don’t think so. I’m still ugly bitter about my divorce and men in general. Which means I might act out in ways uncharacteristic of a lady.”
“Oh, I’m bitter, too. You’re not the only divorced person in the world, you know. In fact, you can believe I’ll act out due to past bad experiences in my relationship with my ex-wife. But I say we should act out together. I’ll be your wingman. You be mine.”
Mel’s irritation sparked at his tenacity— which was ridiculous. It wasn’t like Drew wasn’t crazy good-looking. He was. That’s part of what irritated her.
The first person to ask her out on a date in her post-divorce mel-ancholy should be someone she would have easily turned down and not second-guessed her choice to stay away from in the shallow end of the dating pool. He should be someone with bad breath or dirty fingernails— or something that totally turned her off and made him unworthy of a date with her.
But no. Instead, there was a perfectly handsome, virile man asking her out. Mel sighed, unsure how to proceed. She should have read Maxine’s stupid pamphlet with less mockery and taken a more studious approach.
Maxine had an answer for everything in that damned packet of lame euphemisms. Surely, she had one for this, too. “Look, Drew. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think I’m in a place … that’s … I mean, it’s only been a few months since …”
“Since your messy, ugly, newsworthy divorce?”
“Yeah. Since that. But thanks for summing it up so well. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the words about my divorce spoken so suc-cinctly until you,” she said, allowing her sarcasm to drip with each word.
He shrugged his wide shoulders. The crisp rustle of the fabric of his shirt brushing against his skin rang in her ears. “I’m just calling it like I see it. That’s what happened. It apparently sucked. But it’s over now. You know, all those healthy clichés like shouldn’t you be moving forward and dipping your toes in the dating pool?”
Because? By hell, for sure, the next time she left the house, she was definitely bringing Maxine’s stupid guide to divorce with her so she could refer to it when she didn’t know what to say.
Nudging her shoulder with his again, Drew said, “Are you saying you don’t find me attractive and the idea of coffee with me makes vomiting all night long, followed by a case of the hives more appealing?”
“No.” She paused and pretended to reflect. “Wait. Maybe.”
He winced, the skin on his brow wrinkling his otherwise smooth features. “Ouch. If I were a less secure guy, I’d be hurt. But just so you know, I’m pretty secure, and you’ll regret the choice not to entertain having coffee with me.” He winked at her, letting dark lashes fall to his cheek.
Reminding herself that Drew wasn’t just some guy who wanted to take her for coffee, but her student’s father, she decided to change the subject, hoping he’d let it drop. “So what brings you here tonight? You didn’t come all the way over to Leisure Village just to ask me out, did you?” She let her eyes go innocent. Poke, poke, poke. Take that, you arrogant, overbearing ballroom-dancing hater.
His eyes scanned the dance floor of milling couples. “I came to pick up Myriam. Where is she anyway? I haven’t seen her float by.”
Mel let her eyes stray back to his face, admiring the sharp angle of his jaw with a hint of stubble. “Myriam’s not here. She was ordered a one-week timeout by the Village committee for using foul language because another senior wouldn’t dance with her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure she uses bad language? Uh, yeah. I’m sure. I know it’s wrong, but I secretly think it’s pretty funny when she yells at Frank Johnson for pretending to need a walker just to avoid dancing with her.”
“Did he?”
“Bring a walker with him just in case he was paired with Myriam? Yes. I’m ashamed to say, he did. But it really was in self-defense.
“Oh, I’m bitter, too. You’re not the only divorced person in the world, you know. In fact, you can believe I’ll act out due to past bad experiences in my relationship with my ex-wife. But I say we should act out together. I’ll be your wingman. You be mine.”
Mel’s irritation sparked at his tenacity— which was ridiculous. It wasn’t like Drew wasn’t crazy good-looking. He was. That’s part of what irritated her.
The first person to ask her out on a date in her post-divorce mel-ancholy should be someone she would have easily turned down and not second-guessed her choice to stay away from in the shallow end of the dating pool. He should be someone with bad breath or dirty fingernails— or something that totally turned her off and made him unworthy of a date with her.
But no. Instead, there was a perfectly handsome, virile man asking her out. Mel sighed, unsure how to proceed. She should have read Maxine’s stupid pamphlet with less mockery and taken a more studious approach.
Maxine had an answer for everything in that damned packet of lame euphemisms. Surely, she had one for this, too. “Look, Drew. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think I’m in a place … that’s … I mean, it’s only been a few months since …”
“Since your messy, ugly, newsworthy divorce?”
“Yeah. Since that. But thanks for summing it up so well. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the words about my divorce spoken so suc-cinctly until you,” she said, allowing her sarcasm to drip with each word.
He shrugged his wide shoulders. The crisp rustle of the fabric of his shirt brushing against his skin rang in her ears. “I’m just calling it like I see it. That’s what happened. It apparently sucked. But it’s over now. You know, all those healthy clichés like shouldn’t you be moving forward and dipping your toes in the dating pool?”
Because? By hell, for sure, the next time she left the house, she was definitely bringing Maxine’s stupid guide to divorce with her so she could refer to it when she didn’t know what to say.
Nudging her shoulder with his again, Drew said, “Are you saying you don’t find me attractive and the idea of coffee with me makes vomiting all night long, followed by a case of the hives more appealing?”
“No.” She paused and pretended to reflect. “Wait. Maybe.”
He winced, the skin on his brow wrinkling his otherwise smooth features. “Ouch. If I were a less secure guy, I’d be hurt. But just so you know, I’m pretty secure, and you’ll regret the choice not to entertain having coffee with me.” He winked at her, letting dark lashes fall to his cheek.
Reminding herself that Drew wasn’t just some guy who wanted to take her for coffee, but her student’s father, she decided to change the subject, hoping he’d let it drop. “So what brings you here tonight? You didn’t come all the way over to Leisure Village just to ask me out, did you?” She let her eyes go innocent. Poke, poke, poke. Take that, you arrogant, overbearing ballroom-dancing hater.
His eyes scanned the dance floor of milling couples. “I came to pick up Myriam. Where is she anyway? I haven’t seen her float by.”
Mel let her eyes stray back to his face, admiring the sharp angle of his jaw with a hint of stubble. “Myriam’s not here. She was ordered a one-week timeout by the Village committee for using foul language because another senior wouldn’t dance with her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure she uses bad language? Uh, yeah. I’m sure. I know it’s wrong, but I secretly think it’s pretty funny when she yells at Frank Johnson for pretending to need a walker just to avoid dancing with her.”
“Did he?”
“Bring a walker with him just in case he was paired with Myriam? Yes. I’m ashamed to say, he did. But it really was in self-defense.
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