Dating Without Novocaine by Lisa Cach Page A

dangerous experience. It was just weird.” I wasn’t willing yet to admit my mate-shopping plan was a failure. “You haven’t had any offers to meet anyone?” I asked.
    â€œI haven’t been replying to any of my e-mails,” she said quietly.
    â€œLouise!” What was wrong with my friends?
    â€œIt doesn’t seem fair.”
    â€œFair to whom?”
    â€œTo them. Not when I’m not really interested. You’re going to give me a lecture about this, I know, but, well, I’m kind of interested in Derek.”
    â€œThe divorced guy? Oh, Louise. Say it isn’t so.”
    â€œI know, I know. I know all about guys on the rebound, divorce, all of that. But he’s so easy to talk to, and we went to dinner again on Friday—”
    â€œLouise!”
    â€œI know! I’m bad. But it was just friendly, I promise.”
    â€œYou know this isn’t a good idea.”
    â€œI know,” she said.
    â€œBut you’re going to do it anyway.”
    â€œIt’s just friendly.”
    We came out the other end of the park and crossed the street to the opposite sidewalk, heading deeper into the Laurelhurst neighborhood. I liked to imagine which house I would live in, if I had the money.
    â€œDoes he show any interest in you, beyond the friendly?” I asked.
    â€œI don’t know. I can’t tell,” she said, warming to the topic, probably taking my question for a sign I thought it was okay, after all. “Sometimes I think so, but all the guys who work there, they’re counselors so they’re a little like women in some ways. They all like to talk, and I mean about people, not sports or toys. It’s not like your average computer or business guy. So I don’t know if he’s opening up to me more than he would to anyone else.”
    â€œWho suggested dinner?”
    â€œIt was mutual. Or maybe he did. It just kind of happened. We got off at the same time, and as we were walking out we started talking about that new Chinese restaurant a block away, and we decided to try it.” She peeked at me. “What do you think?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I said, and I didn’t know. Who’s to say it might not work? If it wasn’t going to, she’d find out soon enough on her own, and then I could say, “I told you so.” “Be careful,” I added.
    â€œI know!”
    â€œMaybe you should meet a few of those guys who wrote to you. It’ll keep you from getting too caught up in Derek.”
    â€œYeah, maybe,” she said.
    I knew she wouldn’t. “Cassie hasn’t gone out with anyone, either,” I admitted. My friends were a bunch of cowards. “Do you know if Scott has?”
    â€œHe did, last night,” she said, and cast me a glance.
    â€œYou’re kidding!”
    â€œSome woman who just got her law degree, and has started working at the Clackamas County D.A.’s office. He says she’s really smart.”
    â€œReally.” My surprise was being replaced by some other, vaguely uncomfortable feeling. She had a law degree. Huh. “Is she pretty?”
    â€œHe says so. She’s almost as tall as he is. He says it’s nice to be able to look a woman in the eye for a change.”
    I only came up to his chin. Not that it mattered. “Does he like her?”
    â€œHe says it’s too soon to tell yet. You’ll have to callhim, and get the full story. We got interrupted when his beeper went off.”
    â€œHmm.” The news brought me down for some reason. “Yeah, I’ll have to call him.”
    I get a confused gay guy, and Scott finds a beautiful lawyer. I should have been happy for him. Instead, I was jealous, and I thought I knew why. The Internet dating was my idea: I deserved to find success first.
    I hoped the lawyer thing fizzled. She was probably too pushy for him, anyway. Too aggressive. I didn’t have to