“Most women like this fancy shit and are happy to reward me in bed after I put in the effort and outlay the cash. It’s only fair. Speaking of…” He calls the waiter over. “We’re ready for the check. Give it to her. The bitch will be paying.”
What an immature, entitled little shit.
The waiter slants me an uncomfortable stare. I whirl back to Chris with a glare. “You know what? You invited me here. Pay it yourself, asshole.”
When I pluck up my purse and begin to walk out, Chris grabs my arm. “Hey, you can’t just leave. Since I’m not getting any, I’m not paying the bill.”
You ask for no-strings sex, call me an uptight bitch for saying no, then think I’m going to buy your dinner?
I raise a brow at him. “That’s a you problem.”
After wrenching from his grasp, I stomp out of the restaurant and march straight to my compact. It’s one thing to be rejected, but it’s another to be seen as an easy lay, then disrespected after refusing to be a stranger’s fuck buddy.
After peeling out of the parking lot, I drive a few blocks to a nearby ice cream shop. Once I’ve parked, I text Kami to tell her the date ended early and ask if she can meet me. Thankfully, my bestie has my back and says she’s on her way.
With a dejected sigh, I sit at the nearest patio table. The Texas spring night encompasses me, a combination of wind and humidity wrapping around me like a light blanket.
I don’t know whether to feel angry over the crap Chris said to me or just be annoyed at how immature and entitled he was.
Where did the gentlemen, along with chivalry, go?
Inside the cute, quaint shop, I ask for a large peach ice cream. While I wait, I reflect on my dating choices. Is it just me or is every man I meet merely sex hungry? It’s like they completely forget there’s a human being in front of them and focus only ontheirsexual needs.
Then again, could I be the problem? I know I’m not unlovable. I have too much family and too many friends for that. But am I so set on having a fairy-tale ending that I don’t realize I’m asking for the impossible?
“Hey, girl.” Kami breezes inside, her long, dirty-blonde curls bouncing as she walks toward me with a wave. Despite her Anglo looks, she’s one feisty Latina—and the most loyal friend I’ve ever had.
“Hey.” I try to muster a smile in return as the teenager behind the counter hands me my ice cream.
“That’s a long face.” She wraps her arm around my shoulders, her expression filled with concern and sympathy. “I don’t know what happened, but fuck Chris.”
“No, thanks. I already turned down that exact proposition.”
“Why don’t I get some ice cream, and you can tell me everything?” she offers with a smile.
“Sounds good.” I drift back out to the surprisingly empty patio.
A few minutes later, she’s procured her own cone and joins me outside. “Mint ’n chip!”
I roll my eyes. “What else is new?”
“Hey, you can always count on me.” Kami laughs and plops beside me. “Talk to me, girl.”
I explain what happened on my “date.”
She glowers. “He’s an asshole, and so is Adam for not being honest about Chris. You were right to put him in his place. You deserve better. If I had known who he really was…”
“It wasn’t your fault. It’s called a blind date for a reason, right?”
“I’ll make it up to you this weekend. What do you want to do? Mani-pedis? Shopping spree? Get drunk at Joe T. Garcia’s?”
I chuckle at her last suggestion. As massive lovers of Mexican cuisine, Kami and I often stuff our faces with good food and great margaritas. I can always trust her to make our time together fun. She’s been there for me since high school. In fact, she was there when I experienced the most heartbreaking moment of my life. She helped me heal and move on. I don’t think I’d be the person I am today without her.
“Seriously, we can do whatever you want. My treat.” She palms my back in comfort.
“I want…” I sigh, palming my face with my free hand. “I don’t know.”
My emotions are all over the place. I can’t think straight. I’m not upset about the shitty exchange with Chris, per se. But I feel more and more hopeless after every date that goes wrong.