Limping up the stairs, growling the whole way, I’m sure all I need is a pirate hat and clothes to finish off my Long John Silver impression. Oh, that, and a parrot. Maybe I should get one. I’m pretty certain dating is off the table for me.

“Olivia, are you okay?”

I glance up into impossibly blue eyes which remind me of the sky on a clear, sunny day. In their depths is kindness and everything that made me love him as a friend.

“Joel.”

Swiftly, he’s got me supported under my arm and pulls my keys from my hand as we walk the several feet to my apartment. It’s been so long, or so it feels like, I say nothing as he helps me inside to sit on my couch. He gets some ice into a bag and brings it to me.

I sigh while he plants himself on my coffee table to sit right in front of me. He extends my injured leg to rest beside him and places the ice on my ankle before he speaks.

“What happened?”

“Everything,” I mutter. “I think I’ve decided I don’t want kids, but maybe a parrot instead.”

His face screws up in confusion.

“Never mind.” I fall back to let my eyes aim at the ceiling while cushioning my back against the sofa.

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

I blink and remember all the times over the past year that we shared our secrets, little bits of our lives that wouldn’t interest anyone else. And I’d ruined that by sleeping with him. Maybe if I just tell him, our friendship can get back on track.

“I went out on a date.” I expel air from my lungs and summon the courage to explain the rest.

Unwilling to look at him, I have no idea what he’s thinking when he says nothing for longer than a pause.

“How’d it go?”

“Great.” I sound sarcastic when, in reality, everything had gone well.

“But…”

I suck in a deep breath, knowing I am going to sound slutty with my next breath.

“I invited him over, not wanting the night to end.” I pause for a second. “He then informs me that he has to get home to relieve the babysitter. He’d told me about his daughter, so I wasn’t surprised. He offered for me to go with him to hang out at his place, since it was late and his daughter would be asleep.”

“Did he hurt you?” Joel growled, obviously coming to the wrong conclusion about why I had a limp.

“No, of course not. After we got there and he paid the sitter, his daughter came flying into the foyer where we still stood.” I sigh. “I don’t think he expected to introduce me, as it was just our first date.”

My mind replays the events as I tell them to Joel.

“Daddy, who is this?” the tiny girl says with so much snark she sounds twenty years older than she is.

“This is my friend Olivia.”

“Isn’t it too late to have her here? I’m going to tell Mommy.”

Paul bends down to talk to his daughter at her eye level. “We’ve talked about this. Mommy and Daddy are divorced.”

“I don’t care,” the girl yells, running in place and throwing a tantrum. “I want my mommy, not this stupid woman.”

With surprising strength, the little girl kicks me on my shin before stomping on my toe then running off, wailing all the way.

“Shit,” Joel says, bringing me back to the present. “What did the guy do?”

“Well…” I breathe. “We mutually agreed it was best I go.”

“Doesn’t sound too bad.”

“No, but when he didn’t offer to call me a cab or ask me to call him to let him know I got home safely. That pretty much ended any interest in him on my part.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

I raise my head and meet his gaze. “Do what?”

“Date?”

“Yes. I’ve never really been on a date until tonight.”

“Corey?”

“I don’t think it counts when your first date was getting together on the playground, him asking if I wanted to be his girlfriend, and me saying sure.”

“Okay.” He sounds thoughtful.

“I do know now that kids hate me.”

He rubs my leg, and suddenly my lady parts are screaming, Up a little higher. But he keeps it PG, much to my regret.

“Kids don’t hate you. She sounds like a brat. Anyway, I have an idea.”

I wait for him to speak, and when he doesn’t, I prod him. “And?”

“I know someone who would be perfect for you.”

“For real?” I’m intrigued and a little disappointed. He’s given up on me. I tamp that down. “Who is he?”

He squeezes my hand. “I’m not telling. I’ll set it up, like a blind date.”

“A blind date,” I squeak. That scares the shit out of me. I’ve heard horror stories from my friends.

“Yes. And trust me.” He gets to his feet. “You should keep your foot elevated for a while. Call me if you need help getting undressed and into bed.”

Waggling his eyebrows, he winks at me. I smile, enjoying our playful banter. Though, as he leaves, I’m left a little depressed that he offered to set me up and not take me out himself.