His shoulder looks like the perfect place to rest my head
Let’s just be real, he makes me swoon!
I have zero interest in Rhiannon’sCrush or Cupidshow, but this crush list gives me an idea. If the items on this list are what women like, I already check off half the boxes. But maybe if I do the rest of them, I’ll show Pippa that I’m the guy for her and not the jokester from high school.
Footsteps approach, so I snap a quick picture with my phone, then sit back down in the chair like I’ve been casually scrolling sports stats all along.
Rhiannon carries a tray topped with two glasses. “Your favorite. Well, Cap’s favorite. Root beer floats.”
“You’re trying to butter me up.”
“No, I’m welcoming my brother like a distinguished guest.” She passes me one of the glasses and I won’t deny it, this is my favorite. “Okay, so down to business.”
“I told you, I’m not doing the show.”
We bicker back and forth while we eat our floats. She gives me details aboutCrush or Cupiduntil the ice cream is gone and I’m almost late to meet Pippa for our dinner reservation with the parents.
“Thanks for the ice cream in your cold, lifeless office, but it’s still a pass on theCrush or Cupidthing. Byeeeee,” I say, stepping into the role of annoying brother as I wave goodbye.
The walk back to the hotel is long enough for me to brush off my sister’s insistence she gets the face of American football to endorse her show. If it was anything else, I’d do it. But I draw the line at fake dating. Then again, I did suggest Pippa and me pretend to be engaged to appease the parents. I was joking, but maybe that upset her.
Perhaps I should do a full confessional, DTR, state of the union talk with her, or write a letter...or just show her who I am, and I’ll start with being her perfect guy and do the things on the list. If anyone knows what women want, it’s Rhiannon. She’s a premier dating coach hired to make shows about dating.
I got this.
After meeting Pippa,we step into the golden late day in London. It’s at odds with the heavy confusion I carry inside. I fight with myself about whether to hold hands as we’ve done before. But she keeps a solid two feet of space between us.
I feel like an awkward teenager, which may it be known, I never felt when I was a teenager. But this is what I imagine it’s like.
Yeah, golden boy, alright. Despite what Wolf said about my level of experience, I’ve dated enough not to be a total idiot when it comes to women.
How to break the ice?
“The guys think I should become a monk.”
I catch the edge of her smile as though she fights off a giggle. Whether it’s from the lingering sun or a stroke of good luck, her mood seems to lighten. “A monk? Monkey is more like it. A cheeky monkey.”
A grin grows on my lips.
Pippa says, “You know that monks have to renounce many things in the name of devotion and service.”
“I could manage.” Not likely, but I’ve got her talking and it’s not about etiquette lessons, so that’s promising.
“They live a very simple life and spend loads of time in solitude in drafty monasteries.”
The way she froze me out in the last few days is chilly enough.
I shrug. “Doesn’t sound too different from my current status.”
