Chapter 12
Tinley hits play as Netflix interrupted her bingeing session for the second time since she sat down this evening. After work, she went straight to the grocery store and picked up a new bottle of wine and the fixings to make a batch of cupcakes. She’s a mood eater through and through so even though she still has cupcakes at home she wanted something different. She broke the cardinal rule of baking and frosted a couple of them straight out of the oven creating an ooey gooey mess of deliciousness. Combine that with the delicious on her screen and her night has gotten much better. Although, she can’t help but wonder if it’s weird that the two guys she’s currently lusting after are drastically different in age?
Rather than contemplate that further, she continues watching the shenanigans play out in front of her on the screen. Who knew a dark and brooding murder mystery esque Archie comics TV show could be so addicting? Definitely not Tinley. She finishes off the last bite of cupcake she has waiting on her plate and sets it aside. Picking up her phone, she decides to see what her Mystery Date is up to this evening.
Me: Hypothetical question.
Mystery Date: Okay, shoot.
Me: If someone were to carry five very heavy bags of groceries from their car to their apartment. Then proceed to spend hours baking cupcakes. Does that and clicking the button to let Netflix know they haven’t gotten their life together and are still watching while eating said cupcakes, count as exercise?
Me: Asking for a friend, of course. ;)
Tinley pouts into her wine glass as she finishes the last drop and looks longingly at the kitchen. She’s perfectly comfortable in her spot on the couch and she’d hate to have to ruin it by getting up. She found the best combination of pillow to blanket ratio and her toes are currently nice in toasty underneath her knitted throw. Although, she does wonder if she can still call it knitted since she bought it at Target this way. It was definitely mass produced on a machine.
Mystery Date: That depends.
Me: On?
Mystery Date: What kind of cupcakes are we talking about here?
Me: Does that really make a difference?
Mystery Date: Absolutely. The entire basis of your question relies heavily on that answer. If we’re talking homemade red velvet with an insanely good cream cheese frosting that was mixed by hand, then your friend absolutely got in a workout. But if we’re talking a box of cake mix and a tub of frosting. Then no way.
Me: Sacrilege. I would never bring that junk into my house.
Me: I mean. My friend. She makes everything from scratch when it comes to baking.
Mystery Date: Right. Your friend.
Me: Okay fine. It was me. That’s what happens when you decide to have that second glass of wine I guess.
Mystery Date: Cupcakes and wine. Where was my invite?
Me: I don’t think my living room could handle any more men tonight.
Mystery Date: Sounds kinky.
Me: If me simultaneously lusting over Cole Sprouse and Luke Perry counts as kinky, then so be it.
Mystery Date: Um. What?
Me: I’m currently sucked into a Riverdale binge-fest on Netflix. I’ve had to click the button twice now to let Netflix know that my life is pathetic, and I have not moved from my spot on the couch.
She sends off that text and realizes she hasn’t even been watching the TV since she picked up her phone. The entire cast could have died right in front of her and she wouldn’t have even realized it.
Me: I really need to stop drinking and texting. Because you know how lame I really am.
Mystery Date: I don’t think you’re lame or pathetic. Sounds to me like you’re enjoying yourself and that’s all that really matters.
Tinley can’t help but smile at his response. Not her fake customer service smile but a full-blown real one. It covers her entire face and her cheeks heat up in response. Part of that is due to the two glasses of wine she consumed but the rest is all for the guy she’s getting to know a little bit better.
Me: I have zero words. That was probably the sweetest thing any guy has ever said to me.
Mystery Date: Obviously you’ve been talking to the wrong guys then.
“What has you grinning like an idiot?”
The phone slips from her fingers and she jumps as Dakota comes up behind her. It doesn’t seem like she actually saw what was on her phone screen, so Tinley just waves her hand and says, “Oh it was just some video I saw on social media. I thought it was funny.”
She walks toward the kitchen while yelling over her shoulder, “Oh, was one of the ones with that toddler girl who talks like she’s an adult?”
Tinley racks her brain for whatever her best friend is talking about but comes up with nothing. Meanwhile, her phone vibrates underneath her, and she tries to ignore it. Dakota walks back in with a cheese string, the bottle of wine, and a glass and takes a seat on the couch. Tinley is itching to grab her cell but replies to Dakota’s question instead. “No, I don’t think I’ve watched any of those.”
Dakota pours herself a glass and refills Tinley’s at the same time. Both of their attention gravitates toward the TV and Dakota claps her hand causing Tinley to jump on the couch yet again. “I bet it was one of those reaction videos, right?”
Her phone vibrates again in her lap and she wants nothing more than to pick it up and read the messages that he’s sent her. All of her focus is fixated on that phone and she shakes her head realizing that Dakota asked her a question.
“Um, what?”
“The funny video you were talking about earlier.”
Funny video? What funny video? She has no idea what her best friend is talking about she nods and says, “Oh sure. Something like that.”
Dakota raises an eyebrow in question but Tinley ignores it standing up from the couch with her phone and glass of wine in her hand. “Sorry, I’m getting tired. Must be all the wine and sugar crash from the cupcakes. I’m going to head to bed.”
“Ooookay,” Dakota says stretching out the “o,” in her response.
Without a backward glance, Tinley hurries down the hallway toward her room to read his responses. With the door shut tightly behind her, she places her glass of wine down on her dresser and opens up her text messages.
Mystery Date: Or people? I probably shouldn’t assume you’re only into dudes.
Mystery Date: Shit. Did I piss you off?
She chuckles to herself as she types out a response.
Me: Sorry, my roommate came into the room and distracted me for a minute. I’m very much into guys. I’ve never kissed a girl before, but I don’t think I’d like it. ;)
Me: Like that Katy Perry reference?
Me: Shit. Maybe I should put the glass of wine down and my phone down. I’m starting to get rambly with my messages.
Mystery Date: Don’t mind me. You’re entertaining as hell right now.
Me: I think I’m going to cut myself off and head to bed before I say anything stupid to you.
Mystery Date: Haha! Sweet dreams babe. I hope you feel okay in the morning.
Even though they’ve only had the one date, Tinley melts a little at the term of endearment. She’s never had someone call her by a pet name before, then again, they still don’t actually know each other’s names. Although the added mystery does make this whole thing more fun. She dumps the remainder of her glass of wine in the sink and climbs into bed. She can’t wipe the smile off her face as she gets cozy and slips off to dreamland.