Rate a Date by Monica Murphy Page 0,23
come on. Doesn’t she think we have better judgment than that? Or is she just lumping all dating apps into the sleazy category?
“The date Kelsey set me up on is now my new financial guru,” I say, pointing at Kelsey. When they both stare at me in silence, I explain further. “I have an appointment with Theo this Wednesday. We’re going to talk sound investments and which ones I should tackle first.”
“God, that guy was kind of boring,” Kelsey mutters.
I give her a hard stare. “I’ll have you know Theo is very sweet.”
“So not my type,” she says.
No surprise. I think she must be drawn to jerks.
“Good thing you two weren’t matched up then, huh?” I tease her.
“Tell me about this Rate A Date app,” Sarah says, looking vaguely suspicious and extra curious.
“It’s all on the up and up, like every other dating app out there,” Kelsey reassures her. “Besides, you can’t judge us for using one. Your fiancé is the same guy who came into Bliss on a regular basis and bought lingerie for his many mistresses.”
Sarah’s cheeks turn pink and she lifts her chin, looking like a haughty princess. “I’ll have you know he bought most of that lingerie with me in mind the whole time.”
“I rest my case,” Kelsey says, glancing over at me. “That’s vaguely sleazy.”
“It is not,” Sarah protests.
“I always thought it was kind of romantic,” I offer, and Sarah jumps on it.
“It was definitely romantic. And—unique,” she adds.
“That’s one way to describe it,” Kelsey says, laughing as she dodges away from Sarah’s finger. She looked ready to poke Kelsey right in the side. “Let’s stop focusing on Sarah’s fiancé’s weird lingerie fetish and focus on Eleanor’s new man.”
“Tell us everything you know,” Sarah practically demands.
I launch into a description of Mitch. How he’s so easy to talk to and he makes me laugh. How he was extra flirtatious the first time we FaceTimed and even made a few sexual comments, which didn’t bother me in the least. In fact, I responded to them to the best of my ability, though I was a tad awkward.
“Of course,” Sarah says when I tell them that.
I describe him as tall and broad and very muscular, like muscles on muscles, and that’s when they both demand to see a photo of him. Lucky me, I’m able to whip one out pretty fast.
“He’s cute,” Sarah says as she examines my phone screen closely. She frowns before lifting her head, her gaze meeting mine. “I feel like I recognize him, but from where? Like maybe I know him or something.”
“He grew up around here. Well, in Monterey.”
“Really? What’s his last name?” Sarah hands my phone to Kelsey, who examines Mitch’s image thoroughly.
“Um…” My voice drifts, and I feel super dumb right now. “I don’t know.”
“Eleanor. You don’t know his last name? Come on, girl, you gotta stay on top of that stuff. How else can we Google him for you?” Kelsey says as she hands my phone back to me. “What does he do for a living?”
“Well, he says he works in fitness.” That is a really vague response. I don’t know what he means by that, and sitting here now, in the light of day with my two friends looking at me like I’ve lost my marbles, I’m feeling kind of lame for buying into that explanation.
“Fitness? That’s all he told you? That could mean anything. He could be a physical therapist. He could own a gym. Or he could be a gym rat who does nothing but work out all day,” Kelsey says. “Oh! He could work the front desk at a gym part time and only making minimum wage. The possibilities are endless.”
“I swear I’ve seen him before,” Sarah says, tapping her chin as she appears lost in thought. “He’s super familiar.”
“He’s older than you. I doubt you went to school together,” I say, shoving my phone in my bag. I have failed in the dating app department by not getting the important facts straight. Like finding out Mitch’s actual occupation and you know, his full name. “And you’re both right. I need to find out his last name. I also need to ask him more questions about his job.”
“Yes to both. When they’re secretive, there’s usually a reason,” Kelsey says with a sigh. “Like maybe he’s a serial killer or something.”
My entire friend group is fascinated with serial killers. I don’t know how many times one of them has used that term lately. “Are there really