It doesn’t takelong for us to slip back into casual conversation. Bea comes tocheck on us several times, with that same wistful expressiongracing her features. When we finish eating, Wesley excuses himselfto use the bathroom and I sit back in the booth, glancing aroundand blinking as if I’m coming out of a deep, dream-filled sleep.There are only a few people left in the diner; an elderly coupleacross the room is sharing a giant slice of cheesecake, and a teena few tables over is chewing on the straw of her milkshake whilestaring at the phone in her hand.
I’m about to pullout my own phone to see if I’ve missed anything when a flash ofgreen catches my eye. My gaze locks with a guy I went on a datewith a month or so ago, and I cringe inwardly when he pivots toapproach the table.
“Hey,Evelyn,” he says, wrapping an impossibly long, bright green scarfaround his neck multiple times.
“Hey,Bart.” I hope my voice sounds less surprised—and confused—than Ifeel, considering the one date we had wasn’t what any human beingwould ever consider a success.
“Youdidn’t see me come in earlier, but I got up to leave right afteryour date went to the bathroom, so I thought I’d say hi.” The wordscome out in a rush and he punctuates them with a little wavefollowed by a wince. “Wow, that was awkward. Andthisis awkward. I’msorry.”
I can’t help butchuckle at his honesty. Even though our date wasn’t great, Iremember finding his self-deprecating nature charming. “It’s fine.I’m glad you came to say hi.”
His face relaxesinto a more natural smile. “Good. I went on one more date afterours and then deleted the app. I was fooling myself to think I wasready to start dating again so soon after my last relationshipended. I’m glad you kept at it, though. You and your date lookreally comfortable and happy together.”
“Oh…” Iconsider correcting him, but it doesn’t make any difference if hethinks Wesley and I are together. “Thanks, Bart.”
He glances up asWesley slowly approaches the table. “Anyway, take care, Evelyn.Maybe I’ll see you around.” He nods at me, then does the same inWesley’s direction as he passes him on his way to thedoor.
“Whowas that?” Wesley asks as he slides back into his seat.
I let out a small,involuntary groan. “Okay, don’t make fun of me, but Hollie and Ijoined a dating site a couple months ago.”
Wesley is quietfor a minute, as if he’s processing this tidbit of information.Finally, he asks, “Why would I make fun of you for that? Plenty ofpeople use dating apps these days.”
“Iknow, I know. I just…didn’t want to be one of them? You hear asmany horror stories as you do success stories, and I alwaysthought…hoped…”
“Thought-slash-hoped what?”
I sigh, decidingto say it quickly and get it over with. “I always thought I’d bemarried by now, or at least on my way. Hollie and Louisa feel thatway too, probably because of societal expectations, blah blah.” Iwave a hand around and Wesley presses his lips together to holdback a smile, although he nods to show he understands. “I thoughtat the very least, I’d like to meet someone the old-fashioned way,but it just wasn’t happening. Or, to be fair, I was meeting guys,mostly through my mother’s matchmaking attempts, but none of themwere the right fit for me.”
Wesley picks uphis glass and swirls it around, making the remnants of ice clinkagainst the sides. “And why do you think that is?”
Because the right guy is already taken and lives three hoursaway. Oh, and he sees me as a little sister rather than someone hecould fall in love with.
I pickup my own glass and down the last few mouthfuls of pop. “I feelweird saying this, like I’m conceited or something, but it seems asif guys are often intimidated once they find out how successful Iam. Things will be going great, they seem interested and engaged,and then as soon as they learn what I do for aliving—bam—theyget thislook.Like they can’t fathom being with someone who might be moresuccessful than they are or who’s confident and owns who sheis.”
Irecognize Wesley’s scrunched-nose expression: he’s affronted on mybehalf. “Well.” He clears his throat and leans back in his seat,crossing his arms over his chest. “This is going to sound trite,but it’stheirloss. You’re strong and smart and self-assured. I’ve alwaysloved that about you, you know. How you know your own mind and whatyou want, and you never back down.”
Wesley’s sincerityand the conviction in his voice make a lump of emotion form in mythroat. He’s mostly right about me never backing down, although Ican think of one glaring example where he’s wrong. I backed downall those years ago when it came to my feelings for him. Moreaccurately, I chickened out, telling myself it was easier to keepmy feelings to myself and not upset the balance of ourfriendship.
I swallow hard andhope my tone sounds light when I say, “Wanna hang around Bellevuefor a while and be my personal cheerleader?”
“I’llalways be your cheerleader, Ev. Always.” A moment of silence passesand then he drops his arms and leans against the table. “So, whatwas the deal with Mr. Green Scarf?”
“Oh,Bart? He was…nice.”
Wesley’s eyebrows shoot up. “Nice?Wow, kiss of death.”
I snort. “We metfor coffee and he was polite and friendly, even kind of funny, buthe spent most of the date talking about himself. He also keptmentioning his ex-girlfriend, so I don’t think he was ready to dateanyway, which he actually admitted to me just now. At the end ofthe night, we shook hands and that was it.”
Wesley nodsslowly. “Any other dates lined up?”
I lean forward,prompting Wesley to do the same. “Don’t tell Hollie, but I put myaccount on hold a few weeks ago.”
Something akin torelief flashes over Wesley’s face, but it’s there and gone soquickly I’m sure I imagined it. “What about Hollie, has she had anydating success stories?”
“Shehasn’t been on any dates at all yet,” I tell him. “She’s beenchatting with a couple of guys, and there’s one she really likes,but their schedules haven’t lined up or something. I think she’sjust being cautious, not that I blame her.”
“That’ssmart. And you? Are you going to go back to searching theold-fashioned way?”
