Read Online Settling Up by Eryn Scott - Free Book Online

promising.”
    “Wow.” Bets shook her head. “Whatever Mack said to you must’ve made some crazy difference.”
    I shrugged. “He fits the list from what we can tell from his profile. Send him a message.”
    I was acting very nonchalant, I know, but the truth was that Betsy’s little speech had been dead on. I wasn’t doing any of this because I thought I deserved better, or was better than anyone else, but I knew she was right that it could easily come off that way. I really just wanted to find the right person and waste as little time (mine and his) in the process. It was hard, though, letting go of the idea that compatibility didn’t have to mean we were exactly alike. I swallowed the doubt and tried to let the new list do its thing.
    Betsy got to work typing. We sent one other guy (the dentist from the city) a message, but before we could log off, an email from Guy Number One, the CPA came through.
    “He wants to know if you can meet tonight.” Betsy’s fingers were frozen, hovering over the keys while she watched me for my reaction.
    My neck felt red and hot. Tonight? That was, well, soon. I had class until five, so it would have to be a later dinner or maybe just drinks. I started making a list of pros and cons in my head.
    “Making plans for tonight is perfect because you won’t have time to chicken out or ‘think’ your way out of it.” Betsy watched me, knowing she was adding to the pro column of the list she inevitably knew I was making in my head.
    “And, it shows that he’s into you, too.” She added another.
    I picked at my nails. My face flushed as I realized there were a whole lot more items in the pro column than the con column. Not to mention that the con column was mostly full of my fears instead of actual quantifiable reasons.
    “Okay.” I nodded. “Did he say a place or do you think he’ll mind if I recommend one?”
    Betsy shook her head, her body tensed with excitement that I was going along with this. “He didn’t say. And if he minds you putting in your two cents about where to go, he’s a jerk.” Her fingers began flying across the keyboard again. “I’m telling him yes and that you’d like to recommend…” She looked up at me.
    “Block 16.”
    At this, Betsy gave a chin-dip of approval. “Nice variety, not too expensive, cute and romantic atmosphere.” Then she continued typing and pressed enter when she seemed to have come to the end.
    Just as she did, we heard a small voice come from Lilly’s room upstairs.
    “Oh good,” Bets said, standing up and brushing her hands off on her pants. “The girls are up. We’re going on a road trip to your place so we can help you pick out an outfit.” I didn’t even have time to answer her before she spun on her heel and headed for the staircase singing out, “Girl’s, we’re going to Aunty Lauren’s house.”

8
    The power of two
    I ran my hands over the smooth material of my favorite black work pants (I wasn’t really a skirt girl) as I sat at the table and waited. I had already finished the entire glass of water the waiter had poured for me upon arrival and was now eyeing my not-here-yet date’s glass.
    Knowing being caught sipping out of his cup was probably not the first impression I was going for, I sat on my hands for a few moments to eschew the temptation.
    I began counting cubes while I looked around. 1…8…27…64…125…216…343… The walls were a fantastic and rustic yellow, there were funky light fixtures on just about every surface save the floor, and the dark wood of the tables and chairs seemed to ground the room down into the matching dark wood floor. The whole while I took in the sights, my nose was having a veritable party with all of the wonderful smells. Garlic, veggies sautéing in butter, bread toasting under broilers, and cheese browning scents floated around me, solidifying that this restaurant had been the right choice.
    My fingers tugged at the mustard yellow cardigan I’d worn at