I let my mind wander as Nate talks at me, giving me advice about Gail and Dex and other judgmental opinions he seems to have about everything in my life. I wonder what Match 1’s name is? I wonder if talking with him will help me forget about Dex and all the awful things that happened between us. I wonder what color his eyes are.
“Jane?” Nate’s voice cuts into my thoughts.
“Huh?” I ask through a mouthful of food.
“What do you think?” he asks, watching my lips chew.
I swallow what’s in my mouth and feel my eyebrows pull together. “About what?”
Then he lunges forward and kisses me. I’m so shocked and caught off guard my mouth opens and his front tooth hits mine and pain shoots up my nasal cavity and I yelp out a horrific cry. “Fuck, Nate! What the hell was that?” I say, touching my fingertips to my mouth. If there’s a chip in my tooth I’m going to lose it. I pull my fingers away, frantically looking for signs of any upcoming midnight emergency dental visits, but my hands come away with only the smallest smudge of blood from my lip.
“Ahh, Jane. I’m sorry. Weren’t you listening to anything I just said?” he stammers.
“No, honestly, I wasn’t. What is wrong with you? I was eating, why would you aggressively kiss me like that?” I grab my napkin and pat it against my lip.
“Shit, are you bleeding?” he flinches back, horrified.
“A tiny bit, I think I bit my lip. Or maybe you bit it. I’m fine, really. No worries,” I say trying to wipe the guilty expression off his face. I just want to finish this meal and leave. This sucks. Nate sucks, and not in the fun five-orgasms-in-one-night kind of way, at least not for me.
“I just hate seeing you like this,” he mutters, running his hand through his hair.
“Like what?” I snap, throwing my hands up in the air.
“Lonely? Upset? Heartbroken? I want you to realize there are other guys out there that might be interested.”
“In what? Knocking out my teeth?” I ask, a little too harshly.
Nate is so embarrassed he leans back on his chair and pulls out his phone. Ignoring me as I finish my meal. I sigh heavily and pull out my phone and tap open the Misanthrope app again. I need to go home.
Jane:I just got mauled by a toothy grizzly bear
Match 1: Are you alright?
Jane: Yes, I’m fine. Just making a joke. Nate tried to kiss me and it was a sort of surprise attack and there was clashing teeth. I think I cut my lip.
Match 1: Fuck this. I’m coming to get you. Where are you?
Jane: Seriously, I’m fine. Besides, I’m in this secret squirrel speakeasy hidden behind a telephone booth.
Match 1: Jesus. You’re in Please Don’t Tell on St. Marks Place?
Jane: No. No, I’m leaving right now. I’ll talk to you later.
My breathing growsshallow and my fingers tremble as I slam my phone onto to the table.Oh my God. I just told Match 1 exactly where I was. Adrenaline spikes through my body, hot and fast. I have to get out of here. I can’t be here if he comes. What if he’s a psychopath? It’s all fun and games, exchanging pics and texts with him, but meeting him in person tonight wasn’t my plan. Meeting him in real life was never my plan. It’s just safe, this pretend thing we have. He can’t hurt me, and I would never be able to surprisingly get pregnant and…
Nate taps my hand, bringing my attention back to him. “Look, Jane, I’m sorry. I keep thinking—”
“I…I have to go,” I say bolting out of the chair.
“I didn’t mean to freak you out or anything,” Nate says, standing alongside me.
“It’s not you. I just have to get out of here before a serial killer shows up,” I say walking through the crowd to the exit.
“Wait! What? Hold on!” he calls after me.
But it’s too late, I rush out ahead of him. And run all the way home.
Chapter 18
