HAPPY NEWS: I sold my first copy today! Thanks, Marilynn Halling for always supporting me in all my crazy endeavors!
Drum roll please, here it is, the end, or really the end of the beginning!
The next morning at work Rosa
stopped her. "What did you think of Ned?"
"He is
very nice.""What?
"He sent this."
Cassandra stood in silence had there been a connection? She enjoyed her time with him but it didn't feel romantic, more friendly.
"So, should I send him your number or do you want to call him?"
"I'll take his number, thanks." Cassandra entered the number into her phone and hurried to clock in for work. His comment was flattering but she hadn't felt drawn to him. Had the disappointment of comparing him to Boe or Kenny kept her from seeing him as something else?
The next morning she had two messages from Bikerdude. One from the night of her date with Boe and another that afternoon.
"I hope it's something good that kept you from answering me."
The other message was a continuation of their usual correspondence asking about her plans for Thanksgiving the following week.
"Sorry, It's been a crazy few days. Crunch time for the perfect Christmas date has
arrived. The website idea isn't helping me find the man I need. The one date I
went on met all the criteria on appearance but not on conversation. A coworker
set me up and he was nice but not the most attractive of men. I hate that I sound
so superficial but I have an ideal in mind. Maybe I should give him a chance."
A call the
next day from Boe surprised Cassandra and she agreed to meet for drinks. Again
the conversation was lacking. On the way home she looked at Ned's number and
thought about calling him. Would either of them be better than going alone?
The next
reply to Bikerdude she answered some of his questions. "For Thanksgiving I will be going to my sister's. Ever since we found each other
we are family. I don't know how I would have gotten through since mom without
her. As far as the date search. Boe has the looks but not the personality, he works
at a sporting equipment store, so he won't seem like a catch in that sense either.
Ned has the personality but next to Kenny he will look less than homely.
However, he does have a good career finding employee's for bigger businesses.
That is something, besides I can talk to him. Maybe I'd better call him."
Cassandra
put off calling Ned for a few days. Instead checking for new men on the dating
website. Bikerdude didn't send a message for a few days and Cassandra found
that she missed them.
"I
haven't talked to you for a while how are things?" "Good. How are you?"
"I'm asking about with Ned."
"Oh, I haven't called him yet. I'll be busy for the next few weeks and don't want to start anything."
"This isn't about that party is it? I know you are looking for a hot date, which Ned is not but I didn't introduce you so that he could be a puppet for your crazy college friend."
"I know. I sound like a jerk and Ned is a nice guy. He deserves a nice girl. I'll call him."
"Okay,"
That evening Cassandra baked the pies she was taking for Thanksgiving the following day. As they cooked she checked her messages.
Bikerdude gave a brief answer to her inquiry about his plans for Thanksgiving. A normal family meal. Not something Cassandra knew anything about until she had met Anne. His final questions caught her attention.
"Will you give me your number? I'd like to talk to you tomorrow night."
Cassandra didn't answer his message. Instead she cleaned her kitchen and checked on the pies multiple times. Between she scoured the dating site. There was little hope of having a date that fulfilled her dreams, great looks and great conversation. She needed someone she had a connection with and in the two weeks until the party there wasn't time. Maybe she should have cultivated her relationship with Ned. There could have been potential if she had tried.
Once the pies were resting on the counter to cool she prepared for bed. The clock ticked past eleven before she sent the email containing her number. It may have been too late.
The time with family was great but Cassandra hurried home after dinner, explaining that she had to be to work early the next morning. She had told Anne about conversing with Bikerdude online but didn't go into detail or say anything about the phone call. After recharging her phone she climbed into bed and looked at her phone as much as she did the book in front of her. At ten she checked her alarms and turned out the light, leaving her phone on the pillow next to her. He must not have wanted to speak with her terribly if he didn't call. It took a while for sleep to arrive but it hadn't been long before she was jerked awake by the sound of her phone.
"What, hello?"
"I knew I should have waited until tomorrow. Sorry."
By now Cassandra's mind had returned. "Bikerdude?"
"Yeah, I'll call tomorrow."
"I can talk for a few minutes. Tell me about what you did today."
He shared then asked her to do the same.
"I'll be really busy with work for a few days so don't stress if you don't hear from me."
"I work this weekend as well so we'll touch base again in a few days."
"I'm not sure I can wait that long to talk to you but if I keep busy maybe. Goodnight."
Cassandra fell asleep holding her phone and had to search for it among her covers to silence the alarm the next morning.
Every night after work she checked her messages and the dating site. Bikerdude managed to send her one note the following week but didn't call.
Saturday, with less than a week until the party, Cassandra gave up on finding a date and went shopping. If felt wrong to buy something new for a nondate. She had to look good but her gut twisted knowing it was for Kenny.
She found a few options and debated, leaving the store empty handed. Her phone rang and she answered.
"Hello."
"Hey, how are you?"
Cassandra pulled the phone from her face and glanced at the caller id. This person wasn't in her contacts.
"I'm sorry I haven't called. The crisis has been averted so now I should be more available."
"That's great." Cassandra worked to remember this voice.
"You didn't put me into your phone when we last talked did you?"
"Bikerdude," Cassandra laughed. "No, I'll have to do that.
As she walked home they talked. Through dinner they talked. She prepared for bed while they talked.
"I'd better go it's late," Cassandra finally said.
"Yeah, I have a busy week coming up too but I'll be coming back into town by Friday evening."
"Good." Cassandra squeezed toothpaste onto her brush.
"Did you ever find a date?"
"Nope, I'll face them both alone, the roommate and the ex."
"I could come."
Cassandra dropped her toothbrush. Paste splattered the sink as it hit and continued to the floor.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Do you have a better offer?"
"I just meant are you well enough?"
Bikerdude chuckled. "I had a broken wrist, not complete deformity. Although my face did have a little damage. I've gotten used to the scabs myself."
She answered with silence.
"I'm teasing, think about it and text me tomorrow. Goodnight."
Cassandra hung up then cleaned up the mess of her toothbrush.
Was a face with a little damage better than none at all? The timer on the length of their phone call indicated that the night wouldn't be a waste if he were there. She went to bed trying to decide how to text him yes without sounding over eager. She had no idea what he looked like or even what his name was. In all their communications they referred to each other using their screen name.
The next day the text was short. "Okay, how will I know you and why have I never asked your name before now."
"I'll wear a bowtie and find you. Text me with a question you can ask."
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