Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 86596 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86596 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Dating apps weren’t for me.
Matchmakers weren’t for me.
Dating was not for me…
At least, that’s what I thought. No time, zero interest.
That is, until I met Molly. Our late-night talks—especially the one at the airport—have recently gotten me thinking about moving on and looking ahead, so maybe….
Maybe I should put actual effort into this speed dating thing—no one knows I’m here except Kate—who doesn’t know about the bet with Penelope and Jack Jennings—and Molly, who does but is my co-conspirator.
Glancing around, there seem to be a lot of good-looking women here. Sure, they’re probably younger than I would have chosen, but a little practice flirting never killed a guy.
Where the hell is my sister….?
Drink in hand, the young woman from the table taps a microphone, and alongside another woman, they introduce themselves and begin doling out the basics. Women sit at the table, men rotate, you get five minutes with each person, yada, yada, yada…
I get bumped at the hip and am not surprised in the least to see Molly standing beside me.
“Hey stranger, fancy meeting you here.”
Obviously, Molly and I have been out before to several nice places. But seeing her tonight dressed to kill, she’s sexier than I’ve seen her before.
I’m taken aback by the sight of her.
She might be wearing jeans, but they’re tight, high-waisted, and sexy as hell. Platform heels. A pretty blouse is tucked into the waistband, but its top three buttons are undone, and it’s sheer. Beneath, her bra plays peek-a-boo through the delicate, baby-blue fabric. A plunging neckline shows off her undergarments perfectly.
My eyes stray to her long hair, hanging past her shoulders in beachy waves, makeup done artfully.
“This is how you dress to play my wingwoman?”
Her head tilts. “I thought we were speed dating. I’m all checked in.”
“No, the point was for you to tear me away from my sister’s evil clutches so I wouldn’t have to.”
She’s rooting around in her purse and produces a tube of lip gloss. “Was that the plan? I thought you were speed dating, and I was along for the ride. I’m so confused.”
Is she, though?
She’s looking over my head at the people surrounding us. “Where is Kate, anyway? I thought she was coming with Posey?”
“Your roommate was going to come with her? Then what did she need me for?”
Molly pulls a face. “Hmm. Maybe I misunderstood. Posey was getting all dolled up, so I just assumed she had something fun going on this evening. I must have confused this with her having an actual date.” She sighs, popping the lip gloss back into her purse. “Oh! They want us to get seated.” She pulls a card out that’s been wedged under her armpit and holds it up. “I’m table six! Eek! How much fun is this going to be?”
Fun?
How is this going to be fun? “This is not the reason we’re here!”
“Well, I paid because I thought this is what you wanted to do.”
“No. You’re not here to date people. You’re here to—”
“Everyone take your seats, please,” the brunette from the front table announces. “We begin in four minutes!”
“If we hurry, we can still back out now. My sister will never know. We can go grab burgers.”
Molly flips her hair. “I had steak before I came here.” She does not seem intent on fleeing the same way I do. “But if you want to leave, go ahead. You do you, man. That guy over there is kind of cute…”
Did she just call me man?
“Two more minutes!”
Before I know what's happening, my partner in crime has wandered off in search of table number four, leaving me in the dust and entirely defenseless.
Alone. Cold and afraid. I laugh at my own theatrics but still haven't a clue what I'm supposed to do with myself now that Molly has ditched me.
I can still leave.
On the other hand, I can always stay...
Make up your damn mind, Cohen. First, you want a relationship, then you don't, then you do, flip flop you don't stop. Or am I only here because I want to spend more time with Molly? I know I told my sister I would be here for her to lean on tonight, but was my motivation an excuse to be in the same room with Molly? I have nothing else on the horizon; no need for her to fend off the ladies.
The whole bet with Jennings is wearing thin. Clearly, I do not need Molly to be the middle man for me, and she knows as well as I do.
But if my intention was to be in the same room with her tonight, a speed dating event would have accomplished the opposite goal.
I watch from across the room as she settles in, setting her purse on the table and adjusting herself in her seat, back ramrod straight, hands folded delicately in front of her. She has an amused expression on her face, but she also looks like she’s anticipating what’s to come.