“Those are great, Ali! Keep them coming.”
Putting their heads together, Amanda and Clara help me create a shortlist. My confidence is beginning to grow. It turns out that Idohave things to look for in a man.
Must Haves:
-Enjoys horses, traveling, reading
-Trustworthy
-Confident and self-motivated
-Emotionally mature
-Open to DIY projects and working with his hands
-Pet friendly
Deal Breakers:
-Looks down on women in STEM fields
-Complainer
-A man with a large ego who sees himself as the center of the universe
-Has a long beard
-Has facial tattoos
“This is perfect. Now you have a standard to help you determine if you’ll click with one of the guys tonight.” Amanda turns the screen off on her phone.
“You seem so hopeful I’ll be able to talk to more than one bloke.” I bite the inside of my lip. “What do you have planned?”
“You’ll see.” She laughs, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
The car comes to a stop. Glancing out the window, I realize we’ve arrived at a dock. I see the murky water of the Thames lapping against the stern of a sixty-foot-long yacht. The soft glow of a string of fairy lights casts a shimmering halo around a black-and-white polka-dot banner with a red heart at the entrance that reads “Club Babalou” in swirly letters.
The door opens, and Amanda, Clara, and I slide out. I stand and stare in awe for several moments. Goosebumps materialize on the back of my neck. There’s a lingering scent of salt in the air and the sound of sea birds. Couples are walking up a red carpet, dressed to impress in tuxes and vintage-inspired gowns. A photographer stops them at the entrance and asks them to pose for photos using a vintage camera. The theme song toI Love Lucyplays in the background.
“What is this place?” I whisper.
“Tonight, it’s Club Babalou, anI Love Lucy-themed dinner cruise.” Amanda opens her purse and slips on a pair of white kid gloves. “Other nights, it’s the yacht owned by the members’ club, Charlie’s.”
“Leave it to you, A, to find something like this at the last minute,” Clara jokes.
“Well, if we’re being honest, I did most of the planning for tonight.” Amanda’s cheeks flush, but with the dim lighting, it looks more like she’s applied blush. “This is their semi-annual fundraiser. Eddie had to cancel on me last minute to attend an event in Canterbury. I was going to stay home, but when you called and chose the mystery location, it seemed like we were meant to be here after all.”
I subconsciously glance down at my dress, tugging at the skirt. “I wish I’d picked out something more formal, like an evening gown.”
“Nope, that’s exactly why I didn’t tell you what the plan was. I wanted you to be therealyou tonight.Not the princess. Trust me when I say the people here won’t care about what you’re wearing. They’ll care about you being able to move on the dance floor.” Amanda links her arms through mine and Clara’s, and we walk up the ramp to the boat. “All right, ladies, let’s go.”
A photographer stops us. “Ladies, would you care for a photo?”
My gut reaction is to freeze, but Amanda pulls us in tighter to her. “You betcha!” she says.
The flashbulb goes off, and the photographer hands us a plastic card with a QR code. “You can download them after the event tonight. Have a swell time, ladies.”
I exhale. This is a private event. There isn’t a need to worry about any press being here. Or people at the dinner staring at me. My family has a long-standing relationship with Charlie’s. Most of the members have seen us before and or are family friends. Icanget through tonight.
