The man seated opposite shifted on his seat. He looked at me. Looked away. I mustered all of the bravado I could manage and forced my lips up into a smile the next time he glanced my way.
I gave him all of my attention even though I wanted to be anywhere but at this tiny little café seated across from him. Heck, even a few tables over as the third wheel with Richie and his date would be preferable to this.
Instead, we sat in a strange silence.
It was a standoff that neither of us wanted to break.
I drew my coffee cup towards me and took another large gulp with a wince. My burned tongue tingled uncomfortably. Yet I welcomed the discomfort. It was better than the situation before me.
My date, Steve, did not seem to care that he had completely misrepresented himself on his dating profile. He just smiled back at me, his eyes occasionally sliding to the table behind me.
I had never really given much thought to my type. But, staring across at the man before me, I knew one thing for certain. Liars were not my type. Entrepreneur Steve was definitely not my type.
His omissions hung between us like heavy weights. And yet, I didn't bring them up. I already knew where this was going. Or rather, I knew where it was not going. I didn't care why he had lied. Only that he had.
Still, it didn't matter if I already knew this was going nowhere because I was sticking this out – awkward silences and all. It didn't matter that I knew I would be heading for the exit at the earliest opportunity. I had a point to prove and I would get thought this bloody date if it was the last thing I did.
"So -." I began, the words tailing off as he finally turned his attention back to me.
Steve leaned forwards, his elbows resting on the table as his too tight shirt strained across his body.
"So, I didn't want to be the one to put it out there but you look nothing like your photo." Steve commented as he looked me up and down. His eyes lingered on my chest area a little too long for comfort.
Was he being fucking serious?
My eyebrows almost disappeared into my hairline at that comment. If anyone was getting cat fished here, it was me. The man hadn't updated his dating profile since the bloody millennium. And was that a bloody toupee?
You should be talking about yourself, Steve.
Instead, I tilted my head slightly and asked, "Really? I only took them two days ago so I can't see how. I haven't aged overnight."
"It must have been the lighting." He commented, his eyes doing another slow perusal of my body. I fought the urge to pull my cardigan across my chest. "You looked younger in the photos."
I pressed my lips against the snort.
"My age was on my profile."
Steve shrugged, his eyes darting behind me. I followed his gaze.
My stomach rolled and it was only sheer restraint that prevented my lip from curling in disgust. I looked my age. Clearly, sleazy Steve liked his women to be on the younger end of the spectrum – much younger if his lingering eyes had anything to say about it.
The barista shot me an apologetic smile as she hurried past our table.
Why had I thought this was a good idea?
I had been fine alone. I didn't need to get out more. I didn't need to be more normal like everyone else. I was fine.
Only I wasn't fine. Not really.
YOU ARE READING
The Secrets She Kept
General FictionEvelyn and Rosie had always been close. They were not just mother and daughter; they were best friends. At least, they were until disease stole away the woman Evelyn had once been. After an incident forces Rosie's hand, she soon comes to realise the...
