Forged in Stone - Alyssa Rose Ivy Page 0,2

Or really my friend Grace and her other friends. Saying it in the plural made it sound better.

“Is the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor good?” The girl batted her long eyelashes. I’d have bet a lot they were fake.

“If you like cookie dough, yes.”

She nodded as though I’d just shared some life altering secret. “Can I try that one too?”

I sighed again. “Sure.” I took out another pink spoon.

She tried it. “I changed my mind. I don’t want anything.” The girl turned toward the door.

“I agree. Horrible service here.” The guy followed her and slammed the door behind him.

I silently cursed them while I wiped down the rest of counter. There was a time in my life when I got along with everyone. That time had come and passed. Now I was lucky if I could handle being in the same room as someone who rubbed me the wrong way. It made working in the service industry dicey, especially when your customers were mostly tourists. I loved living in Charleston, but sometimes I wished I lived somewhere a little more off the beaten path.

I finished my clean up and checked the clock again. I didn’t have time to do much to help my appearance, but I changed into a black three-quarter length sleeve sweater rather than my Yogurt Love t-shirt. I checked the tip jar. There wasn’t much in there, which was the same way it was every shift. Clearly my sparkling personality wasn’t doing me any favors.

I locked up and hurried out to my car, checking the clock as soon as I started the engine. Nine twenty-two. I could still make nine-thirty if I didn’t hit too many lights.

I raced down to King Street, nearly destroying my car in an attempt to parallel park in the smallest spot known to man. Even my tiny Honda Fit barely found enough room. If it had been during the day, I could have avoided using my car completely, but I was far too paranoid to walk around the city alone at night. My step-dad the cop had shared countless horror stories with me.

I got out and booked it around the corner to the bar. Right before I reached the entrance I realized I hadn’t locked the car. I turned around, locked it, and walked into the bar half out of breath.

I took a moment to compose myself while I strained my neck to locate everyone. When I didn’t see anyone I went over to the bar and ordered a glass of wine. You always look less socially awkward when you have a drink in your hand.

So much for being late. I pulled out my phone and texted Grace. You coming?

She didn’t respond. I took another sip of wine. It was only ten minutes after the meeting time. They’d show up.

Twenty minutes later my wine was gone, as was any of my motivation to wait around. My phone buzzed. Sorry. We had to cancel, but someone else is coming.

Someone else? My chest clenched. What was going on?

I promise you are going to love him. His name is Brad and he’s been dying to meet you since he saw your picture.

What? You know I’m not interested in dating.

Of course I know. Why else would I make up a girls’ night?

I silently cursed her before stuffing my phone back in my purse. Luckily I had a ten in my wallet, so I tossed down the cash and got up. Whoever this Brad was, I had no interest in meeting him.

I was never talking to Grace again. She may have been my last friend in town, but that didn’t make up for this. We’d been friends since the first week of our freshman year of college, and she set me up with no warning? How pathetic did she think I was?

I hurried toward the entrance, carefully maneuvering through the crowd until I walked into something—or rather into someone.

“Sorry,” I mumbled before I tried to walk around him.

“Ainsley?” A hand wrapped around my arm. I looked up at the sound of my name coming from a stranger’s mouth. “Am I that late?”

I glanced into the deep brown eyes of a guy I’d never met. “Uh, sorry, you’ve got the wrong person.” Was my luck really that bad? I literally ran into the blind date I was ditching.

“I’m Brad. Didn’t Grace tell you about me?” He still held onto my arm a little too tight.

“Not until a minute ago.”

“Wait. You didn’t know we had a date? Didn’t Grace