Beth had no such qualms, but she spoke in little more than a whisper. “He’s of medium height and build and is wearing a brown suit. His hair’s dark, a little too short. He’s got aviator-style glasses—must be an affectation, since they don’t go with the rest of him.” Her voice suddenly frosted. “Oops, there’s a wedding band.” She instantly swiveled in her seat and stared straight ahead. “Forget him. He’d only be trouble.”
Lauren grinned. “Forgotten.”
“Doesn’t it bother you? I mean, I’m sure he’d make a play for you if you flirted a little, and the bum’s married.”
Shrugging with her eyebrows alone, Lauren took a sip of her drink. “I think you’re making too much of it. I was probably right the first time. He’s probably in a fog.”
Beth grew more thoughtful. “We’re going to have to do something about this situation.”
“What situation?”
“Our love lives.”
“What love lives?”
“That’s the point. They’re nonexistent. We have to meet guys.”
“We have. There’s Tom from the sports shop, and Anthony from the music store across the way, and Peter, who sells those super hand-painted sweatshirts, and your neighbors, those three bachelors … We could always reconsider and go to one of their parties.”
Beth snorted. “We’d probably get high just walking into the room. I’m sure they’re on something. Whenever I run into them, they seem off the wall. I’m telling you, we were smart to chicken out last time. We’re so naive that the place could be raided and everyone would run out through the back and leave us holding the bag.”
“Hmm. Maybe we’d meet a cute cop.”
“I don’t know, Lauren. I still think you should have gone out with that guy who came in on Wednesday.”
“He was a total stranger, just browsing around.”
“He was nice enough. And he did ask you out for drinks. For that matter, the fellow who came in this morning was even nicer and better-looking.”
“He was a pest—trying to be so nonchalant about asking where I come from and where I live and, by the way, what my astrological sign is. I don’t know what my astrological sign is. I’ve never been into that.”
“You’re scared.”
Lauren hesitated for only a minute. “Yup.”
“But why? You’ve dated before.”
“That was different.”
“You’re right. This is supposed to be a new life you’re leading!”
“On the outside it is. On the inside, well, I guess it’ll take me a little longer to catch up. I don’t know, Beth. Those guys seemed so … fast. So slick and sophisticated.”
“You look slick and sophisticated.”
“Look,notam.You know me as well as anyone does. I’ve lived a pretty sedate life. What dates I had were with quiet men, more serious, bookish types.”
“Bo-ring.”
“Maybe. But I’m not a swinger.”
“Maybe you’re gonna have to learn.”
The hostess called their table then, but Beth picked up the conversation the instant they were seated in the glass-domed room just below street level. “Maybe we should try a singles bar, or a dating service.”
“If we didn’t have the guts to go to your neighbors’ party, we’d never have the guts to go to a singles bar. And blind dates give me the willies.”
“Blind dates gave the ‘old’ you the willies. The ‘new’ you doesn’t have anything to worry about. Besides, it’s not really a blind date if you go through a dating service. You get to express your preferences and pick through the possibilities.”
