Yeah. That was the one.
She posted it, finalized her account, and abruptly shut the laptop. Now, she would clean the bathroom.
***
Monday brought her a ton of things to be done at Common Scents, which was a good thing, as she was having major buyer’s remorse about the dating site. So much so that she’d texted Chris in a full-blown panic at six that morning.
You need to chill. This is a good thing, Chris had typed much later, when Kelsey was in her office at work.
Freaking out is a good thing? Kelsey had fired back. Explain.
No, creating an account is a good thing, Chris had clarified. I’m proud of you.
Oh, good. Kelsey knew her sarcasm was most likely lost in text. She had barricaded herself in her office, too uncertain to deal with customers. Still freaking out over here.
Deep breaths. And then check and see if you got any matches!
Kelsey stared at the screen on her phone and chewed on the inside of her cheek for several seconds before responding. I’m afraid.
You’re silly.
Her intercom crackled to life then, and Jeanine told her the sales rep from the cruelty-free lotion manufacturer had arrived. Thank God.
Duty calls, she typed to Chris. Back later.
Stephanie Bradley from Earthly Products looked the part of a woman selling cruelty-free cosmetics. Her blond hair was cut short and stylishly, longer in the front than in the back, swooped to the side and tucked behind an ear. Hammered silver disks dangled from her ears and her makeup was very simple—just mascara, lip gloss, and a touch of blush—and effective. Her skirt was long and flowing, her sandals simple, and her toes polished a bright blue. She was exactly what she needed to be to sell her product: earthy, approachable, and not at all pushy. If there was one thing Kelsey couldn’t stand it was the hard sell, and she refused to be bullied into buying anything. Stephanie did it right. She talked about her products, about the making of them and how they were made with no animal by-products and were never tested on animals, and she handed several samples over to Kelsey. Then she let Kelsey make her own determinations.
The lotions were silky and absorbed quickly into her skin. Kelsey liked that and knew her customers would as well. The Orchid Breeze had a lovely, very subtly floral scent. Not too heavy, not too cloying. It just tickled her nostrils.
The fragrances were similar in characteristics. Kelsey spritzed the Mint Julep body spray into the air near her, then took a sniff. Same thing: subtle, gentle scent, just a tease.
This went on for a good seven or eight minutes as Kelsey opened, sniffed, and sampled just about everything Stephanie had to offer. Stephanie sat quietly, observing, answering any questions Kelsey had, but otherwise letting her product sell itself.
It did.
“I really wish I had ten suppliers like Earthly,” Kelsey said with a grin. “The whole cruelty-free thing is a very big selling point for a big chunk of my customers, but there aren’t enough of you guys to go around.”
“Yet,” Stephanie said, returning the smile. “We’re getting more and more requests, which means our competitors must be as well. I think it won’t be long before we see some of the larger manufacturers extending their lines to include cruelty-free. That may help to bring costs down.”
“It was a big sticking point at my last store,” Kelsey confided.
“Cost?”
“No, cruelty-free products. I used to work for a big chain store that shall remain nameless, but my manager refused to even consider entertaining some of the cruelty-free stuff out there. They cost more and that’s all she needed to see: her profits dwindling. Didn’t matter that the dwindling was minimal.”
“Studies show that a large percentage of people—women in particular—are perfectly willing to pay a little more for products that are cruelty-free. And that number grows every year.”
“And that’s why I’m going to place an order with you.”
“Fantastic.” Stephanie clapped her hands together once, then pulled out a sheet detailing all the available products and handed it to Kelsey.
“I’m going to start small, see how things go.”
“Absolutely.” Stephanie woke up her iPad and they got to work choosing products and scents, discussing the benefits and sales potential of different items in this particular market. It was nearly an hour later that they completed their business. Stephanie stood and shook hands with Kelsey. “You’re going to be so pleased with our products. I promise you.”
“I believe that.”
Kelsey walked Stephanie out through the shop where a handful of customers browsed and held the door for her. With a wave, she headed into the parking lot, and Kelsey took a moment to breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun on her face. Which only lasted a moment before it became too hot. With a shake of her head she went back inside and busied herself with a couple of customers until her stomach growled loudly, reminding her it was nearly time for lunch.
Back in her office, she glanced at her phone to see a text from Chris. In all caps, it said simply, AND???
Kelsey sighed loudly and dropped into her chair. “I will never hear the end of it if I don’t take care of this,” she said to the empty office. “Fine.”
On her laptop, she signed into the dating site and was startled to see she had twelve responses waiting for her. “Wow.” She sat and stared for a moment before lifting one shoulder in a half shrug and saying, “Okay. Let’s see what we’ve got.”
Of the twelve, six of them had photos of women who, if they didn’t look like serial killers, at least appeared to have been on an episode or two of Hoarders. She deleted them immediately, pulled out her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and set to reading up on the remaining six.
Half an hour later, she was left with two serious possibilities.
The first was a chiropractor in her early forties. A bit older than Kelsey had considered originally, but the profile photograph was nice. Her name was Donna. She had dark hair cut in a straight, sleek style that ended just above her shoulders, kind eyes, and a warm smile. Some of her likes included reading (which Kelsey loved), kayaking (which Kelsey had never done but was willing to try), and sports (okay, two out of three wasn’t bad). She responded to the initial contact, agreeing to a date.
The second one was very cute, according to her photograph. Reddish-brown hair in a ponytail, wispy bangs brushing across green eyes and lightly freckled skin. She was Julie, she was thirty-five, and she was a bank manager. She liked independent films (Kelsey was willing), nature hikes (Kelsey loved those), and baking (Kelsey was happy to reap the benefits). Julie also received an e-mail.
When she was finished, she picked up her phone, scrolled to Chris’s last text, and typed, Mission accomplished.
CHAPTER FIVE
THE BAR WAS CALLED Planter’s, but Kelsey had no idea why. It was a sports bar, clean and neat enough, with lots of TVs showing soccer, baseball, and golf, none of which Kelsey cared about even a teeny bit. Oh, well. She ordered herself a light beer, preferring to keep a fairly clear head, found a small table not too far from the door, and waited for Donna, her online date.
Kelsey was early. That was her usual MO, but today, she wished it wasn’t. Sitting there with time to kill only made her rethink this whole online dating thing and wonder if she had lost her mind completely. What was she thinking? Why would she want to put herself through this? Those questions pinballed around her head for a while before calm rationality kicked in and reminded her that this could be fun. This could be awesome. Donna could end up being the love of her life. She had no way of knowing.
She sipped her beer and told her brain to shut the hell up and stop torturing her.
The bar’s patrons consisted mostly of men who were mostly loud, shouting at the TVs and at each other, but they were amusing. Kelsey was almost done with her beer when she felt a tap on her shoulder and a voice asked, “Kelsey?”
She turned to meet a steady brown gaze that belonged to a woman
Kelsey had never seen before. Like, ever. Not in person. And not in a photo. Short salt-and-pepper hair topped a head with a ruddy face and crinkles around the eyes, her complexion telling Kelsey she was outdoors a lot. She was stocky, bulky but not fat, more muscled than anything else. Clad in cargo shorts with more pockets than Kelsey could count and a navy blue T-shirt, she smiled and held out her hand.
“I’m Donna.”
“You’re Donna?” Kelsey asked, shaking the hand but confused.
“I am.”
“You don’t look anything like your profile photo.” Like, it can’t even be an old picture of you because it’s not you. She didn’t say those words, but they flew through her head and announced themselves on a megaphone.
Donna chuckled and sat down. “Yeah, I know.”
“Like, it’s not even you.”
“True.” Donna offered no explanation, just ordered herself a beer from the waitress, then lifted her glass in a salute. “So. You’re super cute.”
Kelsey squinted at her and held up a hand. “Wait. That’s it? You use a photo that’s not you and I’m just supposed to shrug and be fine with that?”
“Everything else in the profile is true, so you really did pick me.” Donna was infuriatingly nonchalant about what she’d done.
“But...you’re catfishing me.”
Donna squinted and cocked her head. “Nah.”
“Um, yeah. You are. That’s pretty much the definition, you know? I’ve set up a date with somebody who is not what she told me she is.”
Finally, Donna shifted in what seemed to be discomfort—maybe? Kelsey didn’t know her well enough to be sure. “It’s just a picture. That’s the only thing I told a little white lie about.”
“Yeah, see, telling me you look like one person when you actually look completely different isn’t a little white lie. Not in the grand scheme of dating.”
“You got a problem with the way I look?” Donna’s eyes had hardened and Kelsey realized this was a no-win.
“Not even close to being my point,” she said, pushing herself to her feet as she felt her anger rise.
“What is your point?”
Could she really be this obtuse? Bracing her hands on the table, Kelsey leaned forward. “My point is, if our very first date is predicated on a lie, what else would you lie about down the road?” There was no way Kelsey would get into her last relationship and how the lies had compounded the hurt. She owed nothing to Donna. Glad she’d already paid for her beer, she grabbed her purse and left the bar, feeling more annoyed than she expected...which annoyed her more.
Once in her car, she pulled out her phone, plugged it in, and dialed Chris.
“Yo,” came her cousin’s voice through the speaker above the car’s windshield.
Kelsey didn’t give her time to say more. “Strike one.”
“Already? Wasn’t your date, like, ten minutes ago?”
“She catfished me.” Kelsey said it through gritted teeth, surprised at how mad she was.
“How?” Then Chris gasped. “Was she a guy?”
“No, but she wasn’t the person in her profile pic either.”
“She used a fake picture? Oh, that’s not cool.”
“That’s what I told her.”
“You did? Go you.”
“I thought she needed to know. I’m not starting any relationship off with a lie. I’m just not. I’ve had enough of that.”
Chris shifted gears then. Kelsey could hear it in her voice. “I’m sorry, Kels. Just shake it off. You’ve got a coffee date with the other chick tomorrow, right? Maybe she’ll be better.”
“Maybe.” Kelsey sighed as she pulled into the lot of her apartment complex. “I will say this: if she doesn’t look a thing like her photo, I’m not saying a word. I’m just leaving.”
“I don’t blame you.” Shifting again, Chris cleared her throat and asked, “Hey, you up for a visit from your favorite cousin?”
Kelsey gave a little squeal of delight, her mood instantly lighter. “When would I not be up for that? Yes! When? Say tomorrow.”
Chris’s hearty laugh came over the line. “No, not tomorrow. But in the next few weeks maybe? Would that work for you?”
“Any time, any day of the week. You are always welcome to stay with me whenever. You know that.”
“Okay. Good. I’ll keep you posted.”
They signed off, and Kelsey turned off her car and headed inside.
Her small apartment was starting to feel like home. It had been important to her from the beginning to make it so, but having lived with Janice for a few years, there was a lot she didn’t want to haul to Illinois with her. Memories she didn’t want to bring to her new life. Mainly dishes and bedding, everyday things. She’d spent more than she’d intended, but every time she pulled out her brightly colored plates or snuggled under her duvet with the purple and pink stripes, she was glad she had.
Happy she hadn’t wasted an entire Sunday with the online date that wasn’t, she settled down with a book, snuggled into her couch. She’d read for a while, then take a walk in the sunshine, enjoy some fresh air. She had to be in early tomorrow. Mondays were always busy for her at work with bill paying and order writing, so she liked to use her Sundays for relaxation. Plus, tomorrow was her coffee date with Online Date Number Two, which, given how things had gone today, she was not looking forward to in the slightest.
Shaking her head with a sigh, she opened her book and let herself be whisked away. At least for a little while.
***
Monday morning brought with it gray and rain and the occasional rumble of thunder. It had also flown by for Kelsey, who’d spent much of it on the phone trying to fix a botched order that had been delivered. Her supplier had argued with her over responsibility for much longer than they should have before realizing their own error and apologizing up and down in an attempt to fix things. Though it wasn’t easy, Kelsey managed not to say, “I told you so,” and instead graciously accepted their offer to overnight the correct stock and have the incorrect delivery picked up, all at their own expense.
A glance at her phone showed her two things: Hannah had texted twice, and it was very close to the time she was scheduled to meet Online Date Number Two.
Kelsey’s cheeks puffed as she blew out a breath. She hadn’t told Hannah about the online stuff, didn’t feel it was any of her business. At the same, she felt like maybe she should tell her, that it might help set the record straight, so to speak, regarding how Kelsey felt about her. She also thought that might just be mean, so she was torn. And thereby, did nothing.
Shaking it off, she grabbed up her purse and headed out of the office and into the store, which was quiet.
“I’ll be back in about an hour,” Kelsey said to Jeanine, squeezing her shoulder.
“Good luck,” Jeanine said with a wink.
Because of the unfamiliarity of Planter’s, Kelsey was glad she’d chosen her Starbucks this time. She knew the location, knew the layout, felt comfortable there. Plus, it was during the lunch hour, so there’d be no stretching this date beyond an hour...and she could cut it shorter than that if need be.
Julie was easy to find because she looked exactly like her profile photo, right down to the ponytail. “Thank God,” Kelsey muttered as she approached the table for two. “Hi,” she said, ducking to catch the woman’s eyes. They were green and warm and her smile grew when she met Kelsey’s gaze.
“Yes. Hi. You must be Kelsey.”
They shook hands. Julie’s grip was firm, and Kelsey imagined as a bank manager, she must shake hands all day long. “I am. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Same here.”
“Let me just grab a cup of coffee and I’ll be right back, okay?”
Julie nodded and Kelsey hopped in a line she wished was shorter. Julie’s profile was to her, and she was able to study her emerald green suit, sensible pumps, a purse that was small but functional. She had both hands around her cup on the table and was slowly turning it
in a circle—a slightly nervous tic, maybe? The line moved along at a fairly quick pace and soon Kelsey had her Frappuccino in hand and returned to Julie.
“I’m a little nervous,” Julie admitted, once Kelsey was settled in her seat and had taken a taste of her drink. “I’ve never done this before.”
“Online dating in general? Or meeting somebody cold like this?”
“Well, both. Neither. I mean, I’ve never done the online dating thing.” Julie’s soft chuckle was uncertain, and Kelsey felt a pang of sympathy for her.
“If it makes you feel any better, neither have I.”
Her smile was pretty, even if it came and went kind of quickly. “It does, actually.”
“Good.” Kelsey sipped again, realizing she was going to have to take the lead here. “So, tell me about yourself. I mean, I know from your profile that you work in a bank, that you like indie films and hikes. What else should I know about you?”
Julie caught her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled on it as she looked over Kelsey’s shoulder. “Um...hmm. Let me see...”
After a moment or two went by with nothing forthcoming, Kelsey tried to help. “Well, I can tell you that I’m somewhat new to town. I’ve been here about three months, and while I’ve met some people, I haven’t been able to find somebody who interests me that way, you know? So I went online last week.” She sipped her drink. “How about you? What made you try online dating?” Then she watched with increasing horror as Julie’s eyes welled with tears.
“My wife of twelve years left me right after Christmas,” she managed to squeak out before a quiet sob escaped her lips.
Oh, my God. What the hell? Kelsey blinked at Julie for a beat before handing over her napkin in a feeble attempt at help. “I’m so sorry,” she said, not knowing what else she could possibly offer.
Julie took the napkin and blotted the corners of her eyes with it, then sniffled loudly. “I’m sorry,” she said, glanced at Kelsey, then looked away again. “I just...I don’t know what happened.” And she dissolved into tears once more. “Twelve years. Twelve years. And that’s it? Just like that? She just...goes?” She blew her nose with a honk that had three people in line turning to find the source of the sound. “I mean, what is wrong with women these days? That they think it’s okay to just do that?” And finally, she made direct, intense eye contact with Kelsey, who then realized Julie expected an answer.
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