have noticed.
“What about you, Frank? When are you going to start dating again?”
“Never. Anyway, it’s not like I’m going to meet anyone here.” At the bakery it was mainly women, and at The Keg the pickings were pretty slim. In my short time here, I hadn’t seen anyone who looked even vaguely interesting. But deep down, I knew I was actually having trust issues. I mean, who wouldn’t after everything that happened with Matt?
“You always seem to meet tons of guys. Well, guys ask you out and then you turn them down.”
That was actually true. I think it had less to do with looks and more to do with the fact I looked friendly and approachable, and because I would chat to anyone. A guy once told me he asked me out because I looked like I would say yes. Matt used to joke that he couldn’t leave me alone for five minutes without my getting hit on. Guess he didn’t worry about that anymore. I sighed and did some lime green embroidery on the little pink and red cushion I was working on. It was a combination of checked gingham and a retro print of little candies that should not have worked but looked divine.
“I have a lot of rules though. I don’t date customers, or bosses.” I used to not date co-workers until Matt, and in retrospect I should have kept to that rule.
Chloë rolled her eyes, “Oh, Frankie has a lot of rules about dating? What aspect of life do you not have a lot of rules about?”
I shrugged, but what was wrong with rules? They helped you to keep order in your life. And having rules and goals had gotten me a lot of good things in life. I got a scholarship because I had good study habits; I lost weight because I had followed some strict rules about smaller portions and exercise.
“What about you Chloë? You’re pretty picky too.” She was too, I wasn’t sure if she was actually choosy or wasn’t getting offers, but she didn’t go out on many dates.
She nodded, deep in thought and then her face lit up. “Maybe you’re right, we should both take a chance. I’ve got a brilliant idea! We both have to say yes to the next guy that asks us out!”
This was an alarming idea, especially since a lot of random guys asked me out. I started to shake my head, and Chloë scowled at me. “Come on Frankie, be daring for once in your life.”
“Okay, but I get one pass in case someone really heinous asks me out.”
“That’s the point, we need to go out with someone we wouldn’t normally go out with, to expand our horizons.”
“Last week at The Keg, this gross middle-aged guy asked me out. He had sweat stains in the armpits of his suit jacket, disgusting.”
“Maybe he was a nice person, you never know. You can’t judge by appearances.” Chloë was happy to defend the losers that I might have to date.
“Chloë, he belched in the middle of asking me out. He had a frigging wedding ring on! The whole thing was gross, gross, gross!” I had tried to forget all the details, but it was exactly the reason I needed a free pass and Chloë finally agreed as long as she got one too.
Jake
I like women. I know most guys would say that, but I genuinely like women and naturally I like to get with women. Of course, being in the NHL definitely improves my odds with chicks; I figure I’m a nice guy, but sometimes that’s not enough. Still, I get that not every girl is into hockey players or into me, and it kind of seemed like the little brunette was one of them. I wasn’t going to keep after her if she wasn’t interested, but she was hot enough to rate some extra effort.
The next day at the gym, I asked Brad about her during our training session.
“Hey Brad, you know that brunette that works out here?”
He made a face. “Afternoons? Short with long brown hair?”
“And stacked!” I added.
“Yeah, you’re only the tenth guy to ask me about her. It’s not that kind of gym, and I should never have let her talk me into a membership.”
“Why, is she picking up guys all the time?”
“What about you, Frank? When are you going to start dating again?”
“Never. Anyway, it’s not like I’m going to meet anyone here.” At the bakery it was mainly women, and at The Keg the pickings were pretty slim. In my short time here, I hadn’t seen anyone who looked even vaguely interesting. But deep down, I knew I was actually having trust issues. I mean, who wouldn’t after everything that happened with Matt?
“You always seem to meet tons of guys. Well, guys ask you out and then you turn them down.”
That was actually true. I think it had less to do with looks and more to do with the fact I looked friendly and approachable, and because I would chat to anyone. A guy once told me he asked me out because I looked like I would say yes. Matt used to joke that he couldn’t leave me alone for five minutes without my getting hit on. Guess he didn’t worry about that anymore. I sighed and did some lime green embroidery on the little pink and red cushion I was working on. It was a combination of checked gingham and a retro print of little candies that should not have worked but looked divine.
“I have a lot of rules though. I don’t date customers, or bosses.” I used to not date co-workers until Matt, and in retrospect I should have kept to that rule.
Chloë rolled her eyes, “Oh, Frankie has a lot of rules about dating? What aspect of life do you not have a lot of rules about?”
I shrugged, but what was wrong with rules? They helped you to keep order in your life. And having rules and goals had gotten me a lot of good things in life. I got a scholarship because I had good study habits; I lost weight because I had followed some strict rules about smaller portions and exercise.
“What about you Chloë? You’re pretty picky too.” She was too, I wasn’t sure if she was actually choosy or wasn’t getting offers, but she didn’t go out on many dates.
She nodded, deep in thought and then her face lit up. “Maybe you’re right, we should both take a chance. I’ve got a brilliant idea! We both have to say yes to the next guy that asks us out!”
This was an alarming idea, especially since a lot of random guys asked me out. I started to shake my head, and Chloë scowled at me. “Come on Frankie, be daring for once in your life.”
“Okay, but I get one pass in case someone really heinous asks me out.”
“That’s the point, we need to go out with someone we wouldn’t normally go out with, to expand our horizons.”
“Last week at The Keg, this gross middle-aged guy asked me out. He had sweat stains in the armpits of his suit jacket, disgusting.”
“Maybe he was a nice person, you never know. You can’t judge by appearances.” Chloë was happy to defend the losers that I might have to date.
“Chloë, he belched in the middle of asking me out. He had a frigging wedding ring on! The whole thing was gross, gross, gross!” I had tried to forget all the details, but it was exactly the reason I needed a free pass and Chloë finally agreed as long as she got one too.
Jake
I like women. I know most guys would say that, but I genuinely like women and naturally I like to get with women. Of course, being in the NHL definitely improves my odds with chicks; I figure I’m a nice guy, but sometimes that’s not enough. Still, I get that not every girl is into hockey players or into me, and it kind of seemed like the little brunette was one of them. I wasn’t going to keep after her if she wasn’t interested, but she was hot enough to rate some extra effort.
The next day at the gym, I asked Brad about her during our training session.
“Hey Brad, you know that brunette that works out here?”
He made a face. “Afternoons? Short with long brown hair?”
“And stacked!” I added.
“Yeah, you’re only the tenth guy to ask me about her. It’s not that kind of gym, and I should never have let her talk me into a membership.”
“Why, is she picking up guys all the time?”
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