Chapter 30: Speed Dating

JAMIE

Ugh.

I was relieved to be here for moral support only—there would be no way I would put myself out there like this.

Getting to know ten or more guys over the space of an hour?

I don’t think I could take that. Way too much pressure.

“I’m not doing it,” Ethan said, a cross look on his face.

He was shaking his head as he watched all the singles getting name-tagged.

The minute I saw him earlier, I knew he wasn’t keen. I had a feeling he would get cold feet.

Carmen made her way toward us, confident as could be in her ripped skinny jeans and plum-colored top with the plunging neckline.

“Well, Carmen is coming, so I don’t think you really have a choice in the matter.”

He sighed and waited until she’d reached us to say, “Carmen, I’m not doing this. There’s no way.”

She groaned. “Don’t be a baby, there are so many girls here that I know are your type.”

She looked to where I was sitting, on a stool beside him at the bar, turned sideways to face her.

“Tell him, Jamie.”

Now she’s getting me involved!

I was always stuck in between these two when it came to something they disagreed on, which happened to be most things if I was being honest.

Always stuck in the middle.

“Er, no, thanks.”

I turned my back to them both, picked up my pint, and had a drink. I was hoping to leave them to it. I’d done my bit just by showing up.

“You’re already here, Ethan, might as well take part.” Carmen pressed a sticky name tag to his chest.

“If you’re not going then I’m not! You wouldn’t do that to me, would you?”

“I would!” Ethan picked up his bottle of Corona and took a swig. “Help me out here, Jamie.”

I swung around on my stool.

“Carmen is right. You’re already here, and I think you’re missing out if you don’t.”

I looked behind him to the women, name-tagged and waiting for the bell to ring.

“Those girls are very cute.”

He turned his head and looked. “That strawberry blonde, maybe.”

A tall woman in yellow who looked to be in her early forties rang the bell to get everyone’s attention.

Men and women gathered with drinks in hand.

I turned on my stool again and pulled my phone from my black clutch.

A text from Mason. I wasn’t at all surprised.

This was the usual time we would be together, after all.

I assume he’s still at the office, working hard. It doesn’t matter to him that it’s Saturday night.

I was about to open the text when the sound of the women shuffling into their seats distracted me. It must be time.

“Come on, Ethan,” Carmen pleaded before walking ahead toward her assigned table of two chairs.

She sat down, flicked her honey-streaked brown hair off her shoulder, and fixed her cleavage.

She was raring to go.

“She owes me for this,” Ethan muttered to me and crossed the room to join the other waiting men.

I don’t envy him. That being said, I think it would be good for him to actually get to know a girl.

I watched on as the speed dating got started, men moving from table to table while the women stayed in their seats.

I wasn’t the only one at the bar watching—there were a couple others here.

I smiled down at my phone as I read the message. I couldn’t imagine having these feelings for anyone else.

I’ve fallen too deep and now there’s no way out.

My only choice is to wait for him to realize that I’m more than just the woman he sleeps with.

Then I called Mum. We chatted until the bell rang to signal the end.

Jesus, it’s been an hour already?

I had an indirect view of the tables from where I was sitting, but I’d been distracted chatting to Mum about Dad.

He and I still had not spoken since I’d stormed out of the house.

“Jamie! I thought that was you!”

A man’s voice caused me to turn around on my stool. It was not a familiar voice to me, but when I saw him I knew exactly who he was.

The guy who surprised me in Mason’s apartment that one morning.

“Hi, uh…”

I paused, hoping he would take the hint and remind me of his name.

Faces I remember. Names I do not.

And it was safe to say he was not someone I wanted to remember.

“It’s Brent. I probably never introduced myself properly.” His lips curved into a smile. “I didn’t see you out there—are you accompanying a friend?”

“I’m just here for moral support. My friends wanted to try this…whole thing out.”

I looked behind him in hopes that I would spot Carmen and Ethan close by to save me.

No sign of them.

Isn’t that just my luck!

“And you’re not giving it a try because of Mason, I take it.”

He turned toward the bar as the bartender approached.

“Whiskey neat and whatever the lady is having.”

Brent pulled his black leather wallet from his suit jacket and threw down some cash.

“That’s all right—”

“I’m buying you a drink, Jamie,” Brent interrupted me. “Mason is my mate, I think he would want his lady taken care of.”

The bartender placed the drinks down and Brent moved a pint across to me.

His lady? Really?

“Um. Thank you.” I was worried about being rude. I gave him a weak smile and glanced around for Carmen and Ethan again.

I didn’t touch the glass; it stayed where he left it.

“So you and Mason—are you a proper thing now?”

He picked up his whiskey and drank half.

I guess it’s a businessman thing to drink whiskey or scotch; it was rare to see a man of business drinking a bottled beer.

He was putting his nose in my business and it made me uncomfortable.

He knew Mason was not the relationship sort, and yet he was asking me the question.

“No, it’s nothing serious. We’re just seeing each other casually.”

God, I really hated stating that out loud.

Obviously I wanted it to be more than casual sex, but what could I do?

Brent chuckled. “Yeah, sounds about right. He doesn’t do more than sex. But you knew that already.”

He put his drink down and stood up straighter.

“Jamie, I’m sorry about the way I surprised you that day.”

An apology. That was unexpected.

“Er, it’s fine.”

It was far from fine, but it was an apology, and—again—I didn’t want to be rude.

“It’s not fine, Jamie. I thought you were like that, but it’s clear that you’re not.”

He gave me a closed-mouth smile before picking up his whiskey glass for another drink.

The woman in yellow was in the center of the room again. Brent nodded toward her.

“I suppose it’s time to see if I have a match.”

MASON

When I walked into the bar the first thing I noticed was Jamie. She wasn’t alone.

And she was talking to Brent, of all people.

What the hell is he doing here?

Speed dating wasn’t his thing, unless he was just here for a drink to see who he could pick up.

He wasn’t one for small talk with women. Just like I wasn’t.

He seemed to be enjoying the small talk right now.

“Mason!” Jamie called from her stool. She looked confused, of course, not expecting me to pop up. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to pick you up. I’m guessing you were too preoccupied to realize that I called you.”

I was being an asshole, a very jealous asshole. I looked at Brent, who was as surprised to see me as I was to see him.

“Didn’t expect to find you here.”

He chuckled. “I could say the same thing.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the men and women gathered around the other side of the bar.

“Well, I should get over there. See you Monday for that meeting.”

Brent walked away and joined the others at the opposite end of the long bar. I sat down on the stool beside Jamie’s and noticed the two pint glasses beside her.

“Are you planning on getting drunk?” I asked, pointing to the glasses.

“Oh, that! Brent bought it, he was rather insistent on buying me a drink.”

She removed her phone from her bag and lit up the screen.

“I’m sorry I didn’t see your calls, I was chatting to my mum.”

I sighed before taking her hand.

“I came to take you back to mine. I’m not taking no for an answer, Jamie.”

I’ll carry her out if I have to. I’m not leaving her in this bar with all these cock-driven men.

She glanced behind me at the speed daters.

“You’re not taking no for an answer. Hmm. I guess I better let Carmen and Ethan know I’m leaving.”

She pressed her lips against mine and then walked away.

Thankfully it didn’t take anything to persuade her—frankly I wasn’t in the mood to try to convince her.

Jamie told me she was spending the night with friends, but I was greedy for her and showed up anyway.

I’m not saying I’m proud of it, or that it was a good thing for me to do. But here I was.

The bartender walked my way.

“Scotch on the rocks, please.” Might as well have a drink while I wait.

My drink was placed on the bar. I picked it up and downed it.

The day had started with a bang. It would hopefully end with one too. That was the only thing that would get rid of the stress I was feeling.

Jamie’s phone vibrated on the bar in front of me. I glanced her way and saw that she was preoccupied before I opened the message.

I know I shouldn’t have. But it didn’t stop me. When has it ever?

Ryan! Mr. Fucking Nice Guy!

RYAN

Sorry about last night Jamie

RYAN

I was an idiot and you didn’t deserve that

RYAN

Can we meet to talk about it

The guy just doesn’t know when to quit, does he?

She ended things with him and told him it’s over.

I don’t understand why that isn’t getting through!

I deleted the message and placed her phone back down where she’d left it.

I was jealous and I hated it. Jealousy over a woman made me feel weak.

But the rage over the idea of any other man having her was far worse.