I observed the two of them as they stared at each other, and my heart sank a little. How come he noticed everyone else but me? Tisha took our order and flew off in a hurry.
Nick watched her go and then turned his attention back to me. “So, tell me about this date. What was the guy like?”
I was still recovering from his flirtation with Tisha, but I managed to smile tightly. “He’s a science professor.”
Nick raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so he’s a brain.” He placed his arms on the table and leaned forward. “Did you like him?”
“We didn’t really connect. He barely spoke at first and then he monopolized the conversation, talking about mushrooms of all things.”
“Mushrooms?” He laughed. “That’s a new one. Was he high or something?”
I snickered. “See? Someone who gets me. I actually brought that up as a joke, and he didn’t even laugh.”
“I’m always suspicious of people that can’t laugh at a decent joke. He sounds like a bore.”
Guilt pricked at my conscience, and I hated that Nick came to that conclusion without knowing more. It meant my attitude filled in the blanks, and that wasn’t fair to Colin since he had been nothing but respectful. “In all fairness, I didn’t get to know him well enough to say he’s a bore.”
“Oh, so if he asks you out again, you plan to go?”
No. I would not go out with him again. I stalled, thinking about the checklist from that article I’d read the other day about how to make a guy fall in love with you. Let him know you have options by dating another guy. I’d put a star next to that one. Batting my eyelashes, I smiled just slightly and placed my hand on top of his. “Why? Would you be jealous if I said yes?”
He didn’t pull his hand away, and I took that as a good sign, but he didn’t exactly react either. He shrugged. “Maybe, but if you like the guy you should go out with him again.”
Okay, that was confusing. “Maybe” meant he might be jealous, but then why was he encouraging me to date someone else? Nick was really hard to figure out sometimes.
I pulled my hand away and sighed. “I’m not interested, and I doubt he was either. On to the next.”
“That’s the spirit. The Abby I know doesn’t give up.”
“Did you mean it when you said I was pretty earlier?”
“Absolutely.” He smiled and his eyes were sincere.
Wanting to return the compliment, I said, “Thank you. You happen to be one of the best-looking guys I know.”
“One of the best? I thought I was the best.”
“Well, Colin beat you just a little in that department,” I said in a teasing voice, still trying to make him jealous. Maybe that was stupid, but it was a factual statement. Colin was better looking, but it didn’t matter. A man’s personality was more important to me.
“Colin is the professor, right?”
“Yeah.”
“If that’s how you feel, maybe you should give him a second chance.”
That was not the response I was hoping for. “Enough about him. Tell me about your day.”
Tisha brought Nick’s meal and my bowl of ice cream. Nick gave me a checklist of what he’d done that day, and I listened patiently. It occurred to me that Nick and I had been friends for years, and I’d never really opened up to him about anything of great importance. We talked about a lot of things, but we never went deep.
Maybe that was part of the problem. Perhaps our relationship had never blossomed into more because I was holding back. He didn’t know about the struggles I’d had as a teenager. He didn’t know about the cutting behavior…the deep pain I’d experienced. A part of me was afraid to share that with him because if he rejected me, it would really hurt, more than I cared to admit.
“So, what’s been going on with you other than having a rotten date?” He grinned.
There was my opening. I cleared my throat, noticing Tisha walk by our table. “There’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time. When I was younger—”
“Tisha, can you bring me another iced tea?” Nick asked.
“Sure, of course,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder.
“Thanks, love.” He winked.
The exchange momentarily distracted him, and he picked up the salt shaker and salted his food, seeming lost in thought.
I tried again. “When I was younger—”
“Did she look like she was into me at all?”
“Uh…what?”
“Tisha. Did she seem interested when she walked by just now?”
“I don’t know.”
He tapped his finger on the table three times. “She was definitely into me. You think I should ask her out?”
“If you want to.”
He nodded his head slowly as if considering. “I do.”
“Then you should.”
“Glad you agree.”
A minute of awkward silence passed, and I ventured back to the previous topic. “What I was trying to tell you earlier—when I was younger—”
“Here you go.” Tisha placed a new glass of iced tea on the table. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
One side of Nick’s mouth curved up in a lopsided smile. “How about your number?”
She grinned and pink splashed across her pretty face in a way that actually complimented her. Why couldn’t I look that good when I blushed? She pulled a pen out of her pocket and wrote something on his hand. “That’s my cell.” She wrote something else down. “And that’s my home number, but it’s easier to reach me on my cell.”
Nick hadn’t looked away from her this entire time. “I’m not going to wash this hand for at least a month. Maybe I should take a picture and put it up on my wall.”
Oh, brother. He was laying it on a bit thick. She wasn’t actually going to fall for that, was she?
Tisha giggled and squeezed his shoulder. “You’re so sweet. Where have you been all my life?”
She was falling for it all right. I wanted to tell her not to get too excited. He did this a lot, and he rarely took the same women out for more than three dates.
“I’ll call you,” Nick said, “and take you out to dinner this week.”
Tisha looked at me and her eyebrow lifted as if realizing for the first time he had another woman seated across from him. “Is this your sister?”
“No, this is Abby. She’s just my friend. We’ve been pals for years.”
“Okay, cool.” Tisha straightened. “I’m up for going out to dinner, as long as you don’t take me here. It’s no fun mixing work with my personal life.”
Nick threw his head back and laughed hard like she’d told the funniest joke he’d ever heard even though it wasn’t funny in the least. “Got it. I can find something nicer.”
I pulled out my phone and opened up my texts, not wanting to be in the middle of their flirtatious banter. It was uncomfortable and discouraging. Wilhelmina had sent a follow-up text. Just spoke with Colin. He really likes you. You sure you don’t want to give him another chance? He’s such a nice guy.
Ugh. Why couldn’t I like the nice guys? It felt like a curse—I only wanted what was out of my reach. I texted her back. Sorry, it’s a no-go. Not my type.
Wilhelmina: He was really nervous. I think you should try one more time.
What if I gave him another chance, and he talked about mushrooms again? I didn’t want to sit through that again.
Me: Sorry. I’m just not interested.
She responded with a sad emoticon, and I put my phone away and looked up to see Nick staring at me.
“Who was that? Was that Colin?” His expression was serious and a little intense.
If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought he was almost jealous…but I definitely knew better. “Why?”
“Just asking.”
“No, it was Wilhelmina.”
“Good.” He said it with finality…like he was a little protective of me and wanted me to have the best. Or maybe that was all in my head.
He looked
at his hand, and his lips curved upward. “Tisha, Tisha, Tisha.”
Okay, so that protectiveness I thought I’d heard in his voice had been in my head. I needed to get a life. Spending time with Nick, hoping he’d eventually come around, wasn’t doing me any good.
In fact, it was starting to feel a little toxic.
Chapter 5
Colin
“I’m sorry, Colin, but she said she wasn’t interested.”
Wilhelmina and I were talking in the lab about my date with Abby. Three days had gone by since we had dinner together, and I couldn’t get her off my mind. At first, I thought it was because I made a fool of myself and my subconscious was trying to torment me, but it was more than that. I really hated to fail. Being a goal-oriented person, I tackled things with a vengeance and rarely let anything or anyone best me.
This was much different, and although I hadn’t been excited about the first date, I couldn’t get her blue eyes out of my mind, or the way she had so gracefully tucked her hair behind one ear. It was weird how a small gesture could be so intriguing.
Something about her fascinated me, and I needed to find out if there was more to it. It was too bad I completely ruined that date, and she probably didn’t want to go out with me again. Instead of talking to her like a normal person, I rattled on about my research like a fool. I wouldn’t blame her for not wanting to see me again, but I hoped she wouldn’t hold it against me. Glancing at Wilhelmina, I ran a hand over my chin. “Do you think she’ll give me one more chance?”
Wilhelmina hesitated, and she had a pitying look on her face as her eyes met mine. “It’s doubtful. She doesn’t think you’re her type. Sorry.”
“I’m going to try anyway,” I said decisively.
She broke out into a huge grin and clapped her hands together. “Good for you. Just don’t be disappointed if—”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, then.” She went back to taking a sample of a fungus from a petri dish.
I walked through campus to my office and closed and locked the door. For a long time, I stared at my cell phone, willing myself to make a move. Eventually, I blew out a breath and dialed Abby’s number. It rang a few times, and my heart rate increased the longer it took for her to answer.
She finally picked up. “Hello?”
“Abby. It’s Colin, the guy you met for dinner the other day.”
“Hey, Colin. I recognized your number.”
That meant she didn’t delete it out of her contacts, but, on the other hand, she probably wasn’t eager to talk since she’d let the phone ring for so long. A drop of sweat dripped down the side of my face. It was hot in here, or maybe I was just nervous. “I’d like to ask if you’d be willing to go out again.”
She paused. “It’s sweet of you to call, but I don’t think so.”
I hesitated, straightening some paperwork on my desk. “You aren’t sure?”
“I am sure—I don’t want to go out again. You’re a nice guy, but I don’t think we have much in common.”
Disappointment washed through me, but I stiffened my back and pushed the feeling away. “Okay, well, I understand.”
“You’ll find someone else you can relate to better…maybe a woman who has a science background.”
Was that a hint that I’d talked too much about my research? “We can talk about other things besides my job if you’ll go out with me one more time.” I’d blurted out the words before I had a chance to think.
“Such as?”
There was a long painful silence as I racked my brain for a conversation topic. Nothing came to me, and with every second that went by, I felt more and more like a loser. “You know what? You’re right. Maybe we don’t have enough in common.”
“I wish you the best, Colin.”
“Thank you.” I ended the call and leaned back in my office chair, rubbing my eyes and wishing God created me to be more of a talker. That hadn’t gone well, and it was my own fault. A feeling of loneliness tugged at my heart in a way it never had before. I kept picturing her blue eyes, and there was the smallest ache just inside my ribs when I realized I would probably never see her again. I put my head in my hands and leaned my elbows on my desk. Lord, you said in the book of Genesis that it’s not good for a man to be alone, and, yet, here I am—alone. I don’t know how to conquer this.
I sat quietly for about ten minutes, mulling over my situation, wishing there was some way to improve my ability to interact with women. And then it came to me. What if I hired Abby to help? She could teach me how to present myself on a date. It would give me more time with her, and even if she refused to go out with me again, at least I’d have more insight into what I was doing wrong. I picked up my phone and dialed her number again.
She answered after the fourth ring. “Colin?”
“Yeah, it’s me again.” I pushed on before she had a chance to cut me off. “Don’t worry, I’m not calling to ask you on another date.”
“Okay, what is this about?”
“I noticed you could use a new car.”
She was quiet for several long moments. “That’s what you’re calling about? To point out how bad my car is?” Her voice was incredulous.
“No, I just thought… What I’m trying to say is…” Ugh. What was wrong with me? Just spit it out, Fitzgerald. “I have a proposition that will benefit both of us.”
“All right. What is this proposition?”
“I’ll buy you a new car if you meet with me three times.”
“This is sounding really odd. No offense, but I think I’m going to go now—”
“Wait! Abby, please don’t hang up. Just hear me out.”
“I’m listening, but please get to the point.”
I stood and paced around my small office with one hand over my forehead. “Believe me, I know I mishandled the other night, but I want to do better. It’s been so long since I’ve gone on a date, and I know I royally messed things up, but I don’t know how to handle myself in that type of situation. I had this idea that I could hire you to help me with my dating skills. Perhaps you can teach me how to present myself.” I paused feeling like even more of a loser. “If this doesn’t interest you, I completely understand.”
She was quiet, and I wondered what she was thinking. “Three sessions for a car? That’s outrageous.”
“I’ll pay you whatever you ask.”
“No… Colin. What I’m saying is that’s way too much, and you should hire someone who knows what they’re doing.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that, but I want you.” Clearing my throat, I scrunched my eyes closed, realizing how that sounded. The silence on the other end of the phone indicated her reluctance. If I didn’t say something soon, she might hang up. “I mean, you’re the one I want to coach me.”
She laughed uneasily. “I knew what you meant.” She cleared her throat and blew out a breath. “Of course, I’ll help. You’re a good friend of Wilhelmina’s, and I don’t mind lending a hand. I won’t charge you. I’m not trying to make a buck or anything.”
“Please let me compensate you for your time. I’ll feel more at ease if I can do that.”
“I can’t believe you offered me a new car. How can you afford that kind of expense?”
“I have money. That’s not an issue, and if it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll pay you cash instead of buying the car. It’s not a problem.”
“I wouldn’t charge a friend of a friend money for something like that, especially when I’m still trying to figure this stuff out myself. You should ask someone who’s in a relationship or married—Wilhelmina, for instance. I’m sure she’ll lend a helping hand.”
What could I say to that? It sounded like a reasonable suggestion. I ran a hand through my hair and closed my eyes again. “Wilhelmina is great, but she’s busy with her own life. Plus, we work together, and I’d rather this not come up while I’m working.”
“I have my own dating problems, Colin, and, to be honest, I’d probably tell you the
wrong thing. If you’re okay with that, I’ll try. Just don’t get mad if my advice backfires down the road.”
“I’m willing to take that chance.”
She laughed lightly. “You sure? I’m giving you one last out.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“All right. Tonight’s our first session then. Meet me at the Coffee Queen.”
***
I was late again but only by a couple of minutes. After I parked, it took a few moments to build up the courage to get out of my car. Overall, I felt more at ease this time since the pressure to impress her was off the table, but my pulse still throbbed unusually fast.
The Coffee Queen was located inside the mall, and when I walked in the door, pen and notepad in hand, I scanned the room, eyes landing on Abby. She waved at me from a table in the back and my stomach clenched. I could do this. It wasn’t too crowded so we would have some semblance of privacy.
I made my way over and sat across from her. “Hi, Abby.”
She’d pulled her hair into a loose ponytail today, and the strands that were purple the last time I’d seen her were now hot pink. They matched her blouse, which was also hot pink. She smiled, and my eyes were once again drawn to her lips.
Ugh. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. What had I been thinking? Did I really believe that after giving me advice, she would suddenly want to go out with me again? Stupid.
“Hey Colin,” she said cheerfully, “I got you a coffee.” She pushed a large ceramic blue mug over to my side of the table. “It’s part coffee, part hot chocolate. They make it so good here.”
“What do I owe you?” I pulled out my wallet and took out some cash.
She motioned for me to put it away. “My treat this time.”
“I should be treating you since you’re helping me out.”
She waved a finger in the air with a pleasant smile on her face. “You have to let me buy the coffee. I insist.”
I felt uneasy about letting her pay, but I sensed she didn’t want me to argue so I agreed. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I wanted to say more, but my throat was closing up. She looked even prettier today, and her eyes were so…blue. They turned up at the corners and were covered by thick lashes, reminding me of cat-eyes.
Blind Date with a Billionaire Professor (Blind Date Disasters) Page 5