Third Date Read online

“Fine. But you’re still not setting me up. Just because a guy looks a certain way doesn’t mean he’s my type. And you don’t know anything else about what I like in a guy.”

  “Oh, please. I know your type better than you do.”

  “I disagree.” I stand up and put my lab coat on.

  Kayla does the same, then checks her phone. She grins, mischievously. “Jake from marketing. Interesting. I gave him my number at the holiday party but he never called. Now he’s asking me to dinner. Wonder what that’s about.”

  “Tell him no. You’ve dated enough guys at work. How many is it again?”

  “What difference does it make?” She slips her phone in the pocket of her lab coat. “And it’s only been six guys so stop judging me.”

  “The company only has 200 employees. You’re going to get a reputation.”

  “At least I can get a date. When was the last time you went on a date? College?”

  “Yes, you already know that.”

  “Yeah, junior year. That’s pathetic, Morgan. You can’t go that long without dating.”

  “It’s not like I wanted to. I just can’t find the right guy.”

  “At this point, any guy is the right guy. You just need a date.”

  We go to the lab to find Paige already at work. Paige is 23 and also a food scientist.

  “Hey guys,” she says in her usual cheerful tone. “I need help with this formulation.”

  “I’m not awake yet,” Kayla snaps, going to her station. “Ask Morgan.”

  “What’s her problem?” Paige asks.

  “I don’t know. She’s probably mad because I won’t go to the club with her tonight and I won’t let her set me up.”

  “I could go to the club with you,” Paige offers.

  “No offense, Paige, but that ring on your finger scares off the guys.” Kayla points to the one-carat diamond and platinum ring perched on Paige’s finger. “Besides, don’t you have one of your couples’ cooking classes to go to?”

  “Not tonight. But Michael did want to go see a movie.”

  Kayla looks at her, annoyed. Kayla thinks marriage is for people who are too afraid to live. She says it’s for people who want to be tied down to another person because they fear the adventure that is being single. The fact that Paige got married at the age of 22 has always made Kayla think less of her.

  But getting married young was exactly what Paige wanted. She’s had her life planned out since she was a little girl, and part of that plan involved meeting her dream man in college and getting married soon after graduation. And although that plan may not be right for Kayla, or other people our age, there’s nothing wrong with it.

  Paige is also a bit of a perfectionist, another reason why she gets on Kayla’s nerves. She’s always at work early. Her long brown hair always looks perfect, falling in soft waves down her back. She always dresses in the latest fashions. And she has a husband with Prince Charming looks who works as a junior stockbroker and is well on his way to earning six figures before he turns 30.

  “So why won’t you go out tonight?” Paige asks me.

  “It’s supposed to snow. And it’s freezing cold.”

  “It’s Minnesota. It’s always like that.”

  “Exactly,” Kayla says. “That’s what I keep saying. You can’t use the weather as an excuse or you’ll never go out.”

  “I go out all the time,” I insist. “I go to yoga. I go to my dad’s house. I have that wine club I just joined. And book club.”

  Kayla rolls her eyes. “Why don’t you just get a couple cats and be done with it?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You’ll never meet a guy doing what you’re doing. Yoga? Book club? All women. And wine club? All couples.”

  “I don’t do those things to meet men. I enjoy them.”

  “Believe me. You’d enjoy a guy a hell of a lot more.” She laughs.

  “It’s fine to be interested in those things, Morgan,” Paige says, “but you aren’t going to meet single men at those places.”

  I hadn’t thought about it before, but it’s true. I’m spending all my time hanging out with other women. And couples. I’ll never meet a guy that way. But where do you meet a guy when you’re 23? At a bar? That seems more like the place to meet a one-night stand and that’s not what I want. And dating someone at work seems like a bad idea, not that I’m ruling it out, but there’s nobody here I’d want to date.

  ***

  After work I head over to my dad’s house in Bloomington. It’s a suburb of Minneapolis and where I grew up. I go there a few times a week to check on my dad, even though he tells me I don’t need to. But I have to tonight. It’s starting to snow and I have to make sure he made it home. It’s one of those things I’ve done since the accident. Whenever it snows, I worry sick until he gets home and then I can relax.

  I see his car in the driveway and let out a sigh of relief. He made it home, safe and sound. My eye catches the For Sale sign in the yard and I notice a big, red Sold sticker on the corner.

  Sold? So soon? How could that happen? I’m not ready for this! I figured the house would take years to sell. The news keeps saying it’s a bad housing market. And our house is old and needs fixing up. Who would want to buy it?

  I’m instantly mad at Sophie, my dad’s fiancé, even though she doesn’t deserve my anger. She did what she’s supposed to do as a real estate agent. She sold the house and probably got my dad a really good price for it.

  Sophie’s a very nice woman and a great match for my dad. She’ll never be as good as my mom but I do really like her. Just not at this moment. Right now I’m mad at her for selling my childhood home so fast.

  I go in the house to find the two of them celebrating with a glass of red wine. I catch them kissing briefly and glance away.

  “Honey, we were just talking about you.” My dad sets his wine glass down. “Did you see the sign? We sold the house.”

  “Yeah, great,” I say, trying to hide my disappointment.

  “It’s a little sudden, I know,” Sophie says, seeing my expression. She knows how I’m feeling. She sells houses for a living. She knows the attachment people have to them. The memories. And how it feels like those memories are gone forever when someone else moves in. “I honestly didn’t think it would sell so quickly. I’m sorry, Morgan.”

  She looks at me with sympathy in her eyes. I can’t be mad at her. She’s way too nice.

  Dad comes over and unwraps my long wool scarf from my neck, making me feel like I’m 5 again. “I know it’s not what we planned, Morgan. I thought it would take at least a year to sell. But you just can’t predict these things.”

  “I have to make some calls,” Sophie says, sensing my dad and I need to talk. She goes into my dad’s office and shuts the door.

  “So what does this mean?” I take my coat off and hang it on the rack, along with my scarf. “Are you getting a rental place until you move?”

  Dad stares down at the floor, which he always does when I don’t like what he’s about to say. “We’re moving as soon as the sale is final.”

  “You’re moving to Austin?”

  “We already have a house down there.”

  “I know, but I just thought—” I stop and let my brain catch up. “So when is the sale going through?”

  “The buyer would like to move in as soon as possible, but I told him I need at least a few weeks to get everything packed up. Plus it takes time to do the inspection and get the paperwork filed and—”

  “A few weeks? That’s it?” It’s like someone just punched me in the stomach. I’m not at all prepared for this.

  “I know it’s soon, honey. But you can come down and visit as much as you want. I’ll buy you a plane ticket.”

  “It’s fine, Dad. Don’t worry about me. This is great news. Now you can officially start your retirement.” I try to sound happy. I don’t want to ruin this for him. He’s excited about moving to Texas and starting his new life with Sophie. And I
truly am happy for him. I’m just sad that he’s leaving.

  “I’m sorry, honey. I know you weren’t ready for this.” He forces me into a hug. “But this will be good for you, too. You’ve spent the past 10 years taking care of me. Now you can finally focus on yourself. Spend more time with your friends. Maybe meet a nice young man.” He grabs my shoulders and gives me the stern father look. “But please, no boys with tattoos or piercings. Anything but that.”

  I smile. “Okay. No tattoos or piercings.”

  Sophie comes back in, offering to order takeout for dinner. My dad puts his arm around her and gives her a peck on the cheek. She smiles up at him.

  They really are happy. They’re starting a new life together. And like my dad said, that’s good. Because it will force me to start living mine.

  CHAPTER THREE

  3

  “Okay, I’ll do it,” I announce to Kayla the next day, as we’re sitting in the break room having lunch. “I’ll let you set me up.”

  She’s so shocked the burrito she’s eating almost shoots out of her mouth and across the table. She stuffs it back, holding her hand up to let me know she’s still chewing. She finally swallows. “Did you just agree to let me set you up? After telling me yesterday there was no way in hell that would ever happen?”

  “Yes, I’ve changed my mind,” I say, nonchalantly. “Go ahead. Set me up.”

  Paige walks in and notices Kayla’s expression. “What’s wrong with her?” Paige asks me. “Did I miss something?”

  “Get this,” Kayla answers. “Miss Never-Goes-On-A-Date is asking ME to set her up.”

  Paige pouts her lips. “You’re letting Kayla set you up? Why didn’t you ask me to set you up? Michael has tons of friends at work who would be great for you.”

  “Then you can set me up, too. Go ahead. Both of you try to find me someone.”

  “Hold on.” Kayla swipes her napkin over her mouth. “I don’t understand this. Why the sudden change? You go from dating nobody to wanting to go on dates with total strangers?”

  “Well, technically if you guys know them, then they’re not total strangers.”

  “You know what I mean. What’s the deal with you?”

  “It’s my dad. He sold the house and now he’s moving to Texas with his fiancé.”

  “So your dad’s moving. What does that have to do with anything?”

  I sip my water. “He’s not just moving in the literal sense. He’s getting married. Leaving Minnesota. He’s moving on with his life. And I’ve decided I need to do the same. It’s time. I can’t sit at home alone in my apartment for the rest of my life.”

  “Well, thank God you finally realized that.” Kayla goes back to eating her burrito. “So when does this new life of yours begin?”

  “Today. I’ve already started making a list of all the things I want to do. And one of those things is to go out more. Be more adventurous. Try new things. And start dating again.”

  “I know the perfect guy for you,” Paige says. “He works at Michael’s firm. He’s super nice. Comes from a great family. Really good looking. You’re going to love him.”

  “He sounds like a total bore.” Kayla reaches in her purse and pulls out her lipstick. “You know what you need, Morgan? A guy who will give you the best sex of your life. But it’s going to take a few tries before you find that. Sometimes you think a guy’s going to be good in bed and are sadly disappointed. But I’m getting better at picking this stuff out so—”

  “She’s not looking for a one-night stand,” Paige says. “She wants a relationship. With a nice guy who wants more than just sex. Right, Morgan?”

  “Um, I don’t know. I guess I’m not sure what I want.”

  “Well, you’re not a slut so I know you don’t want to just find a guy to have sex with.” Paige glares at Kayla.

  “And she’s not an old married lady who’s no longer interested in sex either,” Kayla snaps back.

  “You don’t know anything about my sex life so—”

  “Okay, both of you just stop.” I hesitate, not sure if I really want to tell them this. But if they’re going to set me up, they need to know. “I have something to tell you guys and I can’t say it here. Can you come over tonight after work?”

  They both grab their phones.

  “Michael has to work late so yeah, I can come over,” Paige says.

  Kayla is smiling as she scans her messages. “Yeah, I can cancel on this guy. We were gonna grab a drink after work, but I’m not interested. So sure, I’ll come over.”

  “Great. Then I’ll see you tonight.”

  Chase walks into the break room as we’re tossing our trash away. “Hey, Morgan. Any problems getting your lunch out of the freezer? I had it wedged in there so tight I didn’t think you’d ever get it out.”

  “I got it. Thanks again for your help. I may need you again tomorrow.”

  He laughs. “At least I’m good for something.”

  Kayla’s eyes follow him to the freezer and watch as he opens it.

  He glances back and catches her staring. “See something you like?”

  “What?” Kayla, the girl who never lets a guy get to her, is completely flustered.

  “In the freezer.” He points to it, smiling at her. “They’ve got some ice cream treats in here.”

  “Oh, um, no. I don’t want anything.”

  He shuts the freezer and steps right in front of her, making her cheeks blush for what might be the first time ever. She’s not the blushing type. “So did you make it to that club last night?”

  “No. I got busy.”

  “You did, huh?” He chuckles. “Anyone I know?”

  “What? No. That’s not what I meant!”

  “I was joking.” He runs his hand down her arm and I swear she stops breathing. “Sorry about that. That was inappropriate.”

  “It’s fine.” She smiles. “Actually, it sounds like something I would say.”

  He lets go of her arm but keeps his eyes on hers. “So I guess I’ll see you later.”

  “Yeah. See ya, Chase.” She leaves before he can say anything else.

  “What was that about?” Paige asks Kayla when we’re back in the lab. “You’ve got a thing for the guy in the finance department?”

  “I don’t have a thing for him.” She drops the folder she was holding and papers fly out all over the floor. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “They went out one time last summer,” I say to Paige.

  “Thanks a lot, Morgan,” Kayla says, bending down to collect the fallen papers. “Like you really needed to tell her that.”

  “You had sex with Chase?” Paige whispers.

  “Why are you whispering? It’s not like he can hear you.” Kayla stands up and sets the stack of papers on the counter. “And why do you assume we had sex? We could’ve just went out for dinner.”

  Paige nods. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  I look at Kayla to fess up, but she doesn’t, so I say, “Don’t feel bad, Paige. She did have sex with him.”

  “Dammit, Morgan!” Kayla takes some clean beakers from the cabinet. “That was not supposed to be public knowledge.”

  Paige doesn’t seem that surprised. “Isn’t he the guy who organized the volunteer house-building project last fall?” She pauses to think. “Yeah, that’s him. I was on his team. He knows a lot about construction.”

  Kayla walks up to Paige. “Now that you know this, don’t start acting weird around him or making stupid comments about me to him.”

  “Relax. I never even see the guy.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s working on this floor for a few weeks so you’ll see him a lot now.”

  I join them at Paige’s workstation. “You need to go out with him, Kayla. There’s some definite chemistry between you two.”

  “He’s a numbers guy. I don’t do numbers guys.” She smiles. ”Well, I DO them, but I don’t date them. And I only do them once. After that the sex get
s boring and repetitive.”

  Paige chooses to ignore the comment which was basically an insult to her husband, who is also a numbers guy.

  “That’s why I go for the creative types.” Kayla takes the plastic containers of cereal samples out of the cabinet behind her. “Artists. Musicians. They’re up for anything.”

  “You’re a scientist, Kayla,” I say. “You’re just like the numbers guy. Science and math people aren’t that different.”

  She opens one of the containers and holds up a flake of cereal. “I create things. New flavors. New products. That’s way different than sitting at a desk all day typing numbers into a spreadsheet.”

  Paige and I give each other a look. I know she’s thinking what I’m thinking. Kayla has a thing for the numbers guy.

  ***

  Paige and Kayla arrive at my apartment at 7. Not having done much hosting of guests, I’m not sure what to serve them, so I set out some of the cheeses suggested by my wine club. I add a plate of crackers and some grapes, along with a couple bottles of red wine.

  “This is nice,” Paige says when she sees the cheese tray I’ve set out. “Michael and I should join your wine club. It sounds fun.”

  “See Morgan? Wine club is for couples.” Kayla pours herself a glass of wine. “If you want to find a man, you need to ditch that wine club and hang out at a bar.”

  I gulp down my glass of wine, trying to get the courage to tell them what I need to tell them. “Speaking of men, that’s why I asked you over tonight. I need some advice.”

  Kayla smiles. “This sounds interesting. Go ahead.”

  “Well, you guys know that I haven’t been on a date for a while. So I need you to tell me what it’s like out there.”

  They both look at me, confused.

  “What do you mean?” Paige asks. “It hasn’t been that long for you.”

  “Yeah, it’s not like you’re some 50-year-old who just got divorced and hasn’t dated in 30 years,” Kayla says. “I don’t get what you’re asking here.”

  “I guess what I mean is, what do guys expect on a date?”

  Kayla laughs. “Sex. Isn’t that what they always expect? I don’t think that’s changed since the caveman days.”