Set Me Up

Chapter 3. Batter Up

"So now I have a date!" I concluded, folding my hands together on top of the table. The two women across from me starred, mouths slightly open and eyes wide. I smiled as I looked back and forth between them. "Don't act so scandalized, it's just a few blind dates!"

"Do you wanna take this one?" Rosalind asked.

Contrary to my family's beliefs, I actually possessed other friends than Bash. I'd met Rosalind in college, finding her in the library of the sorority house we were partying at. She'd held Pride and Prejudice in her hand and I knew then we were meant to be friends. Lena I'd met at my first job after graduation. We'd both both been hired as hostesses at a fancy downtown restaurant. Every time the maitre'd turned around Lena would make crazy faces at him and I'd struggled not to burst out laughing. Lena was wild and fun, the exact opposite of me. The three of us met up for brunch once a month and did a girls night out every few weeks.

Taking a quick sip of her coffee, Lena nodded. "First off, I'm offended you didn't ask us to help set you up on blind dates."

I tried not to wince. They'd been begging to match me up for ages, especially since Ros had gotten engaged and couldn't stop going on about her fiance's brother and how much she thinks he and I would get along. Lena had tried as well, especially in the early days when we would go bar hopping after work.

"Second," Lena continued, "You are having Bash set you up on dates?" She phrased it like a question, even though she knew the answer and put extreme emphasis on Bash's name.

I took a quick drink of my mimosa, "It's not that crazy guys. Bash has known me since I was 5. Who better to set me up on dates?"

The two women exchanged glances. "And what does Bash get out of the deal?"

"Wine and clean dishes."

Ros snorted before taking a quick bite of her food. "And you don't think it'll be weird for Bash?"

I wrinkled my nose. "Why would it be weird for Bash? I promise to be on my best behavior during my dates. Besides, it's not like these guys are his best friends. Just people he knows from work or soccer and he thinks would be a good fit for me. I'm so over the online dating scene. And after my previous boyfriend..." I let my voice trail off as I thought of my ex.

He was supposed to be The One. We should have been married right now. My cheeks warmed at the memory of walking in on him balls deep in his secretary when I'd come to surprise him with lunch at work. I'd been wearing brand new lingerie, excited to open my coat slowly before straddling him in his office chair. Afterwards, I'd wondered how I'd been so blind. Whenever I thought of Paul I'd wonder. When he'd come home, he'd accused me of pressuring him to make our relationship more than he was ready for. And maybe I was. It had probably been a little much to show him my wedding pinterest board and all the rings I'd saved. But we had been dating for almost 2 years, it seemed like the next logical step.

Lena reached out and squeezed my hand gently, "We know babe, I just think involving Bash might be a little..."

"Insensitive?" Ros muttered.

"Rash!"

Brushing off their confusing word choices, I smiled as I shook my head. "It's going to work out you guys, you'll see." The two women exchanged a look before going back to their food and changing the subject.

I couldn't understand why my friends seemed so against the idea. They had been urging me to date for the past year, since the Paul debacle. They knew what kind of love my parents had, what I aspired to have, and they wanted that for me. I had to be missing opportunities by not utilizing all my resources, Bash being just that. He'd already exhibited that he understood my type and what I needed in a partner.