A Year to Remember(18)
I sat back, smiling, as he put his hand in his pocket. When his hand came out empty and he checked his other pocket, I knew he’d forgotten his wallet. I’d only brought eighty dollars in cash, but luckily I had a credit card for emergencies. This was obviously one of those emergencies.
“I’m sorry, Sara. I must have left my wallet at home. I was in such a rush to meet you I foolishly failed to ensure I had my wallet. I hope you’ll forgive me, and I promise to make it up to you on our next date.”
Since I expected to pay for my half, what did it matter if I paid for both of us? Especially in light of the potential for further dates consisting of romantic dinners and seats at the symphony. He would make it up to me.
“It’s no problem. Don’t worry about it.” I snatched the check off the table.
My heart sank. Oh my God! The bottle of wine cost $110 dollars alone! Between that and our appetizers, meal, and dessert, the bill totaled over $300, not including tip. I didn’t spend this much on groceries for the entire month!
After paying the check, Steven walked me to my car. It started snowing again, but tonight I didn’t mind. As the snowflakes fell, Steven bent his head to kiss me.
Other than the fact he immediately stuck his tongue in my mouth, the kiss was quite good. My body responded to the kiss, and I felt warm, even though it was only fifteen degrees outside. A minute later, we finished our kiss and I unlocked my car door.
“I had a very good time meeting you, Sara. I would love to see you again.”
“I’d like that, too.”
“I’ll call you then. Good night, Sara,” he whispered, making my knees go weak.
“Good night.”
As I drove home, I wondered how long he would take to call me to ask me for another date. Considering he was a gentleman, I assumed I would hear from him within forty-eight hours. I couldn’t wait to see him again.
CHAPTER 7
MARCH 23, 2012
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
WEIGHT: 183
STATUS: SINGLE
“I can’t believe he didn’t call,” I complained to Missy on the way to the movies.
“I told you the morning after your date he wasn’t going to call. I can’t help it if you didn’t believe me.”
“He seemed really into me that night. I don’t understand where I went wrong.”
“Sara, I told you, you didn’t do anything wrong other than believing the creep. It was a ploy designed to get you to buy him an expensive dinner.”
“Why would he bother?”
“Because he can and because he’s a man,” Missy said as she pulled into the parking lot of the movie theater.
“It’s not like he got me to sleep with him.” I tried not to think about the fact that despite agreeing to the four-date rule, I probably would have brought him home, if he’d asked.
“Thank God for small favors,” Missy muttered under her breath.
Meanwhile, I hadn’t met any other prospects from JDate. I’ve gotten a few emails, but they didn’t pan out. The majority of men wanted to communicate by computer for a while rather than meet in person. A couple of them even insinuated they preferred sex by text rather than the real thing. What was this world coming to?
At least tonight, I was getting out of the house. Since my date with Steven, I’d spent my free time sitting on the couch and binging on sweets.
Missy and I had a thing for science fiction. We saw every Star Wars and Star Trek movie, even the ones that made us physically ill to watch. We wouldn’t classify ourselves as Trekkies or anything, but we’ve considered going to Comic-Con in California.
Tonight, we had tickets for a sneak preview of the new Star Trek movie.
Since I had already blown my diet this week, I ordered a large popcorn, licorice, and a Diet Coke. Missy ordered a bottled water. Even though she didn’t need to watch her weight, she didn’t like popcorn or sweets. Instead, she’d bring her own snack, usually a small bag of pretzels or an apple. Sometimes, I wished I could be more like her.
While standing in line, I heard a familiar voice.
“Oh my God! I can’t believe it!”
Missy paled. We turned to Lori, the source of the voice.
Lori had been our third wheel all through college. First, she lived in the same dorm as us. When we moved off-campus, she followed us to the same apartment building, hoping we’d ask her to share an apartment. Missy and I wouldn’t let anyone come between us, not another friend or even a significant other. We were as close as sisters, except we never fought with one another. I used to feel a little guilty about how we treated Lori, but she never seemed to mind.
She changed physically since we last saw her. Her long dirty blond hair was now dyed to dark auburn and cut in a pixie style, which suited her heart-shaped face. Lori seemed more relaxed than she had in college, when she always appeared anxious and nervous. I sensed her self-confidence.