Why was I doing this again?
Picking up my drink, I took a healthy sip. The hot cot coffee burned its path down my throat. I winced and coughed into the crook of my arm.
Bloody hell, it was painful - and not just my throat.
My eyes lifted to the door of the small village coffee shop and then down to my phone.
He was late.
Twenty minutes bloody late.
Why had I thought dating apps were the solution to my life's problems? I didn't need to worry about anyone else. I had enough on my bloody plate without adding in someone else to demand my attention.
Did I really need to a prove a point to people that didn't even care about what I did with my life. Richie wasn't even looking. He would never know if I walked out on a date before going on it.
I sighed and my shoulders dropped.
The sad truth was I needed this. I needed it for the ego boost as much as I needed proof for the world that the drunken and terrible attempt at kissing Richie had been just a terrible mistake. Not that anyone else knew. Not that anyone else cared.
Perhaps I needed to prove it to myself too.
Don't be stupid, Rosie. You just want attention.
That was likely the truth if it. After all, it had felt good to be complimented by a stranger online. It had felt good to have someone say the right things. It had felt good to fall into the fantasy. It was an escape that I had jumped into with both feet.
But this was reality. A reality that liked to give me a kick up the arse more often than I wanted to admit. I should go. Go home and wallow before I made an even bigger fool of myself that I already had.
The young barista offered me a pitying smile. It was clear she knew what I hadn't wanted to accept.
I had been stood up.
My first attempt at dating and I had been left high and dry.
Bracing my hands on the table top, I started to rise before an oh-so-familiar voice called out to me.
Wincing, I drew in a slow breath. Why? Why me?
Then, as I released it, I straightened and turned towards Richie.
It was strange to see him outside of the workplace. After years of working in the same place and never bumping into a single co-worker outside of hours, the universe surely had to be conspiring against me. After all, why else would he be at the same coffee shop at the exact same time? Why would he be here now?
"I thought it was you." He said by way of a greeting, leaning forwards to give me an awkward half hug with the table between us.
And it was awkward. The last time we had been this close, I had been trying to kiss him. He had been turning me down.
My cheeks heated as, unable to stop myself, I held my arms out to my sides and replied lamely, "It's me."
It was only with a ridiculous amount of self-control that I held back the wince as the faux perkiness in my voice. My arms dropped back to my sides abruptly
"What are you doing on this side of town? I've never seen you in here before." Richie asked, seemingly unaware of my desire to be anywhere but with him.
He waved at one of the baristas as they walked past. Her smile in return was filled with warmth. Of course it was. Everyone liked Richie. I would never tell him but even I liked Richie.
ČTEŠ
The Secrets She Kept
BeletrieEvelyn and Rosie had always been close. They were not just mother and daughter; they were best friends. At least, they were until disease stole away the woman Evelyn had once been. After an incident forces Rosie's hand, she soon comes to realise the...
