Summer Love

Chapter 14

***

“A blind date? Are you kidding me Hyeri?” Hyeri held her hands up. “It was Ashley’s idea, I swear.”

Roseanne narrowed her eyes at her friend, trying to tell if she was lying or not. “Who is it?”

“You know her friend Francis, right? Well, it’s someone she works with. Her name is Monica, she’s originally from California, that’s all I know.”

Roseanne shook her head. “I don’t want to go on a blind date. I can get my own dates, thank you very much.”

“I told her you’d be pissed.”

“What the hell was she thinking?” Roseanne motioned to Josie at the bar, signalling for two beers.

“She was thinking that you’ve been moping around, that’s what.”

“I haven’t been moping around,” Roseanne insisted. “I just haven’t been in the mood to go out.”

“Why don’t you just call her up and ask her out?”

Roseanne didn’t pretend not to know who Hyeri was talking about. They had killed two bottles of wine the other night when she told them all about Lisa.

“Because she’s dating Chou Tzuyu, that’s why. I’m not exactly in the same league,” she said. “Besides, she’s not even my type.”

“Here you are, ladies,” Josie said, bringing them each a frosty mug of draft beer. “Will Ash be joining you?”

“Not if she knows what’s good for her,” Roseanne murmured.

Hyeri laughed. “Ash will be here a little later. We’ll wait for her before ordering.” When Josie left, Hyeri leaned closer. “Quit scowling,” she teased. “So why is she not your type?”

“She’s just not. And I’m certainly not hers. I think Tzuyu... and women like her, are more her type.”

“She called you,” Hyeri reminded her.

“She wanted her office painted.”

“Then why did she ask for you specifically to give the quote?”

“Because she knows me.” Roseanne shrugged. “Of course, she did say I looked cute in my painter’s outfit.”

Hyeri laughed. “I can’t believe you did that. Did you take a picture?”

“No.” Roseanne smiled. “I was kinda cute, though.” Then she scowled again. “And then Tzuyu shows up to take her to lunch. I haven’t spoken to her since.” She stared at Hyeri. “A blind date,” she muttered.

“Really?”

“Did I mention Monica is forty-two?”

Roseanne spit her beer out. “That’s older than you! My last date was twenty-two!”

“Exactly!”

“Your point?”

“Ash thought that since you were obviously infatuated with Lisa, who is older, that you needed to start dating more mature women.”

“Older?” Roseanne shook her head. “First of all, I’m not infatuated with her. And I wouldn’t really say she’s older. It’s only five years.” Roseanne held her hand up to Hyeri. “Can you just stop. I don’t want to talk about Lisa and I certainly don’t want to talk about a blind date!”

Hyeri leaned forward. “Too late,” she whispered, motioning behind Roseanne.

Roseanne turned her head slowly, finding Ashley smiling at her. And beside Ashley stood a woman, a mature woman, dressed in a business suit. Roseanne slid her gaze back to Hyeri.