good/right/real

Chapter 38: Watching You

Summary:Matt meets someone interesting.

He ends up going on the bar crawl.

Shay and Severide's expressions when he got home told him he's been indulging in his slight crush on Sylvie Brett too much. He knows he only has feelings for her because of how they met. They will go away with time. He's sure of it. What he needs is to meet someone else. Once he does that then he'll know what he feels for Brett isn't real. Whatever's going on in his head will translate over to the next woman to really catch his eye.

It's not about Brett. It's about what she represents.

He hopes.

That hope is waning.

They're on their second to last bar and so far no one has struck him as interesting. He's gotten several numbers. Sure, Severide generously helped him get about half of them, but that's why he's here — to be Matt's wingman.

"You gonna call any of those women?" Kelly asks with a knowing and amused smirk.

"Probably not," he answers with a sigh. "None of them really stuck out to me. I feel like if I can barely remember their faces it means whatever connection we had was weak, you know?"

"The perfect woman doesn't exist, Case."

"I know that. I'm not looking for perfect," he tells him. "Just...interesting."

"Man, you're making this too complicated," Severide insists. "Just call one of those girls and get the first date over with. Get back on the horse."

"If any of those women overheard you two calling them horses I think they'd probably prefer he didn't call."

He and Severide turn their heads to the stool on his other side to find a pretty brown eyed blonde smirking at them.

"It's a metaphor," Severide tells her with an amused glance.

"Yes, I know what a metaphor is, thank you. I'm a reporter. I'm questioning your choice of that particular metaphor," she replies with a chuckle. She then turns her teasing gaze to Matt. "This is really the guy you chose for your wingman?"

Matt shrugs and gives her a small grin. "If you saw my other options, you'd understand why. He's the lesser of all the evils."

"Hey!" Kelly says with a mock offended glare. "You know what? Screw you. You're on your own with this one and I'm keeping those numbers I helped you get."

Casey laughs and pulls the stash of folded up cocktail napkins and business cards out of his jacket pocket. "Here, have at it."

"What a waste," Kelly mutters as he grabs his beer and walks away from them.

"Naomi Graham," the blonde says as she holds out her hand to him for a shake.

He accepts her handshake with an easy smile. "Matt Casey."

"So, why exactly are you and Mr. Horse Metaphors out trolling for women?" She asks. "You don't seem like the type that would have to work too hard at that."

Her eyes slowly sweep over him from head to toe with obvious appreciation. He takes that as an invitation to follow suit. She's cute and, not to mention, ballsy. He likes that she isn't pulling any punches.

"I, uh, well, it's been a while since I've been on a date," he explains, trying to remain as vague as possible. "My choice. I had my reasons. But now I think I'm ready to get back out there so I'm trying to jump back in while I still have the nerve."

"Ah, okay. Looking for Mrs. Right, huh?" She asks with a curious raised brow. Though, she looks a bit less interested than she did just a minute ago.

He shakes his head. "No. I don't know what I'm looking for honestly. I don't think I'm ready for anything serious at the moment. Though, I guess I'd have to try to find out."