Page 19 of The Swiping Game
8
DEAN
James: Steak or lobster?
Tara: Is this a hypothetical question or is a quiz? My answer is dependent on that.
James: I’m meeting my sister out for dinner, and I’m debating on what to get. So that got me wondering as to what you would order given the option.
Tara: So it’s a quiz. Will this be my answer for eternity or just for the sake of this conversation?
James: Do you ever just answer anything without asking another question first?
Tara: Nope. It’s part of my charm.
James: As I’m learning ??
Tara: So there are two answers.
James: Of course there are ??
Tara: Do you want them or are you going to be a smartass?
James: By all means. I’m on pins and needles for this.
Tara: So if you’re asking me to pick between the two, I’m a sucker for a good lobster. You can get steak a ton of places, but good lobster is hard to find. Now, if I wasn’t trying to impress you and being my true self, and let’s say money wasn’t an option, I’d be going straight surf and turf. Why limit yourself to one?
James: Somehow both of your answers are right.
Tara: Being right is also part of my charm.
James: I’m learning that as well.
“Ooh! Who just negotiated a major deal?”
Hazel’s voice startles me as I put down my phone. “Huh?”
She begins to take off her coat as I stand to help her into her chair. “I figured you were looking over an email that said you just closed a multimillion-dollar deal. That’s the only reason I can think of that you’d be smiling like that.”
“No deals yet,” I say, taking my seat back. “I was just...”
“You were just what? I’d say you were talking to a woman, but I know you better than that.”
I don’t say a word, hoping my silence will somehow veer us from this conversation. Not that I don’t want to tell Hazel that not only did I start talking to a woman but I’m also using her app. She would be just as supportive and happy as any sister would be. However, I don’t think her approval would continue when I tell her that I haven’t told Tara who I really am.
“Oh my God, you are.” Just when I think Hazel is about to slam her hand on the table in excitement, the waiter comes over to our table to take our drink orders. A dirty martini for Hazel and a Scotch on the rocks for me. As soon as he leaves, her eyes focus back on me, the menu and all other things to talk about be damned. “I talked to you five days ago, and you were single and ready to be an eternal bachelor. What changed?”
I’m now thankful I got here before Hazel and already have a drink stiffer than water for myself. I take a hefty sip of it, trying to decide where to start.
And how long to wait until I drop the ultimate bomb about Tara.
“Actually, after we got off the phone the other night, I started thinking about when you and Jesse developed Left for Love, and I remembered that I had an old profile on there. So I downloaded it and decided to check it out.”
“Wow,” Hazel says, her eyes wide as she gives her head a little shake. “I mean, that’s great. I’m glad you met someone!”
“That’s not all of it.”
Her look goes from pleasantly surprised toYou’ve got to be kidding me.
