‘I’m on another date.’ She stared him out.
‘Oh, I see.’ Clearly he didn’t. How many profiles had the agency thrown her way? He’d naturally assumed she would only be seeing one bloke at a time. He really was out of touch. Jack’s doubts about the whole online dating scene were proving him right. It wasn’t for him. It felt too forced.
‘So, it’s been nice meeting you… err… Jack,’ she said, pretending to forget his name momentarily, ‘but I’ve gotta go.’ And with that she finished her coffee, scraped her chair back and practically marched out, leaving him somewhat rejected, and with the bill.
Jack sat back and sighed. That went well – not. A part of him wanted to email the dating agency and demand a refund. Then, all of a sudden, he saw the funny side. What could he write? It wasn’t the agency’s fault Sandy had taken the huff and walked out on him. He’d obviously said the wrong thing, albeit inadvertently. Better to just put it down to experience, but did he want to go through the whole thing again? No, he didn’t. Perhaps if he hadn’t had reservations in the first place, he might have given it another go, but, truth be told, his heart wasn’t really in it.
Sipping his coffee, he looked through the window at the world going on outside. Was it just him, or did everybody seem to be in couples? Jack’s gaze followed them, sauntering about, arms wrapped round each other, laughing while looking into each other’s eyes. It pissed him off. He knew how resentful he was becoming and it scared him. It wasn’t like him to feel this way. Just as he was about to finish his coffee and leave, his mobile rang. It was Robin.
‘Hi, Rob.’
‘Hi, you busy, mate?’
‘Nah, just in town and about to set off home. Why?’
‘Just thought I’d call round, if you’re free?’
‘Yeah, sure, give me half an hour.’
At least he had a good friend in Robin, thought Jack.
Robin had felt a little guilty the other night when he hadn’t stayed at Jack’s for a beer. He’d sensed that his mate might have needed some company, which then prompted him to think about Tara, the lady who’d bought his apartment. He had always intended to tell Jack that the doctor he’d been so attracted to at the hospital was in fact the new owner. Now, given that it had been a couple of weeks since she’d moved, he assumed the coast was clear. The last thing Robin wanted was for his mate to go bounding into her life before she’d settled in. Jack did have form. Although he was his best mate, Robin knew how he operated and in some way almost felt obliged, responsible even, because she’d bought his flat.
The two of them were sat outside on the decking, drinking bottles of beer, when Robin decided to tell him. Jack stopped mid-drink and blinked.
‘What? You mean that gorgeous doctor has been here all this time, in Samphire Bay?’
‘Well, only a couple of weeks, mate,’ replied Robin.
Jack couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. In those two weeks he’d joined a dating agency whilst the girl of his dreams had been yards away, literally.
‘What are you laughing at?’ Robin asked bemused.
‘Nothing,’ Jack said shaking his head. ‘And I take it this Tara is single?’
‘Divorced apparently. She has a son.’
The fact Tara was a mum didn’t alter his attraction. If anything, it made him admire her more. It couldn’t be easy beinga single parent and managing to hold down a stressful career too. She was obviously a woman of substance.
‘I see.’ Jack nodded in contemplation. Well, well…
