Page 9 of Jake

“I will be popcorn if I eat more.” Lauren giggled and stood as well to put her bowl in the sink. “I have to get to bed.”

“You’re an old woman, do you know that?”

“I value my sleep, also the bed is extremely nice.”

“It is a nice bed. It probably doesn’t bang on the wall if you have a date here.” Catherine winked at her.

“I haven’t dated in years, and I’m not starting now. I’m too busy,” Lauren answered honestly. Between work and online school, she didn’t have a lot of time.

“Meh, all work and no play . . .” Catherine threw a handful of popcorn at her.

Lauren laughed and picked it up. “You’re making a mess.”

Catherine shrugged. “A mess is easily cleaned. But one day you’re going to wake up and wish you had done more than work in your life. Let me set you up with someone; he’d be great for you.”

“Oh, gosh, I do not need you to get me a date.” Wouldn’t that just be great, going a blind date so the man knew she couldn’t get her own?

“I didn’t say you did, though your track record speaks for itself, but this guy would be great for you, and you can turn him down without even seeing him.”

“What?” That didn’t make any sense.

“It’s the blind date restaurant. You eat in the total dark.”

Lauren stared at her friend. That sounded stupid. “What guy is going to want to do that?”

“It has a dating app and everything to go with it. Come on, just one, and I’ll never try to set you up again and you can go back to being boring,” Catherine teased.

“I have goals.” She wanted to not be an assistant her whole life.

“Me too, but I am not letting them consume me.”

“You’re already successful, though. I can’t even afford to pay rent and bills by myself.” Frustrated, Lauren was waving her arms as she talked.

“Money doesn’t equal success, but you should ask my brother for a raise simply for putting up with him.”

“I am not—” She pointed her finger at Catherine. “—and neither are you.”

“Fine, fine, but you should.”

“I will take that into consideration, but now I am getting in that big comfy bed and getting up early to get my things tomorrow.”

“Ugh, fine.” Catherine tried to be dramatic and failed with laughter at the end. “Think about the date though!” she yelled as Lauren went down the hall to her bedroom.

Despite her best efforts, it was all she thought about as she climbed into her bed. It would be fun to go on a date, but this situation sounded weird for sure. Who wanted to eat in the dark or go on a date with someone you couldn’t see?

It had been so long since she’d gone on a date though. Maybe one in total darkness where they couldn’t see her making a fool of herself would be the best kind for her. But she didn’t have the time and didn’t want to make it.

There was also the fear of turning into her mother, someone that chased men for their money, going from man to man to maintain the lifestyle that she wanted. Lauren had worked hard to get where she was, which wasn’t exactly a top of the ladder job, but she did well and until now hadn’t relied on anyone else to help her. Roommates didn’t count when she paid her half.

Who would Catherine know that wasn’t super rich and wouldn’t make her look like she was after someone’s money? Well, actually, she would know some people she worked with. Maybe it was a coworker? Maybe?

She pondered those questions for a while until she finally drifted off to sleep, uninterrupted until her alarm went off entirely too early for a Saturday morning.

Though it hadn’t been as much sleep as she wanted, she was more well-rested than she could remember. It was a wonder what a peaceful situation and a good mattress could do for you.

She got up and headed straight for her en suite bathroom with a smile on her face. It was ridiculous that she had gotten up so excited to take a shower for the second day in a row. The hot water was amazing, and the fact that she didn’t have to be mindful of someone else needing to use the bathroom thrilled her.

She put her hair in a towel as she got dressed and went in search of coffee. Catherine was waiting for her as she entered the kitchen, coffee already prepared.

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