48 First Dates (Seeking Romance #1)

The Prince of Unhikers

34

Not an outdoor guy.

On the way home, a sad song

changes everything.

S o, here I was again—knowing who I wanted to be with. But also knowing it wasn’t possible. Only this time, I refused to wallow around in the knowledge.

This time, action was required.

There was no way I was going to let Mitzi set me up again. And I didn’t want to bother Cynthia. In the last month, she had lost her mother and broken off her engagement.

It was time to get back up on the Royal Swype horse. After all, I was in a new kingdom. There had to be a few princely contenders in this field.

When will you learn, Adelaide?

I opened the app and started scrolling. After a few minutes, my kingdom filled with a few options. Hank accepted first. His profile pic showed light brown hair that swept over his forehead. His bio said he worked indoors, but he liked to try new things.

You, good sire, get a chance at a date! I texted him through the app.

Me

Hey, Hank! This is Adelaide. How would you like to try something new with me?

Hank

Sure, what did you have in mind?

Let’s see if you mean that...

Me

Have you ever been hiking?

Hank

Nope, I stay indoors most of the time.

Okay, easy trail, not super busy, one with cool things to see...

Me

How about we meet at the White Oak Sinks trailhead at 1 pm on Saturday?

Hank

Sounds like a plan.

Me

See you then!

Hank

Looking forward to it.

I figured if all went well, we could have dinner together afterward.

The work week passed quickly. After a late Saturday brunch with Mitzi, I headed out to the trailhead. Hank was easy to spot. He was sporting the latest in brand-new moisture-wicking fabrics from head to toe. When you combined that with his just-out-of-the-box boots, the look screamed newbie hiker.

“Hank?” I asked as I walked up to him.

He nodded and stuck out his hand. I caught a whiff of new, unbroken leather mixed with a chemical scent I couldn’t place.

“I’m Adelaide. It’s a bit over two miles in to get to the waterfall, and then we’ll see the cave and head back. Does that sound alright?”

“Sure.”

“Shall we get going?”

“Let me just freshen up my bug spray.”

He proceeded to layer himself and the parking lot with a pungent chemical fog until I finally spoke up. “I think you’re covered now.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to get eaten alive or end up with Lyme disease!” He swatted at the air, saying to himself, “This is why you don’t do these things, Hank.”

I ignored his under-the-breath comment and pasted on a fake smile. “Yeah, I’m sure that nobody’s going to get eaten alive on this trail today.” I turned and hiked up the trail.

A few moments later, I spotted a mountain laurel bush, which I pointed out to him. “Oh, that’s not related to poison ivy, is it? I’m really allergic to poison ivy, but I don’t know exactly what it looks like. Leaves of three, I know, but I typically avoid anything green, just in case.”

I nodded, at a loss for words.

Just get through it, Adelaide.

At the half-mile mark, the complaining started. Every minute, it was something new.

“Ahh, I got mud on my shoes!”

“Great, now it’s on my pants!”

“Is that horse poo?”

“Moisture-wicking my bumper. I’m covered in sweat!”

“And now I have a blister!”

This guy is more of a princess than I am. I rolled my eyes at his complaints.

“That’s it. I’m done! This is NOT an easy trail, and we have gone WAY further than two miles, and I don’t see a waterfall!”

More like three-quarters of a mile, bud. And this is definitely an easy trail!

But I didn’t say that out loud. I simply said, “Sure, let’s turn around,” because I was done, too.

When we arrived at the trailhead—less than ten minutes later—I tried to put a positive spin on the ship-show. “Well, that was one of the most unique hikes I’ve had.”

He grunted.

“So, I had an interesting time today, but I don’t think we should go on a second date.”

His head snapped up as his body straightened to its full height. “Wait, are you saying this was your idea of a date?”

I nodded, noticing that the surrounding forest had gone silent.

Pfffft! “This was a date? This was not a date! This was a torture-fest from start to finish. If this was your idea of a date, lady, you are sorely mistaken.”

I stepped back, putting some distance between us. I wanted to lay into him, but decided to be the bigger person. “Okay, thanks for meeting me here, and I hope you have a nice rest of the day.” I turned around and headed back onto the trail to burn off the frustration.

What a disaster that had been!

Four and a half miles later, I was back in my car. My mood lifted after my solo hike. I hummed along with the radio as I wound toward the park exit.

Until “ What Did I Do?” by Hayd came on.

A quiet stillness enveloped me as I listened to the words. Brenn’s face filled my mind, and my thoughts swirled, mixing reality with the song lyrics. I reached up and smashed the button to turn the music off. Silence filled the car, which only made my thoughts louder.

I felt us start to fall in love.

I ran away, telling him not to wait.

And he let me go.

I failed to tell Brenn how I really felt.

And now I feel farther away.

Tears started streaming down my face as a tidal wave of emotions hit me.

Brenn... what have I done?

I didn’t want the real-life men in front of me. I wanted the one who got away. The one who was almost 1,800 miles away doing who knows what with what knows who.

But the chance of having another mind-blowing kiss was better fuel for my imagination than any of my last thirteen dates.

I am going to confess my feelings to Brenn. I am going to risk our friendship for the chance at something better. And this time, I will not chicken out.

I dialed the number.

The phone rang twice.

He answered. “Hey, Adelaide. What’s up?”

“Hey Brenn, I just called to say...” I love you.

But once more, I got cold feet. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other. How about I come for a visit?”

Telling him in person is a way better idea, I convinced myself.

“That would be amazing! There’s so much I would love to show you,” Brenn answered.

“Great, what weekend works for you?” We set the date and hung up.

As I stepped off the plane two weeks later, I gave myself a pep talk.

This is it.

You are going to tell him. Now is the time for us.

You are going to let him know you are ready to move past friendship and give US a chance. This is the fairytale romance you have always dreamed of.

You will NOT chicken out.

I grabbed my carry-on, which was all I had brought. Brenn was going to meet me at the baggage claim, where I was going to claim him instead of a suitcase.

I sighed and smiled to myself.

The walk from the plane was an easy one—follow the herd. As I stepped off the final escalator and rounded the corner, I saw him. People surrounded him, but my eyes zeroed in on. Only him. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, his strength visible under his tight gray T-shirt.

There he is—the prince of my dreams.

Our eyes locked.

His piercing green gaze never left mine as I strode toward him.

I could hear Mitzi’s voice in my head. What you’re going to do is walk up to him, wrap your arms around his neck, and plant the biggest kiss on his lips. Trust me, let your mouth do the talking. He’ll know what you are saying.

Steps away. Our eyes soaked each other in. My heart was racing. Both of us were breathing harder.

This is going to happen.

I dropped my bag, wrapped my arms around his neck, and leaned in. I came all this way to taste his deliciousness.

That’s when he tensed up, and his hands pushed against my hips to keep the distance.

What the heckler?

He cleared his throat. “Ads, I want you to meet my girlfriend.”

Barbara Streisand and William Shattner!

“Adelaide, this is Elizabeth.” I watched as the redhead next to him turned around—the one my brain I had previously dismissed as irrelevant. And the worst possible person to be Brenn’s new girlfriend now faced me.

Shut. The. Front. Door.

Libby.

The Libby Jane Barnes.

The one who dyed her blonde hair red. The one who was going by Elizabeth now. The one whose pale skin was still a perfect shade of porcelain. The one who had stolen my perfect grand-gesture moment. The one whose red lips… don’t go there, Adelaide.

“Hey, Libby,” I squeaked out.

“Adelaide, I am so glad to see you! I did not know that Brenn’s Ads was you, but I am so happy you are you!” She pulled me into a hug.

What the dump truck! I wiggled out of her embrace, but she left a hand on my arm.

“I’m so sorry. That day in the grocery store, I wanted to tell you I knew about your dad. That I was sorry for your loss. I had, have, so much to apologize for, and it looks like fate has given me the chance.” She smiled as she squeezed my arm and let go.

Yeah, no. I’ve heard that song in dance before. Not falling for it this time, sister.

My head swiveled in Brenn’s direction. His jaw was on the ground. So he hadn’t known that his girlfriend Elizabeth was the same as my Monster Libby. The look in his eyes said he put two and two together pretty quickly.

Libby threaded one arm through mine and her other one through Brenn’s. “Now, listen, you two. We are going to have so much fun this weekend!”

“That’s exactly what I had planned.” I rolled my eyes.

Was this girl destined to ruin all the important almost-moments of my life?