Page 21 of Hesi-Dating
"Oh? That's a good thing. What happened?"
That look is exactly why I didn't tell you.
The glow in her eyes signaled warning to me. She wanted details of my sex life. Not happening. Not for the first time, I wondered if she was interested in me in a way that wasn't professional. This reaction by the therapist confirmed my suspicion she couldn't provide objective counseling.
"Nothing happened," I said. "We shared an appetizer and that's it."
"Nothing else?" Her tone sounded disappointed. Of course she was judging me, which I hated. That was her job. "Did you feel inclined to push being romantic?"
"Sure, but she was too young for me. It was off an app. I didn't know what I was getting into. It's a learning process to navigate those. Maybe next time."
"Do you feel conflicted feelings over your ex-wife are holding you back?"
"No. My ex had nothing to do with it not going anywhere."
"When I started dating after my divorce, I had feelings toward my ex that held me back until I saw my ex dating other women."
"I'm sorry he hurt you," I felt obligated to say. This wasn't the first time she'd projected her life onto mine as if doing so was helpful when, in fact, it had nothing to do with my situation.
"Sounds like you were interested in her, even if you think she's too young for you."
Didn't want to talk about this. "She's kind and genuine, but we're not at the same point in life as each other. It'd never go anywhere."
"I want you to journal about it tonight. That might help get your feelings out."
"Sure." I gritted out a smile. I wasn't going to write my feelings in a fucking book. Never had and never would. That was the kind of crap that would get me incriminated in court for being mentally unstable or used to oust me from my job.
* * *
"You and Joley, huh?" Walt Whitcom settled his linebacker huge body in the chair on the other side of my desk. He wasn't overweight, just huge. "She wastheJoley from the app date I set you up on a few weeks ago, wasn't she?"
I tried to intimidate him with a glare.
"Are you guys seeing each other now?"
So much for him dropping it. "She had a flat tire at the library. I offered to help."
I wished to avoid a discussion of app dating with Walt again. Walt used an app for weekly dates. He used a variety of dating apps on a rotation. Much to my chagrin, he liked to tell me all about every one of his dates. I'd known Walt since our time in the police academy a decade ago. He might have a problem committing to one girl, but he was the kind of friend who'd show up with a shovel or gun in the middle of the night if I asked.
"She's…" Walt traced an imaginary hourglass with his hands, then wiggled his eyebrows. "Have you and she already…you know?" Thank God he didn't do something graphic to act it out. His tone was enough to get across his question.
"It's none of your business." I rifled through the pile of phone communications on my desk. "We're friends right now. I don't have time for anything complicated."
"Are you turning in your man card? She's about the hottest woman to give you the time of day in decades, maybe your entire life. She saved your life, too, which must mean she likes you."
"Did she save my life?" I glanced up and pushed my hat off my forehead. "I had that guy."
"The camera footage sure looked like she did you a solid. Was it a smart move on her part? No. But it worked out." Walt held out his large hands. He'd almost made it to the NFL before a knee injury in college. "How many girls do you think would do that for you?"
Not many. Not even my ex when we were married."Do you have a point to being in here other than gossip?"
"I have news on our Red Crips intake. Their lawyer showed up, like he does any time we get within sniffing distance of one of their boys. The lawyer spent less than a minute interviewing him and walked out. Said he's not one of theirs, which meant it's not his business what happens to him."
"The guy pretended to be Red Crips? Or is the group dumping him?" I took off my hat and set it on the table to massage my forehead.
Walt shrugged. "Either way, he's a dead man. You don't impersonate Red Crips members and then get in trouble with the law. Hell, you can't be a member and get in trouble. Every member we've taken in before disappeared, you know."
Of course I knew. We'd tried tracking the few we caught. All disappeared within a day with no trace. "Does the kid know his life is in danger?" I tapped my lip wondering if this might be an opportunity rather than an annoyance. "We can try what we've done before. See if it works this time. Go tag him and follow. When they try to take him out, hopefully we'll be there to swoop in."
