“No,” I say again. “I don’t like him. Not one bit.”
Everyone looks at me as if I’m lying or that I don’t recognize the obvious.Ugh. “Fine. He’s hot, as I’ve said, but I don’t want to date, especially him.”
I check the cards I was dealt—a three of hearts, a six of spades, and a two of clubs. “Well, I fold. Worst hand ever. Back to the poker gods hating me.”
I shove my cards aside and take a sip of my beer as I watch the game.
“It’s okay to date again,” Travis says gently. “They aren’t all like Malcolm.”
“I know… I guess. Still, I need to get into that mindset. I haven’t dated in way too long. And I hate that I missed all the red flags while we were together.”
“Just jump into the cold water. You’ll come up to the surface. Maybe you might even find Mr. Right,” Paul says.
“You know, you all arewaytoo interested in my sex life,” I chuff at them. “What about Slade here? Make him date for a change.”
Slade drops two red chips into the pile. “Hey, I get laid enough. Leave me out of it.”
After we wrap up the game, Edmundo pulls me aside. “Will you just trust me? The guy I’m thinking about is really cool and nice. He’s a single dad like you. I really believe you two would hit it off. Just one date. If you don’t like him, no harm, no foul. He knows the drill, too.”
I raise a brow at him. “You told him about me already?”
Edmundo shrugs and grins. “Well, yeah, I have to start somewhere. He’s really interested, but he understands that if you’re not ready, you’re not ready. Don’t worry, Seth. He’s not holding his breath.”
My shoulders sag and nod. “Fine. I’ll try a date.Onedate only.”
“Yes! This will be great. If you don’t like him, no hard feelings. Really.”
“Okay, give him my number.”
Feeling refreshed after hanging out with my friends, we say our goodbyes, and I leave to pick up my children and head home.
Chapter 5
Calvin
It’saftermidnight,andI’m sitting outside on my porch in shorts and sipping bourbon. I didn’t have any luck finding a fuck for the night, so I just came home. The men at the bar were not my type at all. No thanks. I’m notthatdesperate. Still, I wasn’t able to find my distraction, so my mother’s words keep rattling around in my brain, festering, filling me with doubts about myself. She digs her verbal claws into me and doesn’t let go. God, why do I let her get to me so much?
As I sip my drink, headlights shine my way for a second, blinding me, when Seth pulls his soccer mom car into the driveway, coming home from wherever. The boys scramble out of the van, while he grabs his sleeping daughter from the back seat.
“Ah, finally had to knock her out, eh?”
Yeah, I’m being a dick, but poking fun at my neighbor is too much fun. And I don’t think about Mom.
He says something I can’t hear as he hands her off to his oldest son, who carries her inside. Then Seth heads my way.
Oops.
Perhaps I went too far. My stomach dips for some reason, and I smirk to hide it. I didn’t expect a confrontation, but I kinda like my rapid heart rate, and Imaylike him standing up to me.
When he steps up to my porch at the base of the steps, I stand and make my way down to him.
Seth keeps his eyes firmly planted on my face and doesn’t look at my bare chest like he did the last time. Bummer. “Why are you always poking fun at me about my kids?”
I shrug. “It’s fun?” I step closer, standing only inches from him. I can smell a lingering, citrusy cologne. “And you’re cute when you react.” That’s the most truthful thing I’ve said in a while. I lie to my mom, to myself, and to him.
His eyes pop wide, and his mouth moves, trying to form words, but nothing comes out. His reaction makes me smile even wider. “Cute? Are you… flirting with me?”
I press my face close to his ear to see what he does. He seems like the pearl-clutching type. “I just said you’re cute. That doesn’t mean I want to marry you.”
