Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
All of sudden, the tip of his finger is lifting my chin up that I didn’t even realize had fallen. “Why do I get the feeling you want that date, just not with me?”
I helplessly cringe. “Dmitri-”
“It’s okay.” His hand lifts to politely stop the sentence in its tracks. “I knew it was a long shot that I hadn’t missed my chance.”
The words slip free at a muted tone. “I didn’t think you had.”
“But now you know I have?”
Garbled words clump together forming an incoherent slew for an answer.
He lightly chuckles, lifts his hand for the check, and teases, “How about in English, next?”
Embarrassed snickers proceed a more understandable response. “It’s complicated.”
“Why?”
“He’s my roommate.”
“You have a roommate?”
“Housemate?” Realizing that doesn’t sound much better has me rushing to explain. “He’s a friend that fell on hard times, and I moved him in to my garage to help get him back on his feet – only because he didn’t wanna live in the house – and we’ve grown close-” Dmitri shoots me an incredulous stare in the middle of my rambling. “Okay. Fine. We’ve grown really close. So close that we’re practically dating, but we aren’t actually dating, which is why it’s okay I go on other dates with other people because we’re not dating no matter how much I wish we were dating, and the truth is we will probably never date, so it’s all really just a moot point.”
Dmitri offers a nod of thanks to the bartender for the bill before inquiring to me, “As the weird consolation prize in this whole thing, can I offer you some advice?”
Ohmygod he is, isn’t he? The like ‘Thank You for Trying to Date Normal’ giftbag from the ‘My Mother Won’t Stop Setting Me Up Gala’.
“Sorry,” I whisper on an awkward cringe. “I didn’t mean for that to come out that way. That’s not what I wanted my words to infer.”
He fishes his wallet of his suit pocket, smile never wavering. “First off, there are worse things to be than some sexy librarian’s second choice in dates, Jaye.”
Am I sexy? I thought I might be in this shorter than normal purple plaid winter mini dress and these brown thigh high boots, but I didn’t know I was that hot in it. Score for me!
“And second, instead of just assuming this guy is not interested, how about you tell him how you feel?” The debit card lands on the receipt. “I’ll be honest. Most of us out here are…pretty fucking dense when it comes to women or what they want. Some of us are just better at faking that shit than others.”
Both hands cup my mouth to keep in the giggle.
“Tell this guy the bluntest version of the truth that you can. Don’t leave any doubt for what you could possibly mean because let me be the first to say if you do, then you’ll both get screwed over.” The bartender takes the bill into his possession while Dmitri explains. “My ex said I work too much – which in fairness I do – and that she needed a big gesture to prove to me she mattered just as much as work. I thought she meant planning us a couple’s vacation to Disneyworld. She meant a 2ct princess cut diamond engagement from That Ring You Do.”
A loud hiss is attached to a wince.
“Yeah. However, I will say going on a couple’s vacation solo wasn’t so bad. There was a little magic to be found with a bridesmaid at The Magic Kingdom. She was desperate to getaway from the bridezilla she called a sister, and I was desperate to stop looking at those princesses the way Mr. Mouse did not intend.”
More laughs spring loose from parted lips.
“My point is…leave no room for miscommunication.” The smile offered next appears genuine. “If you’re right, and he’s not interested in you then it’ll be easier for you to move on. Preferably with a fairly attractive, still single and ready to mingle, pediatric doctor.”
Warmth remains in my tone as I reach over to give his leg a friendly pat. “You’re a great guy.”
My statement is met by a slightly defeated shrug. “Just not the right guy.”
No.
Not for me.
Post signing the receipt, Dmitri and I spend a little longer freely chatting mostly about the organizations he volunteers to with me making mental notes to donate to them. Afterward, he walks me to my car, kisses me goodnight on the cheek, and wishes me luck with my housemate.
And I need all the luck I can get.
I’m not always the best with words.
Maybe because I know how powerful they can truly be.
Seems like an obvious concept, right? But it’s not. Words reaaalllyyyyy matter. Whether they’re on the page or being spoken, how we put them together can be the difference between life and death, pain and pleasure, unrequited love and undying love. Hm? Okay, fine, maybe I’m being a little dramatic, but what do you want from me? Reading a Sloan Mathers romance novel always does that to me.