Chapter 5 #2
“Bullshit. What I am is worried I’m gonna be so tongue-tied I’ll have the women at this event running from my table screaming.”
He tucked her fingers into the crook of his arm and led her toward his truck. Her fingers wiggled for a second, then she held on.
Her? Right there by his side?
Perfect.
She squeezed his arm lightly. “I spoke with the coordinator of the event. Madison, who is married to the pub owner, Ryan. I’m sure you’ve met him.”
“Asian Canadian about five foot seven? He’s a hard worker,” Declan said.
“From you, that’s a compliment of the highest level.” She levered on his hand to climb into the truck. He appreciated the flash of bare thigh as she settled into the seat, somehow not staring. “Anyway, Maddy said they’re doing this as a modified speed dating event. I’ll tell you more in a minute.”
He got them on the road. Then when she didn’t start up again, he patted her on the thigh. “Modified speed dating?”
“Oh. So it turns out that dating apps are out, and speed dating and the like are making a comeback. People actually want to meet the person to know for sure that they’re not getting scammed, sent crude requests, or about to be ghosted.”
“Makes sense.” If he had any real desire to get back into the dating world, he would never have used an app. Meeting people at a bar even seemed wrong. “Still think it was better when you found someone you had things in common with and got friendly before the dating urge hit.”
Sydney eased back in her seat and twisted toward him. “Me too, but the world doesn’t make that easy right now.” She seemed thoughtful before lowering her voice. “How did you meet Sadie?”
Had he never told Sydney? Huh.
Then again, discussing his personal life in the past hadn’t really been a part of what they did together.
“She worked at the town hall as the receptionist. She also coordinated the weekly summer Farmers’ Market and Fall Fair.
I was working as foreman at a local ranch, and volunteered to be the animal coordinator at the fair.
We saw a lot of each other that September, and kept seeing each other after that. ”
“That’s sweet,” Sydney said. She paused then laid a hand on his. “Is it okay to talk about her?”
“Of course.” Although, considering he rarely mentioned Sadie in public, it was easy to see where Sydney might’ve gotten the idea that the conversation was off-limits.
He flipped his hand over and caught her fingers in his, squeezing lightly.
“Sadie was a good woman who died too young. I’ll always miss her,” he admitted.
“When I think about her these days, I tend to mostly focus on the good times.”
The bad days were when he had nightmares where he wasn’t able to save her.
“It’s a rare thing to find a love like that.
I’m glad you got to experience it, even though I hate that she left so young.
” Sydney stole her hand back. “I’ve lost friends young, and if screaming at the universe could change things, my throat would be raw right now.
Those are the moments when I pull on my analytical side of the brain and turn off my heart so it doesn’t hurt as much. ”
They sat in silence. “Sober thoughts as we head toward something that’s supposed to be fun.”
“Yeah. Sorry.” She glanced over as he found a parking spot along the edge of Main Street. “Declan? Why are we doing this?” she asked, clearly confused. “I mean, I know I suggested it, but it doesn’t really feel like your thing.”
He didn’t answer. Instead he made his way around the truck to open her door. He paused before helping her down, meeting her gaze straight on for a moment. “Humour me. I’ve got the feeling I’m supposed to go in there, but there’s no way in hell I’m going by myself. So, what do you say?”
Sydney shrugged. “If you’re sure. Let’s go see what the kids are doing for kicks these days.”
Declan pressed his lips together to keep from snickering. He was amused though. Almost forty years old and about to head into a speed dating event.
I hope you’re getting some entertainment factor out of this, Sadie.
Inside the pub, music played quietly enough for once he could actually speak without shouting. Madison Zhao bounced up to them, and he dipped his chin politely in greeting.
Her brows winged upward. “Sydney. And Declan. Welcome, and I’ll do my best to not let any intrusive questions escape my lips.”
“Appreciate that,” Sydney said with amusement. “Consider us scientists on a research trip. We will, of course, follow your rules to the letter. But both of us are just here to put out some feelers.”
Thank God Sydney spoke for both of them because he didn’t know what he would have said.
“Absolutely.” Madison nodded firmly, her expression dead serious for a moment. “Since the dawn of arranged dating interactions, the best of them have always been clearly about entertainment, consent, and feeling at ease.”
“The ease part,” Declan said. “That’s the thing I’m worried about.”
Madison snickered. “I hear you. Which is why I’ve been doing a lot of research to come up with different activities rather than some of the traditional ones where one group sits at a table and one group switches every five minutes.
It’s never going to be completely smooth, but I’m glad you’re here to give it a try.
And if it the end of the night, you had a couple of good conversations and nothing else happens, that’s fine as well. ”
She turned to the table behind her for something. Declan took advantage of the opportunity to examine their surroundings a little more thoroughly.
There were more than a dozen people in the room, including a group of women out on the floor doing some line dance moves.
He recognized a few of the men from the community, and shockingly, he wasn’t the oldest there.
The youngest participant looked a little too young to be in the bar in the first place.
Sydney bumped his shoulder lightly with her own. “You okay?”
“Sure.” For now he was, except the men in the room had noticed Sydney, and there were far too many admiring glances and outright stares in her direction.
Dammit, he’d messed up. He’d thought if she came along, he’d be able to charm her a little and make her reconsider his offer. Instead, he was going to have to watch a dozen men fall under her spell. And it wasn’t as if he could deck someone for looking—right?
Which meant when Madison handed him a set of cards, he wasn’t really paying attention. Instead, he was shifting through a dozen game plans of how to keep the sharks from circling Sydney all night.
“At the end of your time talking together, I’ll change up the music so you will know it’s time to move on.
Say a quick goodbye and continue your journey around the room.
” Maddy finished her instructions. “Then if that person is someone you’d like to get to know better, take their name card and put it in your right pocket.
Or fold it in half, or something so you know which cards to give to me at the end of the night. ”
“And no one receives the contact information for the other person unless both parties are interested, correct?” Sydney clarified.
“That’s how it works,” Madison agreed.
Good. Declan would have exactly one card to hand over.
“If you don’t have any other questions, you should both grab a drink from the bar. It’s included in your fee. FYI, we have a two drink limit for the night so no one gets out of hand.”
Declan grabbed a beer and the orange juice and soda Sydney asked for, handing it to her where she waited at the side of the room. “Ready for this?”
She raised a brow. “Are you?”
“I guess.” God help them both.
Maddy spoke up and did a quick recap, then the music started and Sydney shrugged. “Time to go socialize.”
“Wait.” Declan pulled out his cards and shuffled through them quickly. “May as well start by talking to each other.”
She laughed. “Good idea. Let me see.” She focused on her cards as he found exactly the one he was looking for.
“You go first,” he offered.
Sydney held the card up in the air as if to prove the question was not her idea. “If you were an animal, which one would it be?”
Even six months ago, he might not have known the answer to this, but since asking random strange questions was one of Jinx’s favorite pastimes, Declan was ready. “A barn cat.”
Sydney blinked. “Really? I could’ve sworn you would’ve said horse.”
“Horses are my favorite animal, but if I was going to be one, barn cats have it figured out. They’re well fed, they get as much affection as they want, and as much alone time as they need. They’re warm in the winter and cool in the summer and absolutely rule the roost.”
Sydney’s smile brightened her entire face. “And here you were worried you’d be tongue-tied. That was sweet and interesting. I’ve never thought of it like that, but you’re right.” She flashed him a quick thumbs-up. “What’s your question for me? Time is ticking.”
He raised his card as well. “Where’s the one place you’re the most comfortable and feel the most at home?”
“Oh. That’s harder than you’d think.” She got a far off look in her eyes.
“To me, they’re almost two different things.
I’m extremely comfortable figuring what’s wrong with a person’s body and problem-solving how to fix them.
There’s a kind of Zen sensation I get when I’m doing that.
But that’s not where I’m the most at home. ”
Interesting that her thoughts went first of all to comfortable as it related to work. “Put the work aside,” he suggested.
A hint of anger lit her eyes. “We’re not getting onto that topic again. I remember you lecturing me about working too hard, but it’s something I really like doing, so don’t—”
“Wasn’t meant to be a lecture. Just wondering. If you didn’t have any work to do, and you had no one that you wanted to go and visit just to make sure they weren’t falling apart at the seams, where would you go to feel as if you didn’t need to move. Didn’t need to impress anyone?”
Sydney stared at him, an entire kaleidoscope of emotions swirling in her silvery eyes. “Well, shit.”
It wasn’t the clue he’d been hoping for, but it was somehow better. He touched her fingers gently. “Guess you just figured out a good question to research a little more.”
“I guess I did.”
The music changed in the background, and Madison spoke over the speakers to gently remind everyone to stroll around the room and find someone new to chat with.
Declan took a swig of his beer then twisted to place the empty bottle on the table behind him. When he turned back, Sydney was gone and three women stood in front of him, cards extended eagerly, including one girl who didn’t look anywhere near legal age.
Fuck. Tonight was a bad idea coming back to kick his ass.
Declan awkwardly adjusted his hat before grabbing the nearest card that was not held by the girl.
Instinct had him glancing around the room for Sydney.
She stood five paces away from him backed against the wall. A cowboy with a handlebar mustache had his forearm to the wall above her head so he loomed over her. The stranger’s gaze was firmly fixed on her breasts.
And that was a hell no. Time to change the program.