Michael (Wild Men #8)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

“A blind date?” I stare at my best friend, Alyssa, across the table at the café where we’re eating lunch.

Oh, and we’re drinking plenty of wine to mourn the death of my career.

So, while good and buzzed, we’re brainstorming on what I should do next.

It only takes two glasses for us to decide I need a vacation. Alyssa can’t get off work, so I book myself a staycation at a local ranch.

I check in tonight, and I can’t wait.

I don’t take vacations.

I can’t remember the last time I haven’t worked.

So I’m going to take some time for myself.

Because I’ve had some kind of a month.

“First, your boyfriend dumps you,” Alyssa says as she pours us both more wine from the bottle sitting in the middle of our table.

“For his job,” I add with a frown.

Literally for his job.

Henry landed a long-term consulting opportunity overseas, and he said he couldn’t pass it up.

Before I could even think of a solution, he said he needed to do this alone. Staying together long distance would only complicate things.

While I was still reeling, he said he thought it was a sign.

A sign that he and I wanted different things.

“So we’re over?” I said, pointing from his heart to mine.

“Emery.” His eyes flashed with pity. He nearly touched his styled hair filled with product, but he stopped himself. His hair takes forty-five minutes to style every morning, and nothing could make him ruin that, apparently not even breaking up with me. His perfect teeth flashed as he leaned in close and kissed my cheek in a manner so patronizing I nearly slapped him. “I’ll miss you. But I’d miss this career opportunity more.”

Henry and I were both career-focused, so I couldn’t really blame him for taking a job opportunity. But when the darkness started to subside, I got angry as I realized all that I’d sacrificed over the past three years. Especially in the intimacy department.

Henry wasn’t just a shitty boyfriend who forgot important dates like our anniversary and my birthday. He wasn’t just a narcissist who spent twice as long getting ready in the mornings as I did.

He was also a terrible lover.

“You’re still angry about that asshole,” Alyssa says. “Which is why you need a blind date.”

“Why would that help me?” I ask her. “I told you that, after Henry, I was done with relationships.”

She points at me. “And that’s the beauty of a one-night date with a total stranger. You have hot sex with him. Just like you told me you wanted after your breakup. You never followed through. You were too busy working. ”

I take a huge swig of wine. “I said I wanted someone I can have good, sweaty sex with.”

“Someone who knows what women want in bed and understands how to give it to them,” Alyssa quotes me.

“But I also want him to be a good man,” I ramble. God, this wine is going straight to my head. “I don’t need a commitment or promises of tomorrow, but I do want someone decent and kind. I want someone worthy of Emery Walker and all she has to offer.”

“Exactly! You deserve that and more,” Alyssa, my bestie-turned-cheerleader, says as she raises her glass and I clink mine to hers.

I’m not asking for a lot.

And yet I am.

Because before Henry, every date I had sucked.

Like really sucked.

The fact that I picked Henry because he didn’t entirely suck, and then stuck with him for three years? That was a big lapse in judgment.

The truth is, I was obsessed with my job. But with that obsession came ignoring other parts of my life, which led to a whole lot of passionless nights. Somewhere along the way, I forgot how to ask for what I wanted.

“In life or in bed?” Alyssa asks me pointedly.

God, I hate how I say things out loud without meaning to sometimes.

“In bed,” I tell her. “I know what I want in life. Or at least, I used to.”

“You will again,” she tells me. “You just need a break.”

I definitely do need a break.

I also need a good man to get over a bad one.

Some women take time for themselves.

Some throw themselves into their career.

I have no career at the moment, so what’s left for me? A good vacation… and to prove that not all men are assholes.

Alyssa smiles at me, her blond hair falling softly around her shoulders.

“A blind date,” she says firmly. “In fact, I know just the guy.” She starts typing into her phone. “I’m texting him now.”

“What?!” I reach across the table and try to grab her phone out of her hand or at least disrupt her text.

No such luck.

“Sent.”

“Lyssa! The timing for this seems all off. I’m down and out about being jobless. I’m not a good catch right now. Not that I am normally, but right now, I’m at pretty much rock bottom.”

“Wrong. You’re hot, and this date will help you take your mind off your problems. Yes, you’re jobless. But you also haven’t had sex in far too long, Mimi,” she says, calling me by the pet name my close circle often uses.

I roll my eyes. “For you, too long is twenty-four hours.”

She laughs that gorgeous belly laugh she’s had since we were kids and met on the school playground. Alyssa’s always cheered me up. But just as importantly, she always has a solution to everything.

“True. Our sexual appetites are different. But you know you want a good night of sex. Every woman needs to release tension. And you’ve got so much pent-up, honey. Plus, not to be rude, but Henry was a total dickhead.”

I sigh. “He really was.”

“Just look at tomorrow night as a way to relax. Sexually relax.”

“Tomorrow,” I repeat. “This blind date I didn’t agree to is tomorrow night.”

She glances down at her phone as it pings. “Confirmed! Mitchell is available. He’ll meet you at Lucky Cowboy at seven o’clock tomorrow. ”

I start to argue her.

Then I think about what I’ll be doing if I don’t go.

I’ll be staying on the ranch, which is exciting.

However, I know I’ll also be thinking about the end of my career.

Crying into my pillow is highly likely.

I’ll probably wade into regret about how I wish I hadn’t opened my mouth and told off my boss.

Ex-boss.

I fight a smile. The thing is, I don’t regret one moment of what I said to Fred.

I’d do it again.

“Exactly,” Alyssa says to me, and I realize I spoke that last thought out loud. “Fred’s an ass. I’m happy you told him so.”

“Thank you.” I blow her a kiss. “And you know what? I’m going to go on this blind date. And I’m going to have fun.”

“Yay! Good for you.” Alyssa smiles widely. “Picture what kind of a man you’d like to have sex with, Mimi. I think this guy could be perfect.”

A flash of the man I smacked into this morning hits me.

His rough-around-the-edges gorgeousness. Those worn jeans he filled out so nicely. And that solid chest. All muscle. I nearly swoon remembering how good it felt against my hands. Plus his little frown was cute.

He was so hot, and grumpy. But sweet somehow. He was…different from other men I’ve met. And I felt a spark.

Something I haven’t felt in a long while.

“What are you thinking about?” Alyssa eyes me curiously.

“Nothing.” I shake my head. “Just life.”

“We’ll pick out your outfit together. And I want details the next morning.” Alyssa smiles at me.

Holy crap.

I’m going on a blind date.

Tomorrow.