Read Online More Than Friends by Erin Dutton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Erin Dutton
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can hope for a while until I meet them and find out they have some major personality flaw or a huge wart, or a—”
“Hey, slow down. I’m just surprised. I didn’t know you were thinking about getting back out there, let alone putting your profile online.”
“I didn’t either. But it’s pretty clear Mel and I aren’t reconciling.” The Web site required an active account before allowing users to browse available women. So, on a whim one night last week, while tipsy, she’d set up her own profile, intending only to see what kind of women visited those sites. She’d nearly forgotten about it until, a few days later, she received e-mail notifications that a couple of women had viewed her profile and “smiled” at her, whatever that meant.
“Good for you.What’s the plan?”
“We’re meeting for dinner. Someplace bright and public, you know, in case she’s a murderer or has a scary ex-con boyfriend.”
“That sounds like a good plan.”
She shifted in her seat and bent her head closer to Evelyn’s. “I haven’t been on a first date in seven years.”
“Nervous, huh?”
“You could say that. But right now I’m more concerned with just putting myself back out there.” The woman she planned to meet tonight seemed nice and, if her profile was accurate, she was cute and they had shared interests, but she didn’t let her expectations get too high. “I just hate the awkwardness and uncomfortable silences that go with a first date.”
“You’re looking at it all wrong. Think about the possibilities. Right now, there’s potential. You could have a great first date. And if not,” Evelyn shrugged, “you meet someone else and have another one. Nothing lost.”
She teased Evelyn. “So, I should just become a player?”
“I’m not saying that. But maybe just don’t take things seriously right now. I know you, Kendall. You want to be in a relationship. You like being taken care of and having someone to dote on.”
She nodded.
“I have no doubt you’ll find that again. But it doesn’t have to be right now. You have your own place for the first time in a long time, so enjoy being alone. And if you meet some cool people in the process, that’s great.”
“You’re right. But hey, you’re still there for me when I need a wingman, right?”
Evelyn grinned, knowing Kendall was only half joking. “Absolutely.”
They finished their lunch with light conversation and made plans to get together late Saturday morning for breakfast and a postmortem of Kendall’s date. They’d established the tradition years ago after Evelyn had a particularly tragic one. This would be Kendall’s first time on the other end of the meal.
As they walked out the front door, Evelyn’s phone buzzed and she pulled it free from the holster. When she saw Melanie’s face on the screen, she switched it to her other hand, facing away from Kendall.
But she didn’t need to make an excuse to take the call, because the dispatcher’s voice came across the radio requesting Kendall to back another officer on a disorderly person.
“I’ll catch you later,” Kendall said after acknowledging the transmission.
“See ya.” Evelyn slid behind the wheel of her patrol car and answered her phone. “Hey, how are you?”
“I’m sorry to bother you while you’re working. But that’s actually why I’m calling. One of my clients had a break-in and the theft included some stuff from one of my trailers. It’s down on Riverside Street, so I thought since it’s in your district—”
“Absolutely. Give me the address.” She grabbed a pen and small notepad and jotted down the location.
“Thank you. I’ll meet you over there.”
*
Evelyn pulled her patrol car to the curb behind Melanie’s truck and surveyed the house in front of her. Several large trees shaded the small bungalow. Like every other place on the block, the owner had painted the exterior and trim in bright contrasting colors. But the attempt at
“Hey, slow down. I’m just surprised. I didn’t know you were thinking about getting back out there, let alone putting your profile online.”
“I didn’t either. But it’s pretty clear Mel and I aren’t reconciling.” The Web site required an active account before allowing users to browse available women. So, on a whim one night last week, while tipsy, she’d set up her own profile, intending only to see what kind of women visited those sites. She’d nearly forgotten about it until, a few days later, she received e-mail notifications that a couple of women had viewed her profile and “smiled” at her, whatever that meant.
“Good for you.What’s the plan?”
“We’re meeting for dinner. Someplace bright and public, you know, in case she’s a murderer or has a scary ex-con boyfriend.”
“That sounds like a good plan.”
She shifted in her seat and bent her head closer to Evelyn’s. “I haven’t been on a first date in seven years.”
“Nervous, huh?”
“You could say that. But right now I’m more concerned with just putting myself back out there.” The woman she planned to meet tonight seemed nice and, if her profile was accurate, she was cute and they had shared interests, but she didn’t let her expectations get too high. “I just hate the awkwardness and uncomfortable silences that go with a first date.”
“You’re looking at it all wrong. Think about the possibilities. Right now, there’s potential. You could have a great first date. And if not,” Evelyn shrugged, “you meet someone else and have another one. Nothing lost.”
She teased Evelyn. “So, I should just become a player?”
“I’m not saying that. But maybe just don’t take things seriously right now. I know you, Kendall. You want to be in a relationship. You like being taken care of and having someone to dote on.”
She nodded.
“I have no doubt you’ll find that again. But it doesn’t have to be right now. You have your own place for the first time in a long time, so enjoy being alone. And if you meet some cool people in the process, that’s great.”
“You’re right. But hey, you’re still there for me when I need a wingman, right?”
Evelyn grinned, knowing Kendall was only half joking. “Absolutely.”
They finished their lunch with light conversation and made plans to get together late Saturday morning for breakfast and a postmortem of Kendall’s date. They’d established the tradition years ago after Evelyn had a particularly tragic one. This would be Kendall’s first time on the other end of the meal.
As they walked out the front door, Evelyn’s phone buzzed and she pulled it free from the holster. When she saw Melanie’s face on the screen, she switched it to her other hand, facing away from Kendall.
But she didn’t need to make an excuse to take the call, because the dispatcher’s voice came across the radio requesting Kendall to back another officer on a disorderly person.
“I’ll catch you later,” Kendall said after acknowledging the transmission.
“See ya.” Evelyn slid behind the wheel of her patrol car and answered her phone. “Hey, how are you?”
“I’m sorry to bother you while you’re working. But that’s actually why I’m calling. One of my clients had a break-in and the theft included some stuff from one of my trailers. It’s down on Riverside Street, so I thought since it’s in your district—”
“Absolutely. Give me the address.” She grabbed a pen and small notepad and jotted down the location.
“Thank you. I’ll meet you over there.”
*
Evelyn pulled her patrol car to the curb behind Melanie’s truck and surveyed the house in front of her. Several large trees shaded the small bungalow. Like every other place on the block, the owner had painted the exterior and trim in bright contrasting colors. But the attempt at
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