and I laugh.
