Finding Out (novella) (2 page)

My heart beat like a maniac. I had two messages. I opened Jim’s first. For some reason, I was more nervous about Fox’s response. Jim had typed back—to my asking him for coffee at my work, not that I said it was my business place, but I just felt safer meeting strangers there. He said that he’d love to meet for a coffee and that he was available this Saturday. I replied with ‘
Great, I’ll meet you there at ten am
.’ That would give me time to chat before I helped out with the lunch.

Now my hands shook as I clicked on the next message. Fox replied to my message with a short answer of, ‘
Yes, see you at 2pm Saturday
.’ I giggled with glee. Why did I have that reaction with one man and not the other? All I knew was I couldn’t wait until two pm Saturday. What I had to do now was keep myself occupied for two days, figure out what to wear and pray that Justine and Manny would behave themselves enough while I had my blind dates.

I was on my way to work when I texted Helen telling her that I was all organised for Saturday with Foxy and Jimbo. She asked if she could pretend to be a customer in the background while she checked them out. I told her that was fine because it would also help my nerves. She was also a good judge of character and could help me determine which would be more suitable to put up with my effed up family.

S
aturday came too soon and I found myself sitting at a table with sweaty palms, dressed in a dark blue sundress and sandals. God, I hoped to Christ Jim didn’t want to shake my hand. If he did, we may be stuck together from the amount of sweat my hands were producing. I looked over at Helen. She sat three tables away dressed in jeans and a tee. She caught my eye and mouthed, ‘Relax.’ I nodded, picked up a napkin and wiped my hands for the fourth time. Jim was late. It was now 10:15. I hated people who couldn’t be on time, but then I had to take into count that he was a doctor and could have been called away on an emergency.

So as I waited, I looked around my café to the long front counter that was off to the right of the entrance. It held the coffee machine and the cabinet of cupcakes, cookies, sandwiches and croissants. I loved to bake. Justine and Manny were serving customers; there was a line-up of four people. Still, my eyes took no notice of them and moved on to the seating area. I had managed to fit in four booths along the opposite wall to the counter and had tables and chairs scattered here, there and everywhere in the flooring space that was left. In the long shop window, to the left of the entrance, I had a bench with chairs, where I sat papers and magazines off at both ends. 

I looked back to the clock that sat just behind the register. It was now ten-thirty. It was time to give up; Jim wasn’t coming. Just as I stood, Helen was beside me and said, “I just logged onto the site. He’s sent you a message. It says that he can’t make it, but he’d love to reschedule for Monday at the same time.”

Nodding, I said, “I kind of guessed that. Can you send a quick message back saying okay?” She gave me a chin lift and typed something into her phone while I added, “Doesn’t matter. I just hope Fox turns up.”

She looked up at me and smiled. “I can tell by your voice that you already have a mild crush on him.”

“Oh no, Helen, it’s lust. Just from his picture my woman bits are crying to be near him.”

She laughed. “I totally understand that. Listen, I’ve got to go and run some errands, but I’ll be back here before your next date.”

“Thanks, babe,” I said. We did our handshake, and after she left, I spent my time doing what I loved: working.

# # # #

“G
ood luck with this one,” Justine started as she placed a latte on my table. “The offer still stands. If you wink twice, I’ll come over here and pretend to be your jealous girlfriend to get you out of the date.”

Maybe I should just take Justine to the wedding
. Then the night could end up with her in jail when she discovers what douches my family members were.

“Thank you, I’ll let you know.” I smiled up at her.

“Great.” She grinned, turned and went back to work behind the counter—after punching Manny in the arm.

It was five minutes to two and Helen had sent me a text saying she was running late; she’d be there as soon as she could. So when the bell over the door jingled, I looked up from my latte expecting it to be Helen. Instead, in walked a man who made my cooter want to jump from my body to run over and rub up against his leg. It was in heat. He also caused my breasts to tingle, which has never happened before. I shook my fogged head and realised that the man who walked in, dressed in dark jeans, a black tee—that showed off his wonderful tattooed arms—and motorcycle boots, was the man of my porno dreams and Mr Fox Kilpatrick himself. All of a sudden, my mouth went dry. I assumed it was because all the liquid from my body had travelled south to pool in my panties from the mere sight of the man before me. I watched his eyes scan the shop and then land on me.

I gulped, and with wide eyes, I watched him stalk his way over. He stopped just beside me, and in a deep voice, with a hint of a growl, he said, “Ivy, right?”

And I said, “Huh?”

His serious face stayed serious, only I caught the little lift in the corner of his mouth. I only caught it because I happened to be staring at his mouth-watering lips. He pulled out the chair opposite me, and turned it backwards to straddle it. His hands rested on the top of the chair and he stared a piercing stare straight to my heart.

“So?” he said.

That was when I vomited, not actual spew, but in a sense, only with words. That’s right...I vomited words right in his face.

“Hi, yes...I’m...ah, Ivy and I guess you’re Fox, right? I mean, I hope I don’t have that wrong, you are Fox, right?” He sent me a chin lift and I continued puking works, “Thank you for agreeing to meet me, you...um...I mean. I didn’t think you would. You are extremely good looking and, well, you saw my photo. I don’t really know why I joined the site. I mean I do. It’s been a long time since I’ve had sex. Oh, my God, I did not just say that. I did. God, I did.” My hands went to my glowing cheeks.

“Let me explain. I didn’t join the site to just have sex with random guys.” I grabbed my latte for something to do or else they would be running through his thick hair. “I joined...dammit; I may as well just come out and say it. I need a date...not for sex, though that would be good.” I reached my hand up and shook it in front of me. “Not that you have to have sex with me. What I’m trying to say is I joined ages ago, but was too scared to get on, and now I have no choice.” I took a breath and placed my hands in my lap. “I’m really nervous, if you couldn’t tell...did I mention you’re good looking and that it’s making me really nervous and the way you’re staring at me without saying anything...I ramble in situations like this and I can’t seem to help myself.” Another breath. “I was meaning to tell you...that I need a date, for my bitchy cousin’s wedding that’s coming up.
That’s
why I got the courage to get back on that site.”

I snapped my lips shut. Oh God, was I getting an eye twitch? Hell. Yes I was. There it went again and again. Shit.

Next thing I heard was something being slammed down and then Justine was stomping our way. Oh, sweet Jesus and Joseph. She thought I was winking at her. I waved my hands up in front of me and with wide eyes I said, “Justine, no it’s fine. At least I think it is.” The poor guy hadn’t even said a word. I just knew he was going to run for the hills.

Justine stopped beside us and asked, “So I don’t need to pretend to be your gay partner?”

Fuck me.

Sighing, my head flopped forward so my chin rested against my chest. “No, Justine, but thank you,” I uttered.

“Well good,” she said and leaned closer to me. “He is sex on legs, Ivy. I’d stoop him.” With that, she turned and walked off.

Holy shit.

“I hav’ta get goin’,” Fox said and stood up, moving to the side of the table.

I didn’t look up at him, only nodded and whispered, “I understand.” He was way out of my league.

“Tonight, I’ll pick you up here at five. We’re going out to dinner.”

My head snapped up. “Are you crazy?” I asked. After everything he just witnessed, I was sure I’d lost any chance of anything.

Crossing his muscled arms over his chest, he grunted. “No. I like what I see in you. We go out and talk. ‘Bout your cousin’s weddin’, ‘bout why I joined the site and...‘bout us havin’ sex.”

I swore as soon as the word sex left his sweet mouth I was jabbed in the snatch by an invisible dick because I nearly came on the spot.

He smirked. “Five?”

I nodded and then whispered, “Five.”

His parting word was, “Good.” Then he left.

Two seconds later, Helen walked in, she took one look at me and uttered, “Shit, you’re a goner.” She came over and sat in the seat Fox vacated. “He wasn’t here long. Was he an arse? It doesn’t look like he was. You’re all...moony.”

“No—” I began, only to stop when Manny walked up and placed a piece of paper on the table.

“Miss M, this was left for you on another table.”

I smiled up at him. “Thank you.” I unfolded the paper that held my name on the front. It read,
The way you acted with that man was disgusting.
Scoffing I scrunched the paper up and placed it in my coffee cup.

“What was that?” Helen asked.

“Nothing really, I think it was from one of my family members popping in to annoy me.” I rolled my eyes.

She snorted. “Annoying.” Helen sang, and then smiled. “Come on, I need you to tell me the sweet stuff. Tell me
everything
.” She leaned forward, her head in her hands with her elbows on the table.

“Well...” I started only to stop when there was a loud commotion at the front counter.

“I don’t give a fuck about the policy and that you can’t divulge information like that. I know the fuckin’ owner is Ivy Morrison. Just point me in the right goddamn way to see her,” A beautiful blonde yelled at Justine over the counter.

“Fuck you,” Justine hissed with a glare in her green eyes.

The blonde laughed and said, ‘I like you. You got fire. But, sweetheart, you won’t win against me.”

“Jeesh, Satan with a pussy, the girl is doing her job. Leave her be,” a tall, obviously gay man said from beside the blonde.

“Dee, calm down and listen to Julian,” a dark-haired woman sighed. “Miss, thank you for your help—”

“She wasn’t any bloody help,” the girl named Dee snapped.

Before she could scare any customers away or before Justine jumped the counter and attacked the foul-mouthed woman, I stood from the table and called, “Excuse me.” The three of them turned to face me. “Is there anything
I
can help you with? I am the owner, Ivy Morrison.”

“Well fuck me sideways,” Dee smiled.

“Oh, bless my gay heart, aren’t you pretty.” Julian grinned, and as the dark-haired lady made her way over to me, the other two followed.

She held out her hand and beamed. “Hi, I’m Zara. I was wondering if we could have a chat?”

I looked from one smiling face to another and then nodded, gesturing to the table where Helen was still sitting. Julian pulled up a chair from another table and Dee sat on one side, while Zara, who was just as gorgeous as Dee, sat on the other side of me.

“So, is there a problem you have with my café?”

“No,” Zara answered and then introduced herself to Helen.

“Hi, I’m Helen, Ivy’s best friend.”

“I’m Deanna, but most call me Dee.”

“Or Hell Mouth, slutguts, hooker, sponge cake...oh, I could go on and on.” Julian smiled and then shook Helen’s offered hand. “I’m Julian. I just came along for the ride with these two interfering crazies.”

“Whatever, gay man.” Dee snorted. “You love this shit just as much as us.”

I cleared my throat. “And what is
this
?” I questioned.

“You just had a date with Killer right?” Zara asked.

“Killer?”

“Sorry, I mean Fox.”

“How is it that you know all their first names and I don’t?” Dee asked Zara.

“Because I have a heart and I care.”

Dee shrugged and rolled her eyes. “I have a heart...now.”

Zara patted her hand and said, “You do, honey, you do and I’m so happy for you.”

Oh, my God. What in the hell is going on? Who were these nice freaks?

“What in the hell is going on?” I asked.

“Sorry,” Zara said, “you see, we just wanted to make sure you were okay after the date with Killer or as you know him Fox.”

My heart started tap dancing. “Shouldn’t I be?” I squeaked.

“Yes, no, um...Yes,” Zara stuttered, “the thing is, Fox lost a bet with his biker brothers—”

“He’s a biker?” I gasped.

“Well, yes, but a nice one...sort of. Anyway, what I was saying was that after he lost the bet, he was dared to join this dating site and go on at least one date and you were it. I just wanted to make sure he treated you right. Sometimes he can be a bit...broody and abrupt or not talk at all.”

Julian and Deanna nodded along with Zara.

“He, um, he was fine?” I said, making it sound like a question.

Helen scoffed. “She was more than fine. At first glance when I arrived, he’d already left, but when I spotted Ivy here, she was off in la-la land. I think she fell already and hard.”

“Hoo-boy.” Julian clapped.

“Awesome.” Dee smiled.

“What happened?” Zara asked.

“That’s what I want to know,” Helen said.

“Well...” I fidgeted in my seat. “You see, he really didn’t get a chance to say much.” I bit my lip and then spewed once again. “I get nervous around good-looking people, not that you all aren’t good looking because you are, and if I was I’d be checking you out more. Anyway, I have a tendency to ramble when I’m nervous, which is what I did with Fox and I ended up telling him my plan—”

“Oh, God,” Helen moaned in sympathy. She knew all about my ramblings.

“I mentioned to him that I just really needed a date for my bitchy cousin’s wedding and something about not having sex in a long time. Though, I did say I didn’t go on the site to just have sex, but really it was all because I need to find a date for the wedding.” I took a breath and looked at their wide eyes. “Then, he said he had to go. But that he was going to be here at five to take me to dinner where we will talk about why he was on the site, my cousin’s wedding and...um, intercourse.”