Chapter Two
Dylan
Janie. Janie. Janie. I said her name in my head as I got ready for my date. She looked hot in her photos. Really hot. Hotter in the profile pics than the ones Nate had given me. And she was new to online dating so that meant she wouldn’t be jaded. Which was perfect. I hated going on the dates with the jaded ones. It made it so much harder to convince them that I was a good guy. They were just too much work. I wish I could tell women to stop comparing every man they’d ever dated to the new guys they met. It was such a turn-off. I didn’t care about what some dickhead had done to a woman in the past. I wanted to say that every time a girl brought up an ex. I sighed as I got ready for my date. I hoped Janie wasn’t like that or crazy. It’s not like I was going to be bringing up my exes on every first date. Or how I’d gotten my heart broken in high school. Or how I’d decided that I was never going to let that happen to me again. Love was for fools. Who needed the aching hollowness, the depression, the pain? It wasn’t worth it. I just wanted to have fun. That’s what life was about. And it seemed like Janie was down for that. I mean she had to be if she was up for meeting on the same day we’d exchanged a message. I grinned at the prospect of the night. Janie. Janie. Janie. This was going to be fun. I loved meeting new women. There was something exciting in the chase. In the anticipation of our first night together. I felt slightly guilty about the fact that I was already imagining her in the sack. I’m sure that’s not what Nate had been planning, or thinking but what did he care? He was the one that had told me to contact her. I hadn’t wanted to at first as he’d made her sound really boring, but she seemed far from boring to me now. It was a good sign that she’d been willing to meet me right away. That meant that her photos were most probably legit; unlike some of the ladies I’d met. But they were in the past.
Beep. Beep. I sighed as I looked down at my phone. Angela was texting me again. That girl really couldn’t get the hint. Where are you? Want to hang out tonight? I rolled my eyes as I read her message. Busy tonight, sorry. I responded promptly. She needed to get the hint already. What time will you be free? She responded just as quickly. You can come over tonight whenever you’re free, if you want. I looked at the screen and sighed. She really didn’t get it. Not at all. I put the phone back in my pocket. I wasn’t going to engage her again. No point. I went to my room to finish getting ready and then I grabbed my keys and headed toward the door. This was going to be a good night. Maybe Janie wouldn’t be crazy and clingy like most women had turned out to be from the app. I just didn’t get it. It’s not like I wasn’t honest in my profile, I did say I was fun loving and not looking for anything serious. It’s not like I was on there pretending I was wanting something more than that. It wasn’t my fault if women wanted to think there was more going on. Hopefully, Janie and I would be on the same page. For a moment, my confidence slipped as I thought back to the past and other women. Not one of them had gotten it yet. Beep beep went the phone in my pocket again. I groaned out loud as it beeped incessantly. I knew it was going to be Angela. With another question. Trying her hardest not to be as clingy and annoying as she was. I knew she just didn’t get how her behavior was a huge turnoff. But I was over it. She’d been good for a few nights, but she was expecting way too much from our dalliance. I wasn’t interested in a relationship and that wasn’t about to change. As soon as girls started to want more was my signal to move on. Even if they were offering up sex. It no longer became fun when I could see the love in their eyes and the questions on the tip of their tongue.
***
The bar was pretty crowded when I arrived and I could see that Patsy, one of the bartenders I’d had a fling with a year or so ago, was working. I put on my best smile and headed over to the bar to flirt a little bit so that she didn’t get upset with me. Patsy was a flirt and enjoyed attention, but she wasn’t crazy. I knew that if I bought her a drink and chatted her up a little bit before Janie got there, she wouldn’t try and sabotage my date. I knew that I could just have chosen another bar for the date, but this was my favorite. I felt comfortable here and well, it was also around the corner from my condo and that meant easy and fast access to a bed at the end of the night, if the girl was willing. And they were usually willing. Hopefully Janie would make the end of my night a pleasurable one.
“Hey, Dylan, nice to see you.” Patsy headed straight toward me with a huge smile on her face. “What can I get you?”
“Asides from you?” I winked at her and she threw her head back and laughed, the twinkle in her eye telling me that I could have her right now if I wanted her.
“Aside from me, bad boy.” She flicked her hair back and leaned forward on the bar, flashing me the tops of her perky boobs.
“Well, I don’t know.” I pretended to pout. “What could I want, aside from you?” I winked at her and licked my lips slowly.
“I don’t know.” She giggled. “Maybe ten more women?” She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow at me. “Or have you decided you want to commit now?”
“Haha, you know that will never happen.” I leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Me, settle down?” I pretended to throw up as I pulled away from her.
“Oh Dylan.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
“If I did, it would be with you though.” I gave her a quick peck on the lips and I could see her blushing.
“Want a whiskey? On the house?” She grinned.
“Yeah, go on then.” I ran my hand through my hair. “Get one for yourself as well. On me.”
“Thanks.” She moved deftly behind the bar. “So, you got a date tonight then?”
“Something like that.” I nodded, glad I was able to be honest with Patsy. She wasn’t a jealous sort. In fact, she most probably went on more dates than I did; though I knew that she was ultimately looking for a serious relationship. That’s why she didn’t waste her time trying to go out with me.
“Online dating? Or something else?” she questioned me as she poured the shots out.
“Online. First date.” I nodded. “Make mine a double.”
“Of course.” She winked at me. “Poor girl.”
“Poor girl? What do you mean by that?” I frowned, slightly offended.
“I bet she has no idea what she’s in for.” She smiled slightly.
“What she’s in for?”
“The Dylan ride.” She laughed as she shook her head and handed me the glass. “Or should I say the Dylan roller coaster.”
“You didn’t like the ride?” I raised an eyebrow at her.
“Oh, I loved the ride.” She licked her lips. “Every single one of them.”
“That’s what I thought.” I chuckled.
“I didn’t enjoy the abrupt breakdown of the roller coaster though,” she continued.
“Oh?” I stared at her, panic starting to set in. Was she going to confess true love for me? Or some sort of broken heart. Oh God, this wasn’t supposed to happen. Not with Patsy. She was one of the women that I truly believed had gotten it from the start.
“I didn’t enjoy it, but I understood,” she continued and shrugged. “I knew from the beginning you were a player—”
“I’m not a player,” I interrupted her, but she just rolled her eyes and continued.
“I knew from the beginning you were a player, but most of these girls have no idea.”
“I tell them I’m just looking for fun. They know I’m not looking for anything serious.”
“Uh huh.” she said and just gave me a look. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.” She shook her head at me and I could feel a slight twitching in my stomach.
“I don’t lie to anyone. In fact, maybe I’m too honest,” I spoke up for myself. “I’m a good guy. Maybe that’s my biggest flaw.”
“Yeah, that’s your biggest flaw.” Patsy gave me a mocking look. “You’re too honest.”
“Are you being sarcastic with me?” I scratched my head, feigning a puzzled look, just wanting to get away from her now.
“Would I ever be sarcastic?” She rolled her eyes and then paused and changed the subject. “How’s your friend Nate?”
“Fine, fine. He’s been busy with work.” I nodded nonchalantly. “Why?”
“Just curious. Haven’t seen him in a while.”
“You mean in weeks?”
“Yeah. “She gave me a sheepish grin. “You guys still good now?”
“Yeah.” Though I didn’t really know if that was true. I hoped it was true. He had contacted me recently, well, a mutual friend had initiated a group chat and we’d reconnected that way a few months ago. “I went for a drink and dinner with him a couple of weeks ago.”
“Oh yeah?” She cocked her head, a surprised look on her face. “And you didn’t come here?”
“I didn’t think that would be a good idea.”
“Why not?” She winked at me and we both laughed. We both knew why not. I looked down at my watch and realized that Janie was about to arrive soon. I gave Patsy my most winning smile and then ran my hands through my hair.
“We’ll have to continue this conversation another time, I’m afraid.” I gave her another quick kiss on the lips. “My date is about to arrive.”
“Well, have a good night, big boy.” She winked at me and flipped her hair in the way she always did to let me know that I could have her if I wanted her. I just smiled back. “I get off at midnight if you want some company tonight,” he said softly and I just nodded my response. Tonight was not the night to repeat past mistakes. Tonight was Janie’s night and if things went well, I would make sure that it was her I had in my bed coming all night long.