I chuckled. “I’m sure he is.”
When we got to my driveway, Ted stopped the car and looked over at me. He seemed nervous.
“Thanks for the ride. Maybe I’ll see you again sometime,” I said, hoping I wouldn’t have to be around Chad long enough to run into Ted.
“About that,” he said, biting his lip. “Do you think we could hang out sometime? I mean, Chad can be there too, but he doesn’t have to be.”
“I don’t know, Ted,” I said, blushing. “I’m pretty busy at work.”
“Can I at least give you my number? That way, I won’t bother you, but if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me.”
I handed over my phone to Ted, who quickly typed in his name and number before handing it back.
“Thanks again,” I said, getting out of the car.
“It’s no problem. I hope to see you again soon.”
I walked into my house, clutching my phone in my hand. I wasn’t sure if I would see Ted again, but I was thankful that at least one person wanted me.
Chapter Six
Whitney
I’m not exactly sure how we did it, but Chad and I made it two full weeks without saying more than a couple of words to each other. I think he talked to the head nurse about switching his schedule around because I saw that he had been rescheduled to work the night shift most days. For someone who was apparently a party animal, it must have been rough for him to miss out on all of the fun times.
Just because we rarely spoke, doesn’t mean that I didn’t still think about him. I was feeling particularly lonely around this time of the year. It was hard to see virtually everyone around me coupled up. Between Christmas and New Year’s, there were so many parties and events where dates were necessary. When I watched my friends go home with their boys, I felt a twinge in my stomach when I went home alone.
It couldn’t be just any boy. I
wanted to be with a man whom I had chemistry with. I wanted someone who could make me laugh, but I could still take around to my mom’s house for dinner. I saw how charming Chad could be and how gentle and sexy and fun he was. I wanted someone who was like Chad, but just not him. I wanted someone who wanted to see me again after the first date.
Fortunately, there was someone else in mind to fill this need. I had thought about calling Ted for a few days. Finally, one night when I was feeling very lonely, I sent Ted a text after a glass of wine. I figured if he wasn’t interested in hanging out, there was no harm done. I could always see if Chad had other cute friends.
Hey, it’s Whitney. I’m free tomorrow if you want to get lunch or something.
I sat with my phone in my hand, waiting for a response. Luckily, he texted me back immediately. That was a good sign.
I’d love to. Do you want to meet me at the Garden Café at noon?
I grinned. I thought Ted was really cute and I wanted to get to know him better. He seemed quieter and kinder than Chad. I thought I felt the smallest hint of something between us. We didn’t have much time to speak at the dinner, but the more I thought about him, the more I convinced myself there was a spark. I needed to test the waters to see if he felt the same way.
On the day we went out to lunch, I put on a modest sweater and a pair of snug jeans. I wasn’t sure if Chad had told him about me, and I didn’t want him to think that I just wanted to sleep around. I wanted to look cute but still like someone whom he could casually date.
When I got there, he was already waiting at a table. I liked a guy who could be on time. Without saying anything, he was already starting out well in my book. He waved toward me and stood up to greet me.
“It’s really great to see you,” he said. “How was your week?”
“I’ve had worse.” I smiled. “Have you ever had to help your mother plan her second wedding? I went into a bridal store and ran into an acquaintance from high school trying on dresses. She started asking me about my wedding before my mom finally stepped in and claimed it. It was pretty horrifying trying to explain how I was nearing my thirtieth birthday and hadn’t even dated in over a year.”
“Yikes,” he said. “I know how you feel. Every time my mom sees me, she asks if I’m dating anyone. I’ve told her a million times that if that day ever comes, she’ll be the first to know.”
“It’s crazy, isn’t it? There’s so much pressure on people our age to settle down with someone when we’re doing exactly what we want to do. We both have really great jobs and steady income, so why worry about complicating that by attaching your life to someone else’s?”
“I’m glad somebody gets it. Although,” he said, looking down to his menu, “I think I’d like to settle down with someone one day. When the moment is right, you know?”
I nodded and suddenly felt very self-conscious. This was a weird conversation to have at the very beginning of a first date.
After we ordered, we started talking and realized that we had a lot in common. We were both pretty busy with work, but we liked the same sports teams and the same books and movies. The more we talked, the more we realized we had in common. For a moment, I thought he was just trying to impress me with his similar interests, but listening to him talk, I knew that he was completely honest.