“No. He’s very anti-cheating, which is one reason we haven’t slept together. Because of Rich. He has an . . . ex-wife.”
“Damn,” Benny says. “He’s older?”
I nod. “Early thirties, I think.”
Cara rubs her palms together. “Now we’re talking. Older men are fucking awesome. Chances are, he isn’t dicking you around. Did he say why he had to cancel?”
“No.”
“So it wasn’t a girlfriend,” Benny tells Cara, squinting as if she’s scheming.
Cara shakes her head. “Most likely not a blow off, either, since he didn’t even get laid yet.”
I take a long pull from my straw before I point out, “Not afraid of commitment. He’s been married.”
“This is going to bother me,” Cara says. “Let’s get a second opinion.”
“Good idea.” Benny sits up on her stool, scans the crowd, and waves at a pair of men. They come right over.
“Hi,” Benny says. “This is Cara, Halston, and I’m Benny.”
“Nice to meet you,” says the dark-haired one. “I’m Jude, and this is Matt. Are you ladies—”
“How old are you guys?” Cara asks.
Matt rubs the back of his neck. “Uh . . . don’t worry, we’re legal.”
Cara smirks. “We’re conducting research, and we’re looking for men in their thirties.”
“You’re in luck,” Jude says, raising his glass. “We’re both thirty.”
“Excellent. My friend here,” Cara gestures at me, “had a great date with a guy in his thirties, didn’t sleep with him, and made plans for a second date, but he canceled last minute.”
The guys shrug. “Something probably came up.”
“And?” Benny asks.
“And what?” Matt turns to me. “Have you asked him?”
Everyone else turns to me.
I stir my drink. “It didn’t really seem like he was open to talking about it.”
“Then he has a girlfriend,” Matt says.
“He’s divorced.” Benny shakes her head. “Unless—maybe he was burned by his ex, and he freaked out.”
“Yes,” Cara shouts. “That’s it. He’s not ready to jump into the next relationship. Right, guys?”
Matt and Jude exchange a look. “Maybe,” Jude says. “I wouldn’t say I’ve freaked out before, but I have skipped a date with a girl I knew was looking for commitment.”
Finnhadshut the marriage topic down when I’d asked for details. He said he hadn’t loved her like a husband, but was he trying to play it down so I wouldn’t know I was a rebound? I nod a little too hard, my head swimming from the alcohol. “That makes sense. His texts were so schizo.”
“Texts?” Benny asks. “No way. You need to talk to him face to face, or at least on the phone. Texts are too ambiguous.”
“They were really sweet at first,” I say, “and then when I didn’t respond, he got weird.”
“So you rejected him,” Jude says.
