Chronicles of a Serial Dater - Book 3: A New Adult Romantic Comedy by Adele Huxley, Savan Robbins Page A

concede that point and relaxed a little. I’d only been in this strange new world for a few weeks now and I already understood the need to protect yourself, both physically and emotionally. Maybe he didn’t go about it in the right way, but I guess I get it, I thought. The last of my reservations softened and I let myself get into the date.
    The conversation was light but easy. He asked plenty of questions and genuinely listened to my responses. After sitting and talking over empty cups for a half an hour, Devon clapped his hands together. “So! What should we do next? We could go for a walk, go window shopping, or I know a place a few blocks away where we can play shuffleboard.”
    I made a show of thinking hard about my choices, rubbing my chin for effect. “I vote shuffleboard, unless you’re some kind of secret shuffleboard pro and you’re just trying to hustle me,” I grinned as I stood.
    He held his hands up defensively. “I swear I’ve only played shuffleboard in a past life when I was a retiree in Florida.”
    “Well, I suppose that’s not much of an advantage,” I joked.
    Our fingers casually brushed as we strolled down the street chatting. I kept trying to sneak peeks at him he wouldn’t notice. Broad muscular shoulders and soft spoken, he looked like he could handle himself in a fight but could easily charm your grandmother. The sheer confidence rolling off him was incredible and alluring. I’d never been around a guy like him.
    The shuffleboard place was a hipster paradise, but I loved it. A long bar lined the back wall of the bright, open space. People our age filled the six lanes, laughing and drinking while flinging discs down lanes with bizarrely long sticks. There was a little wait for a space to open up, so we grabbed a snack from one of the food trucks parked out front.
    I felt excited and comfortable all at once. It was like we were friends already but were both eager to get to know each other. This is what a first date is supposed to be, I thought. We traded stories, kept the conversation light, and found lots of things to discuss. So far, there’d been no hint of a secret fetish or a desire to quiz me like a trivia night master.
    When we got our lane, Devon offered to buy drinks. “Just a Corona or something light like that,” I said, happy to be with someone polite for once. He gave me another look I couldn’t quite read, but passed it off as date jitters. I’m not gonna lie. I watched him walk away, studying the way his clothes moved against his body. What? You would’ve too, I promise.
    “Okay, we have to make this fast. I have another date lined up for eleven,” he joked as he handed me the cold bottle.
    “I’ll do what I can,” I winked back, enjoying the flutter of butterflies in my belly.
    Shuffleboard is a simple game in theory but proved difficult in practice. It isn’t really the best date activity since you have to stand at opposite ends of the room, but I had a great time regardless. After I lost the first game, we gave up playing and just practiced sliding the disc across the slippery floor. When our hour was up, I’d already decided I liked him enough to see him again. Again, nothing weird to report… just a normal date. Imagine that!
    We strolled around the neighborhood, idly making our way to the station for my train back into Manhattan. He interlaced his fingers with mine as we walked and a splash of warmth filled my belly. It was a perfect way to end a perfect date.
    “Tell me something no one else knows,” he asked softly as we waited to cross the street.
    I bit my lip as I tried to come up with a clever, sarcastic remark. But I had a feeling Devon was a guy who valued sincerity, so instead I chose something real but not too revealing. “Oh, I know! No one knows about this, at all. It’s my super-secret project.”
    “Okay, I’m intrigued.”
    “I’m writing a blog that I haven’t shared with any friends or family or anyone. The best part is people