The Blind Date by Landish, Lauren (suggested reading .txt) 📕

Becky smiles and suggests, “Food?”

We all cheer, marching our way back to the table to meet the guys as we hold up Loretta’s arm in victory.

“Holding on to the title?” Eli asks Loretta, and she nods. We all sit down around the table, Simon pulling Becky’s chair out for her. Again, I think how cute they are and how much I’d like to have someone in my corner like that. It seems Loretta feels the same. I glance from Eli to Arielle, trying to judge what’s going on between them these days too, but there don’t seem to be any lovey-dovey vibes today.

We order a round of drinks, and when the waitress delivers them, Simon stops us from sipping. “Wait, I’d like to propose a toast.” We hold our glasses up high and wait for him to continue. “Here’s to years of friendship, of Mall Rats becoming family, and of families growing.”

We clink glasses and take sips, but Simon has paused pointedly, a large grin stretching his face and telling us to look through the words for something important. Becky’s smiling wide too, and finally, it clicks. “Are you pregnant?” I whisper, afraid to be wrong, but Becky nods excitedly.

“Just a little,” Becky says, and we all cheer. I hug her tightly, glad that she’s sitting next to me, and I get to show her some love at the awesome news.

Eli scoffs, amused. “There ain’t no such thing as a little pregnant. Either you are or you aren’t.” He holds his right hand out wide and then his left, way far apart.

“Then I am,” she concedes. “And there’s more. Simon, tell them the rest.”

At her urging, Simon once again draws our attention. “I also got a promotion to regional manager. I start next month.”

“What?”

“That’s awesome!”

“Way to go, man!”

We all celebrate their good fortunes, truly happy for them. “Thanks, everyone,” Becky says, smiling at Simon, who smiles back at her.

I want that.

I can see that now. I’ve been putting off dating and relationships for years, focusing on my work, and that’s been great, getting me to where I am. But it’s okay to reprioritize and make a little time for dating or more now that I’ve got a steady lifestyle. Even with Arielle pushing me, I wouldn’t have even considered joining the BlindDate app if I weren’t open to the idea.

Noah asked me to think about it, about him. To really give him and us a chance. And seeing Simon and Becky together is making me think long and hard about what I’m willing to risk and what I’m willing to walk away from.

Earlier today, Mabel talked about picking up her husband’s dirty socks for fifty years and how it made her happy and broke her heart when she couldn’t any longer.

Could I be happy picking up Noah’s dirty socks? Is he that kind of guy? Is this that kind of relationship?

I think it could be. We’ll have to figure out the River and Arielle complications eventually, but I do think it’s worth trying.

I don’t overthink it, don’t analyze it to death. That’s not who or what I am. I check my gut once more, focusing on anything that gives me pause, but I only find fear of getting hurt, and I won’t let that stop me. I never have before and won’t start now. Fear is what makes great people into so-so people.

So, I pull my phone out while everyone else is talking about Simon’s new role and Becky’s pregnancy. I open up BlindDate and click into my messages.

R: Okay. I’m in to see where this goes.

In seconds, he responds.

M . . . or Noah: Where are you? Can I come over now?

I smile at his eagerness, letting it soothe over any residual worries.

R: Not tonight. I’m out with friends. But tomorrow around seven?

N: I might die before then, but I guess I can wait the 21 hours, 9 minutes, and 45 seconds.

R: Did you really count that up?

N: 21-9-7 now.

R: <hourglass emoji> See you soon.

“Everything okay?” Loretta asks me, and I realize that I’ve been smiling at my phone for a few minutes now. I look up, afraid Arielle is going to ask me who I’m messaging with, but she’s oblivious to my phone distraction. She and Eli seem to be caught up in a private conversation that’s not using words. Instead, they’re glaring at each other, lifting their brows, and huffily turning away from one another.

What is it with those two?

“All good,” I tell Loretta, and then a thought occurs to me. “Hey, you should try out this app.”

I tell her about River and Noah’s BlindDate app and how you can put in your preferences, including height, and it’ll match you up. She says she’ll think about it, but she doesn’t look convinced. I’m sure she’s thinking that if it were all that awesome, I’d be telling her about the amazing man I met.

I did. I just can’t tell her. Or anyone else, for that matter. Not yet. Not until I see how things go with Noah.

But the conversation has finally gotten Arielle’s attention and she jumps in. “Riley had a ninety-six percent match! You never did say earlier . . . how’s that going?”

“Uh . . .” I stammer, no idea how to answer that. “I mean . . . it’s good?” My heart is racing. I can feel the nervous sweat starting in my pits, and I’m fidgeting like a toddler who needs to pee.

“Good?” Arielle repeats, not looking convinced.

I can’t say more, though my tongue is a moment away from saying, “He’s awesome and he’s your brother and I don’t know what to do about it!” To prevent that from happening, I shove a nacho in my mouth, nearly choking on the sharp chip and messy cheese and beef combo topped with hot jalapeños.

My eyes water, tears leaking down my cheeks, and I cough harshly, but I try to nod in answer. It only chokes me up more, and I have to give up in favor of sucking down some water. It’s still