CHAPTER FIVE
MARCUS
Stacey was beautiful and, according to her dating profile, we had a lot in common. She worked in the financial industry, as did I. She listened to the same kinds of music I did, we liked the same movies and books. On paper, we were a perfect match. But when we met in person, there was nothing between us. No spark, no connection, no nothing.
No, I didn't expect love at first sight, but I expected something. If we had so much in common, like our dating profiles suggested, we should have had lots to talk about.
But talking didn't come naturally, for either of us. There were a lot of long, awkward silences and pauses in the conversation. It was strained.
“So, you played football in college?” she asked over dinner.
“I did,” I responded. “UCLA.”
“Really? I went to UCLA.” she said.
Yet another thing we had in common.
“Oh yeah?” I asked. “What did you major in?”
“Business,” she said. “Obviously. You?”
“After changing my major a few times, the same,” I said. “What year did you graduate?”
She'd gone to school a few years after I'd graduated, so we were probably never on campus at the same time. Still, it was kind of neat that we were both Bruins. But that's where that line of conversation ended.
I saw how she'd responded to Zoey earlier, even though she'd tried to hide it. I wanted to bring it up, to ask her about her comfort level around kids since that was pretty damn important if she wanted to date me. My kids were my world and I wouldn't sacrifice their comfort or happiness for anybody. I hoped that maybe she was just nervous or shy around kids. I couldn't blame her for that. If it was just a matter of her getting comfortable on her own terms, that was something I could work with.
“Do you have any kids?” I asked knowing full well that her online profile hadn't mentioned any.
“Oh, no,” she said with a laugh and wide eyes. “No, no way. No kids.”
That response drew a raised eyebrow from me as the red flags in my head started waving.
“I mean, I like kids just fine,” she said quickly. “Other people's kids. I just never wanted to have any of my own. Never met the right guy either, but I've been too focused on my career, honestly kids were the last thing on my mind.”
“I see,” I said. “Well, I obviously have two.”
She was quiet and stared down at her hands. This was going to be a problem, I could tell.
“So, you were married before?”
“Yes, I was,” I said, stiffening up. I hated telling my story to new people, especially dates.
“Divorced then, I take it?”
“Uhh no, actually, she died about four years ago.”
Stacey's eyes grew wide. “I'm so sorry, Marcus. I didn't mean to – ”
“It's fine,” I said.
Though in all honesty, it was far from fine. I never stopped loving my wife, and yes, every single date felt like I was cheating on her somehow. It was an issue I was going to have to work through with Dr. Miller, but that would come in time. But I was smart enough to know that mentioning that little fun fact about myself wouldn't go over too well. It was my ‘get out of jail free’ card.
“How did she – I mean, if you don't mind me asking?”
“Car accident,” I said, my jaw clenching. “She was hit by a drunk driver. The kids weren't with her, thankfully. Zack was only a baby, Zoey was a toddler. She was out with friends, a much needed girl's night out, and well – ”
I trailed off. I could tell it made Stacey uncomfortable to hear about my dead wife. Anger, dark and abiding started to bubble up inside of me. If she didn't want to hear about it, she damn well shouldn't have asked in the first place. The awkward silence that had enveloped us earlier returned, and we ate our dinner quickly, avoiding one another's eyes.
I knew this wasn't going to work out, but I also felt bad backing out and making her go to the concert alone. As we walked to her car, she stopped and turned to me, an awkward look on her face.
“Listen, Marcus, you seem like a great guy – ”
“But it's not going to work out,” I finished for her with a smile. “I was actually thinking the same thing.”
“So, if you want to – I dunno, go home to your kids? I can probably get one of my friends to go to the concert with me,” she said. “It's no big deal.”
I got myself dumped before the date officially got started. That was a new one. But I couldn't deny that I was relieved.
“Yeah, that works. I'll just call an Uber,” I said.
“You sure? I could drive you home?”
“Nah, you go ahead,” I said. “I wouldn't want you to be late for the concert.”
She left me there, in the parking lot of the restaurant, and I called an Uber to come pick me up. Talk about a terrible first date, but hell, at least I didn't waste my time with her.
ooo000ooo
The television was on when I stepped inside, and Emma, who was sitting on the couch, nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Jesus! You scared me!” she said with a laugh.
She was already in pajamas – a spaghetti strap tank top and boy shorts. It was hard not to notice how fit she'd gotten in the last few years. She had curves in all the right places and her tank top really accentuated her breasts. Her legs were smooth and muscular, yet lean . And yes, I was staring.
“I'm sorry, I should have called first,” I said.
Emma looked at the clock, then at me. “That was either the shortest concert in the history of concerts or you don't trust me with your babies anymore. Which is it?”
“Neither,” I said with a laugh as I took a seat across from her. She stretched those lean legs out on the couch and pushed her bust out as she stretched – not openly gawking was incredibly difficult. “We knew it wasn't going to work out pretty quickly and decided to just part ways. No need to spend the next few hours together if we hated every minute of it, right?”
“That bad?” she said, crunching up her face as she said it. Damn, she was cute.
“Yeah, it was bad,” I said and chuckled.
“I'm sorry,” she said. “To be honest, I didn't like her from the get go. Neither did your kids. I think you made the right choice.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said.
“The right woman is out there for you, Mr. Pratt,” she said reassuringly. “You'll find her, and when you do, all these misadventures will be hilarious stories for you to tell.”
I didn't ask her the question that was rattling around in my head, the question that had been rattling around in my head for the last five years. What if I'd already found my soul mate, the one woman I was meant to be with, and now she was dead? Instead, I teased her.
“Wise words for someone your age,” I said. “Sounds like you have years and years of dating experience under your belt to draw from.”
“Or maybe I'm just wise beyond my years?” she said, smiling. “That's what my dad says at least. I honestly haven't dated too many guys. They're all just obnoxious and immature.”
I laughed. The thought of someone as beautiful as Emma not dating, was funny. She could have her pick of men, and now that she was in her early twenties, she didn't have to stay home all the time or follow her parent's rules like she did before. She could do what she wanted and no doubt, had a line of guys salivating at the chance to date her.
But I could see what her father meant about her. She actually was wise beyond her years.
“I would like to say that the older you get, the less obnoxious they get, but that would be a lie,” I said.
“See? Even you admit your gender kinda sucks,” she said. “I'm pretty sure I'm going to be alone forever.”
“I doubt that,” I said.
Her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at me. She was a beautiful woman. Sometimes I still thought of her as a child, but she was very much a woman now. I had a hard time taking my eyes off of her, and was somewhat ashamed and embarrassed that I couldn't. She was the daughter of my good friend – a girl I'd watched grow up and blossom into the knockout woman sitting before me.
“Me, on the other hand?” I said, clearing my throat. “Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm going to grow old and alone with only my kids to take care of me.”
“Puh-lease,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You're just too picky. Not that it's a bad thing, but once you're ready to love again, you will find someone and be very happy. I just know it. You're a catch, Mr. Pratt.”
“Marcus,” I said. “Please, call me Marcus. You're an adult now, no need to make me feel like an old man with titles and all that.”
“Marcus,” she said, letting my name roll off her tongue. “Well, Marcus, believe me when I say that you're a catch. You'll find someone worthy of you and your kids.”
She started packing up her things, and as she bent down to put her phone away in her bag, I stared at that tight ass of hers, and then felt ashamed immediately afterward. It had been too long since I'd been with a woman, but that was no excuse to be staring at Emma's ass like a lecherous old man.
“Thanks again, Emma,” I said, getting up to see her to the door.
I paid her as if I'd been gone all evening, even though I'd actually only been gone for a couple hours. She stared down at the money in hand and tried to hand some of it back.
“You gave me too much,” she said. “I wasn't here that long.”
“No, it's fine,” I said. “Consider it a tip for all the advice you've given me tonight.”
I had to admit, I'd enjoyed her company more than Stacey's earlier in the evening. Our conversation had been nice and I found that I was actually sad to see Emma go.
Wow. I really was turning into a creepy old man.