Shit. Well, that backfired. “Uh, I could go for another drink. Did you want to find another bar or …?” I hated that I wanted him to make it easier on me. To take the next step so I could know where this was heading. It made me feel like Brad hadn’t left my system yet.
“My place is close. We can have a drink there. No pressure.”
I considered it. I was having a fun time and wasn’t ready to go home yet.
“That sounds nice.”
He led me up to his studio apartment. The tiny space was decorated so dully that I found it hard to believe it wasn’t a show home. Everything was white, from the walls to the cabinets to the couch. At first glance, there didn’t appear to be anything personal.
Finally, I spotted a series of six black and white photographs hanging in matching frames on one wall. One appeared to be a historical image of his building. “This is a cool picture. Where did you find it?”
“Oh, that just came with the apartment. Whole place came furnished when I moved in.” He handed me a glass of wine and sat on the far end of the couch, leaving me with a decision to make.
Based on how well the evening had gone so far, I felt good about taking a small leap of faith, and so I took the closest spot on the couch to Will, allowing our bodies to touch knee to hip. His arm came to rest naturally behind my shoulders.
Ok, this was good.
“So …” he said.
“So.”
“I’ve had a really good time tonight. Most of the people I’ve met through the app haven’t turned out so well.”
“Oh really? I only just joined recently, so I don’t have anything to compare to.”
A finger lightly traced a line on my shoulder, sparking goosebumps along my skin. He leant closer. “You know, I’m a bit surprised that you’re single, if I’m completely honest. What made you join the app?”
Oh, God, do I tell him? I didn’t want to lie. Firstly, because that’s no way to start a potential relationship, and who the hell knew where this would go? Secondly, I was terrible at it. I couldn’t maintain eye contact and ended up feeling sick.
Guess it was now or never. “Well, about a year ago, I got out of a long-term relationship that ended pretty badly. Only recently have I been ready to get out there again, so here I am.”
“How long were you together for?”
“Almost ten years. We met in college and moved in after we graduated.”
He looked shocked, and I couldn’t blame him. “Wow, that’s a long time. I’m surprised you didn’t get married.”
Immediately I broke eye contact, and his reaction was physical as he leaned back and moved his arm away from me. “Are you still together?”
Understanding what I’d accidentally suggested, I rushed to reassure him. “No! No, we … got divorced a year ago.” It didn’t seem to reassure him at all. Instead, he moved farther away, shifting on the couch even though there wasn’t enough space for it. The message was clear; this date had officially gone south.
“Who left who?” His voice was as distant and cold as the rest of him, and I found myself staring at my hands, now awkwardly twisted in my lap. Why would that even matter?
“He left me.”
One thing was for sure, I wasn’t interested in going over the details, and as Will stood up and crossed the room, it seemed he wasn’t either.
“You know, I’m actually pretty tired. Maybe you should …” Wow. Talk about getting the cold shoulder.
So, after gathering what was left of my self-esteem and my bag, I stood and walked out.
2
Audrey
As soon as his door closed behind me, I messaged Tiff. No way was I going home to wallow, and I knew she’d want the play-by-play.
I watched the three little dots confirming her reply before they stopped, and she called me. “Right, get your ass over here so we can rip him to shreds over cocktails and ice cream.”
