Blind Date (Dating Series Book 7)

by Monica Murphy

  They both laugh at me and wave dismissive hands while I glare at them, unable to come up with anything else to say.

  “Uh huh. Whatever. I’m assuming you like him. Are you going to see him again?” Kelsey asks.

  I don’t know how to answer that. Well, I do but should I tell them the truth? Or keep this thing between Isaac and me semi under wraps until I figure out what we’re doing?

  Once the reception wound down Saturday night, Isaac walked me out to my car. Gave me a really delicious kiss that had my toes curling in my shoes. He even asked if he could see me again, and like the weak, silly person that I am, of course I agreed.

  Why wouldn’t I agree? He made Charlie and Candice’s wedding and reception so pleasant. More than pleasant. I enjoyed his company. I want to know more about him.

  But are we moving too fast? Feels like it. I don’t want to jump into another relationship too soon after the last one. I’m wary, as I should be. I don’t need drama in my life. Plus, it’s the busiest time of the year and I don’t have time for a relationship.

  I texted with Isaac Sunday off and on throughout the late afternoon into the evening. He had to work in the morning. I was off. We talked long into the night. Long after I crawled into bed. Normally I watch something on Netflix or Hulu or whatever, but not last night. All I wanted to do was talk to Isaac.

  Now it’s Monday. Back to normal, back to business. And in the light of day, I’m starting to second guess myself. Second guess this entire potential relationship, or if I can even call it that.

  Maybe we have no potential at all.

  “You are way too quiet,” Sarah says, her words making me startle. “Fess up, Amelia. What’s going on in your head?”

  A sigh escapes me and I rest my arms on the table. “I’m scared. Maybe we’re moving too fast.”

  “You had one date with him,” Kelsey reminds me. “You were set up at a wedding reception. I wouldn’t call that fast.”

  “I know my relationship ended a while ago, but anything with a new guy feels…fast.” I grimace, hating that I’m still thinking about my past relationship, but how can I not? Making comparisons is natural.

  They glance at each other before sending me matching sympathetic looks.

  “Do you like him?” Sarah asks gently.

  “Is he a good kisser?” This question is from Kelsey.

  “Yes, and yes.” I nod toward both of them. “But he’s young.”

  “How young?” Kelsey asks eagerly.

  “Twenty-one.” I wrinkle my nose. “Five years younger. That’s not good, am I right?”

  They’re both quiet, though Kelsey slowly forms a grin on her beautiful face.

  “Score,” she murmurs, pumping her fist into the air.

  I giggle, then snap my lips shut. Is it a score, getting with a younger man? Maybe. Or maybe I just look pathetic and desperate.

  “It’s not that big of a deal,” Sarah reassures me. “There’s a big age gap between Jared and me, and we make it work.”

  “I hate to say this, but it’s a lot more accepted for a man to be older than a woman, not the other way around.” I roll my eyes, despising the words even came from my mouth. “An older woman and a younger man? I’m sure I’ll be called a cougar or whatever.”

  “Being five years older doesn’t make you a cougar,” Kelsey says, as if she’s an authority on the definition of cougars.

  “Tell that to my parents.” That’s what terrifies me the most. Telling my parents that I’m dating a man who’s only twenty-one. Who works at a tree farm and has no real career aspirations beyond that. I don’t think Isaac knows what he wants to do with his life yet, and that’s okay, at least in my eyes. He’s young.

  My parents won’t feel the same way. I should be looking to settle down, according to my mother. Find a man who has a solid, dependable career—that’s my father’s advice. Ever since I hit twenty-five last year, they’ve been hinting at marriage and babies for me. At the time, I thought it was still possible. My relationship was floundering, but I still believed I could save it.

  Now I’m alone, and I get this feeling I’m a complete disappointment in their eyes. Or maybe that’s just me feeling like I disappointed myself.

  “Are they still on you to find a respectable man and marry him?” Sarah asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.

  “Yes.” I nod, frowning. “They’re very—traditional.”

  “Well, it’s a modern world, and you’re a modern woman who goes after what you want,” Kelsey says, her voice firm, her eyes blazing with fire. “I am so sick and tired of hearing people tell us what they think we should do, even if they’re family or friends. Co-workers, bosses, whatever. We need to encourage each other, not make demands. We’re all different, right?”

  Kelsey sends us a meaningful look, and Sarah and I nod in agreement.

  “Meaning we all have different needs and wants and goals. Your parents shouldn’t dictate what you can and cannot do. You need to do what you want, Amelia. And if that hot piece of man flesh makes you happy and you want him, then go for it!”

  I sit up a little straighter, fueled by Kelsey’s rousing speech. “He is really nice.”

  “And very cute,” Sarah adds.

  “He told me he wants to see me again. He suggested we should go on a date,” I continue.

  “Who’s going on a date? Amelia?” Stella appears in front of our table, her arms laden with baskets that contain our lunches. She sets them on the table and we start grabbing them, searching for what we ordered. “Let me get our drinks.”

  “Amelia’s going on a date with the cute blond. Isaac Jones.” Sarah says his last name with extra emphasis.

  “Amelia is actually hot for the infamous Jonesie! Who knew? I guess Candice did.” Stella grins and holds up a finger. “I’ll be right back.”

  By the time Stella rejoins us at the table, we all have our lunches and she doles out our drinks. We eat and chat about the wedding, about the holiday season, how busy it’s been at both Sweet Dreams and my parents’ jewelry store. Business is booming, as is expected during this time of year. Sarah still works at a lingerie store in the same area—though mostly she fills her time creating window displays at various businesses in the area—and she said they’ve been swamped too.

  It’s when our baskets are mostly empty and our bellies are full is when they start asking me about Isaac again. Specifically Stella, since she wasn’t part of our original conversation.

  “When are you seeing Jonesie again?” She raises her brows, her lips curved knowingly. As if she’s got me all figured out.

  “He wants to take her on a date, remember?” Kelsey says with a smile.

  I send her a withering look. “Kelsey stole my thunder.”

  “She didn’t mean to,” Sarah says, settling her hand on my arm for a brief moment. “We’re just so excited now that you’re not talking about—”

  “Don’t say his name!” Stella screeches, drawing strange looks from other people in the café. She doesn’t even notice. Or she just doesn’t care. “You said yes to the date with him, right?”

  Hesitation hits me and I blow out a breath. “I haven’t given him any sort of answer yet.”

  “Amelia. Don’t let this one go. He seems really sweet,” Stella says. “Totally into you, from what I saw at the reception.”

  He did seem totally into me at the reception. He even said he was. Those lingering looks, the way he kissed me, the dancing, the touching…it was all heady stuff.

  But it was a romantic night, all of us caught up in the spell of Candice and Charlie’s wedding. Of course we were feeling the love.

  What if reality sets in and it’s not as special between us as we thought it was?

  “He’s young,” I say, admitting my biggest hang up to Stella. “Only twenty-one.”

  “Ooh, perfect! He’s probably full of energy, which translates to amazing sex,” Stella says, making me blush. Making Sarah and Kelsey laugh. “That’s what you need. A good
old fashioned fu—”

  I lean over the table and rest my hand over Stella’s mouth before she can finish the sentence. “That’s not what I need. I need a man who is patient and kind and doesn’t freak out when we run out of toothpaste.”

  They’re all frowning at me with that revelation.

  “What in the world are you talking about?” asks Stella.

  “One of the last arguments that he who shall not be named and I had was about us running out of toothpaste. He couldn’t believe there wasn’t a replacement tube in the drawer in the bathroom. I said I forgot to buy some, and when did that become my responsibility anyway?” I shrug. “We got into a huge argument. He demanded I move out. Over toothpaste. He’d done this sort of thing before. Insisted I leave and then begged me to come back. Well, that time I actually left and took all of my things with me. And I never went back. No matter how many times he begged.”

  They’re all silent for a moment. Including me. I didn’t mean to turn the mood somber, but there were so many things that happened near the end of our relationship that I never revealed, only because I knew they would tell me I was crazy for staying.

  “I didn’t know it was that bad,” Sarah says softly.

  “Me either,” Stella adds.

  Kelsey says, “Same.”

  They all look at me with sad puppy dog eyes.

  “This is why I don’t want a one-night stand or whatever. I want to hang out with a guy I can be friends with. One who’s not going to pressure me. One who’s genuinely kind and cares about me, and doesn’t get mad over the littlest thing. That’s what I need,” I explain.

  “You’ll never know if Jonesie is what you need until you give him a chance,” Stella points out.

  “True,” I tell her, my thoughts turning to Isaac. He was sweet. Kind. Not pushy at all—well, a little pushy, but in a good way. In a I’m going after what I want way.

  I should take lessons from the guy. And remember Kelsey’s encouraging words too.

  “Maybe I will agree to that date,” I admit.

  “Maybe you should,” Sarah says.

  Yes. Maybe I should.

  Thirteen

  Isaac

  Somehow, someway, I got Amelia Lee to agree to go out with me.

  It took some warming up on her part. I know she likes me. The way she kissed me out at her car after the wedding reception more than showed that. She was so responsive. Threw herself right into it. She wrapped her arms around my neck, clinging to me, our mouths fused. I heard her tiny moan when I stroked my tongue against hers, the way she nestled her slender body closer to mine.

  But by about Tuesday, she started to withdraw a little bit. I could practically hear the worry in her voice. Via text.

  Me: Want to get together sometime this week?

  Amelia: I’m so busy right now. Work is exhausting.

  Me: Same here. But we still gotta eat, right?

  Amelia: Let me check my schedule and I’ll get back to you.

  Now that was frustrating. There’s no playing hard to get with this woman. She is flat-out hard to get.

  I bided my time, though, and tried my best to remain patient. Kept our conversations casual. Never pressing too hard or for too much. I treated her like a friend. To me, she’s that really hot friend I want to see naked, but I banished those last thoughts from my mind and focused on the word friend instead.

  We texted a lot throughout the week after the reception. The beginning of December is a hotbed of activity at the tree farm, and with Charlie gone for his short honeymoon, it felt like we were running extra hard. Amelia was just as busy. She told me about the stream of customers who came in day in and day out. Talking about engagement rings and diamond necklaces and pearl earrings. There’s a lot of rich people who live around here, and they don’t hold back when it comes to Christmas gifts.

  On Thursday I sent her photos throughout my day out at the farm, and I think she loved it. She did the same for me the following day, sending me photos of beautifully wrapped gifts and jewelry that looked like little works of art, sparkling and shiny beneath the store lights. She also sent me a photo of the tree I brought to their shop, perfectly decorated and festive in its spot of glory in front of the window.

  It felt good, sharing a part of myself with a woman, and having her share a part of herself with me too, even if we’re going at a snail’s pace. Though I guess a week isn’t really considered slow, but when it comes to this woman, I want her. Now.

  I’m having to learn patience with Amelia, but it’s been difficult.

  She’s worth it, though. I can feel it.

  Finally, I break her Friday afternoon with a text.

  Me: Dinner tonight?

  Amelia: Oh my God, YES. I need some wine and good food.

  Well, hot damn. I took my opportunity where I could and made arrangements. Asked around at work and figured out a nice seafood place to have dinner at, not too far from her family’s jewelry store. I offered to pick her up but she said she’d rather meet me, which I found disappointing, but I told myself to get over it.

  I’ll get this woman to come around. Eventually.

  I had just enough time to go home, take a quick shower, change into nicer clothes and give myself a shave. By seven o’clock I’m sitting at a table for two right by the front window, a single candle burning on the table, feeling anxious as I stare at the door, waiting for her to walk in.

  The moment she does, all the air stalls in my lungs, making it hard to breathe. The hostess greets her with a friendly smile and Amelia smiles in return and nods, running her fingers through her hair as she tucks a few strands behind her ear, revealing a diamond stud that twinkles in the light. She’s dressed all in black. Black pants, loose black top, thin black sweater over it. Simple, yet so damn pretty.

  Too pretty for me, and I know it.

  The hostess points over at me and Amelia nods before she heads my way, that small smile still curling her lips. They’re not as red as they were at the wedding, but they’re still pretty. A deep, rosy pink. I rise to my feet and step toward her, pulling her in for the quickest hug and dropping a soft kiss on her cheek before I pull away.

  “Sorry I’m late,” she apologizes.

  “You are?” I shake my head. “I had no idea.”

  Her gaze sweeps over me. “You clean up good.”

  “You’re fuckin’ gorgeous.” I don’t even bother apologizing, and she laughs.

  “Don’t think I’ve ever been called that before.” She pulls out of my grip, almost reluctantly, and glances over at the table. “Shall we sit?”

  I reach for her chair and pull it out. “Ladies first.”

  She settles in and I sit across from her, staring at her face like a lovestruck fool. She is truly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever gone on a date with in my life. “Have you been here before?”

  Amelia slowly shakes her head. “I actually haven’t. I work such long hours, I’m usually eager to get out of here and just go home.”

  “Where is home?” I ask.

  “I have an apartment in Monterey.”

  “Me too,” I say. “You live alone?”

  She nods, a tiny smile playing upon her rosy lips. “You don’t?”

  “I have a couple of roommates.” I’m sure this makes me seem like a kid in her eyes, which I guess I am considering I’m five years younger than her. But hey, what’s five years in the scheme of life, huh? I know if we were still in school, it’s a huge difference, but we’re consenting adults.

  The server magically appears, nodding toward Amelia. “Good evening. May I show you the wine list?”

  “I would love to see it.” Her gaze meets mine. “Or did you already order something for us?”

  I don’t know shit about wine. “I thought I’d leave it up to the expert.”

  The server hands her the wine menu and she glances over it, her brows knitting together, her mouth forming into a little frown. I stare at her, completely entranced, hoping I don’t blow this
because I could get real used to spending lots of time with this woman, real quick.

  Once she’s ordered a bottle for us, the server leaves us to check over the menu.

  “I’m starving,” I tell her in warning. “I’m considering appetizers.”

  “The fried calamari sounds delicious.” When I glance up, I find she’s watching me. “I’m starving too. I ate lunch around noon and never got a chance to grab a snack.”

  “Too busy?”

  She nods. “The weekend is our busiest time, which I’m sure you deal with too.”

  “Definitely. Real glad Charlie will be back tomorrow,” I say seriously. “We’ve been able to manage everything, but it runs a lot smoother when the boss man is there.”

  “I still can’t believe Candice was able to convince Charlie to go on a honeymoon right now, during the busiest time of year for him,” Amelia says, slowly shaking her head.

  “Right? We were surprised too. But that man will do absolutely anything for her,” I say.

  “They do seem madly in love with each other,” she says, her expression turning…

  Pained?

  Hmm.

  The server returns with our wine and pours us each a glass. I tell him our appetizer order and we go ahead and order dinner as well. Once he’s gone, Amelia contemplates me for a moment, taking a small sip of her wine before she starts talking.

  “I broke up with my boyfriend three months ago.”

  I visibly don’t react. At least, I don’t think I do. “You mentioned that to me at the wedding.”

  “Oh,” she murmurs. “Right. Did I mention that we used to live together?”

  I swallow hard. “No. Uh…sounds like it was serious.”

  “At one point, it was very serious. I thought I was going to marry him,” she says, her voice soft. “But the last six months of our relationship, things weren’t good between us. Longer than that, really. We were very much on and off for a long time.”

  “I haven’t had too many serious relationships,” I confess, feeling downright inept. This woman has done a lot more than me with her life.

  “You’re young,” she says. “And I’m a little wary when it comes to relationships after getting out of such a long one that was also toxic.”