Whiskey35
I don’t know how any of this shit works, if I’m being honest. Dating apps aren’t my thing. So, why am I on one now? Long fucking story that you wouldn’t want to hear, nor would I want to bore you with my bullshit. Anyway, according to Hooked, we’re one hell of a match, and I thought, if this woman is so perfect for me, I need to meet her.
I smiled at his message. Almost every word was relatable.
Me
I’m sorta just as lost as you. Dating apps aren’t my thing either. I haven’t even been on this one in at least a year. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, I get notified about you. 100%? Whoa, THAT’s wild. Lol. So, hi, stranger. Where did you come from? Who are you?
Whiskey35
I’m a person who needs to mentally escape.
I glanced around my room—a space that fit a twin mattress on the floor and three plastic tubs I’d put on their side and stacked on top of each other to serve as a dresser. The light above was just dull enough to hide the color of the pale, sick-colored walls.
Me
Yep. I feel that in a hard way.
Whiskey35
Do you want to meet up?
A one-night stand. That was what he was asking. That was what Hooked was—at least the service I’d signed up for.
I closed my eyes, imagining how incredible it would feel to shut off my brain for a few hours. To quiet the noise of Mom and Dean. To silence the stress of having to save enough money to get out of here. To somehow come up with a solid lie of why, starting next week, I was going to be away during the day and at night without telling Dean I was making more money.
Life was life-ing.
That was why, more than ever, I wanted to disconnect.
I wanted to get lost.
I wanted to feel free.
Me
When?
Whiskey35
I’ve got a hotel room. I’m headed there in about 30 minutes. You can come anytime you want.
Me
Where’s the hotel?
Whiskey35
It’s the Cole and Spade Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Beverly Hills?
That was at least a half hour each way, probably more with LA traffic. If I didn’t have it in me to drive to my best friend’s apartment, what would make the drive to Whiskey35 any different? And how was I going to come back home without waking Dean when the man had the best hearing in the world?
Whiskey35
Not sure where you’re coming from, but I’ll get you your own room if you want to crash for the night and a rideshare if that makes things easier on you.
