Blind Date Bet

by Nicole Flockton

  So why don’t you? You’ve got nothing to lose. Take a chance, Isabella. One date. That’s all it has to be. One date.

  Who knew the voice in her head could be so reasonable, but it was. Plus, she had an idea her dad expected her not to take him up on his dare. So why not show him he read her all wrong? Show him she could go on a date with a military man and then walk away without looking back.

  Before she could talk herself out of it, Isabella pressed the blue, underlined numbers and confirmed she did indeed want to call the number listed.

  The phone rang two times. “Ethan Masters.”

  All thought drifted out of her mind at the husky, masculine voice. Did it sound that delicious when she sat opposite him?

  “Hello? Is this you, Linc? If you’re trying to do a heavy-breathing call, you suck.”

  “It’s not Linc.” Her voice broke on the last word and she mentally slapped herself upside her head. She wasn’t a pathetic, scared girl—no matter what her father might think. She cleared her throat. “It’s Isabella Knowles.”

  Silence stretched down the line, and for a few seconds, she wondered if the call had dropped.

  “Isabella Knowles, of the shopping mall and red fedora blind date Isabella?” There was a trace of humor in his voice, mixed with a tinge of surprise.

  “One and the same.”

  “Well, this is unexpected. I kind of got the impression you didn’t think too much of me.”

  Isabella pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. Had she really thought it was going to be easy to call up a guy she’d met twice? It was time to man up, as her father would often say. “I’d like to apologize for the way I acted. I shouldn’t have run out on you like that.”

  He chuckled, and the sound slithered down her spine. “No, you shouldn’t have, but I’m sure there is a perfectly good explanation.”

  “There is.” An explanation he wasn’t going to get. For the last decade, she’d successfully avoided talking about Travis and her short marriage with strangers.

  So she left it hanging.

  “But I don’t warrant knowing it.”

  “Correct.” Geez, this was as disastrous as their other two encounters. Surely, this was fate telling her that asking Ethan out on another date was a bad idea.

  I dare you to.

  Her father’s words drifted into her mind. Okay, maybe it would be different face-to-face this time. “Do you want to meet up for a drink?” She blurted the words out in a flurry and hoped like hell it made sense.

  “Are you asking me out on another date, Ms. Knowles?”

  Thank God she was on the phone. At least that way Ethan didn’t have to see her embarrassment. Her cheeks burned and she guessed they were tomato red, a color that never looked good on her.

  “What if I am?” she sassed back.

  “Then I’d say yes, but…”

  For a split second, elation welled inside of her, an emotion she didn’t understand given her reluctance to see him again. “But?”

  “I have your number now; I’ll be in touch with time and place. How about that?”

  “Seriously, you’re going all macho on me because I asked you out. You have to pick the place?” Okay, so maybe her first impression of him had been correct—he was a controlling ass.

  “No, I just need to check my schedule. I’m sure my weekend is free, but I want to confirm before I make plans.”

  Okay, talk about making assumptions. Seemed she was doing a pretty good job of always thinking badly about Ethan. “Sorry. I jump to conclusions around you. Not something I normally do.”

  Ethan laughed again. “Guess I’m lucky then. I’ll be in touch, okay?”

  “Sure, sounds good.”

  “Bye, Izzy. Your call brightened my day.”

  “Bye,” she murmured.

  The enormity of what she’d done hit her the second she laid her phone on the table. She’d agreed to see a military guy again when she’d sworn off them.

  What was she thinking?

  Relax. The little voice in her head piped up. You’ve got this.

  Yes, she did. This was just a date. A simple let’s-have-a-drink date. Not an I-want-to-marry-you date. If it turned out to be another disaster, she could walk away, never to see him again.

  It wasn’t a lifelong commitment.

  She could remember that, couldn’t she?

  Chapter Four

  Ethan checked his watch for the fifth time. Had he done the right thing by not insisting on picking Isabella up? After the way their conversations had gone in the past, he hadn’t wanted to press the issue. With their track record, it was probably safer if she made her own way to the Casa Del Sanchez. That way, both had their own mode of transport, if needed.

  Which he hoped they wouldn’t need. Third time being the charm and all. He was determined to get to know her better. He’d tried to put her out of his mind, but she’d been front and center since her call more than a week ago.

  Unfortunately, Linc had overheard him making arrangements with Isabella and had been unbearable, gloating that he was a matchmaker extraordinaire. Ethan wasn’t sure that was a moniker he’d be happy with, but Linc could have it.

  Of course, he had to go blab to everyone, so the rest of his team got in on giving Ethan hell about his upcoming date, too. It wouldn’t surprise him if there was yet another bet going around to see if he struck out again. God, he hoped he didn’t. Isabella made him think things he hadn’t thought of in a long time. Why her, he had no idea, but she sparked memories of dreams he’d long ago pushed aside for his desire to succeed in his career.

  It was now a half an hour after the time they were supposed to meet. Great, not only had he crashed and burned on the first date, he was now being stood up on their second. With his track record, he should probably give up on dating. Maybe he could talk to the powers that be and ask if he could adopt Sam when she reached retirement age. At least then he’d be assured of a constant companion. One who wouldn’t stand him up on a date.

  The Riverwalk was full of people heading out for Friday night drinks and dinner. It was impossible to make out if anyone resembled Isabella among the throng.

  Time to cut his losses and head back home. He was lucky his roommate was quiet and didn’t want to talk much. Caleb was going through a tough time, so Ethan respected his need for space.

  “Oh, my God, Ethan, I’m so sorry I’m late.”

  He whirled around. Strands of hair had escaped Isabella’s high ponytail and kissed her cheeks and neck. There was a hint of pink to her face. She looked more stunning than she had the first day he saw her. Her chest was rising and falling against the fabric of the sundress she was wearing, as if she’d run to meet him.

  “I was beginning to think I’d been stood up. Are you okay?”

  Dude, why did I go and say that? No one wanted to be reminded that they were late. “Sorry, that first part was rude. But I meant the second part. Is everything okay?”

  Yep, now that was a good comeback. Apologize and show concern. All good attributes his mama had taught him.

  “No, it’s fine. You don’t have to apologize. I should’ve called you or sent a text that I was caught up. There was an accident on the highway and traffic was at a standstill.”

  “I’m glad you’re okay and all that matters is you’re here now. Shall we go?” He crooked his elbow and smiled when she placed her arm through his.

  “Yep, let’s do this.”

  So far, so good. She hadn’t walked away after his opening barb. Perhaps there was hope for them after all. Well, at least for having a good date tonight.

  The mass of people surrounding them had thinned, but from experience, he knew, in a few minutes the area would be packed again. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to wait for a table. He navigated them around a group of people to get to the front desk.

  “Hi, can I help you?” the hostess asked.

  “I was hoping to get a table for two.” He could use his military status to try t
o jump up the queue and get a table immediately, but it never made him comfortable to use his job that way. He served his country with pride and honor. Being able to see all these people walk freely around the Riverwalk, laughing and happy without having to worry if they would get shot around the corner, was all the thanks he needed.

  The girl tapped her tablet before looking up at him. “I’m sorry, we don’t have anything available for about fifteen minutes.”

  Ethan looked at Isabella. “You okay to wait that long? We can always go somewhere else if you want.”

  “Oh no, that’s fine. Besides, if I hadn’t been late, we wouldn’t have had to wait.”

  The hostess had an indulgent smile on her face.

  “Well, I guess you heard. We’re happy to wait.”

  She laughed. “Yes, I did.” The woman handed him a disk with two red lights flashing intermittently. “It will buzz when your table is ready. In the meantime, you can always go and grab a drink at the bar.”

  Ethan nodded his thanks. “Shall we head to the bar?” he asked Isabella.

  Her eyebrow rose and the corner of her lips lifted in a small smile. “Sure, that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it? A drink?”

  “Well, yes, that’s true. This place also serves delicious food. I thought we might get something to eat as well,” he said as he led her to the bar.

  “Well, that’s a little presumptuous and risky, isn’t it?” She winked.

  Sure, it was sneaky, but he wanted to make the most of this night. He wanted to show her that while, yes, the military was his job, there was more to him than his career.

  “I’m all about taking risks,” he responded. The sparkle in her eyes dimmed, and he could’ve kicked himself. Isabella extracted her arm from his hold and took a step back.

  Good one, Masters. You want to convince her to see you again, not run in the other direction.

  “Well, let’s just have a drink and see what happens, shall we?”

  A blast of artic air circulated around them now, most of it coming from Isabella’s words. Great, he was really bombing out here, again. The chances of her staying to eat once their table was ready were looking pretty slim.

  A third date? Well, he’d have to work very hard for that one to happen.

  The bar was busy, so it took a couple of minutes before the bartender was able to serve them.

  “What can I get you?” he asked.

  “I’ll have a classic mojito, thanks,” Isabella said.

  “I’ll have a Stella,” Ethan responded.

  Ethan wracked his brain while they waited on their drinks, trying to come up with something witty to bring some life back to their conversation. He kept coming up blank.

  Fortunately, the barman pushed their drinks toward them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Isabella reach for her purse. No way. It was old-fashioned and he was all for independent women—hell, some of the strongest people he’d seen when he’d been deployed were women—but this was a date, and though he might not have technically asked her out, he was still paying.

  However, he could word it in a way as to suggest he wasn’t going to be a total caveman. “I’ll get this round.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, placing a twenty on the bar. As he received his change, the buzzer went off, signaling their table was ready. Maybe once they sat down he could get his mojo back and this date wouldn’t turn into a disaster.

  Man, if the guys at the base found out he’d bombed a second time he’d never live it down. He’d ask for a two-year deployment; maybe by the time he returned, his abysmal dating life would be forgotten.

  Once they were seated and the hostess walked away, Ethan took a long draft of his beer.

  “I contemplated wearing my red fedora,” he blurted out. Where the hell did that come from? He hadn’t even considered wearing that damn hat again. But Isabella laughed and his shoulders relaxed.

  “That would’ve been quite the statement. I suppose it was less clichéd than carrying a red rose. People would wonder if you were filming an episode of The Bachelor.”

  “Oh, please, don’t tell me that you actually watch that show.”

  A delicate shade of pink bloomed on her cheeks. Well now, how interesting. Isabella watched reality television shows. Was she a closet romantic as well? “I could lie and say I’ve seen the ads, but, yes, I watch the show. It’s quite comical really, all those girls claiming to fall in love in two days while living in the same house with twelve other women. Not to mention television cameras following them everywhere. Very unrealistic.”

  Okay, so maybe not a romantic after all. But if she wasn’t, why watch the show at all? Hmm, there was a little mystery to Isabella. He wouldn’t mind unravelling it all. “And yet it does happen.”

  “What? People falling in love in two days? Or love on a television show being real?” She canted her head and lifted her drink. His body stirred to life when her lips closed around the straw.

  “Well, I agree on a television show it’s unlikely, but yes, I do believe it can happen in real life. It happened with my parents. My dad said the first time he looked at my mom, she was it for him and vice versa.”

  If he were being totally truthful with himself, he was beginning to think his parents were an anomaly. Then again, the woman sitting opposite him had fried his senses quicker than an egg on a hot plate. Something that hadn’t happened to him before.

  “Well, that’s great for them. Life isn’t a fairy tale, and not all marriages last a lifetime. Some end before they’ve even had a chance to begin.”

  When he said he wanted to start a conversation, this wasn’t the type he figured they’d have. An edge had crept into her voice. Had she been married? Did her husband cheat on her? Many questions floated through his brain, questions he had no place asking. No matter how much he wanted to.

  “You’re right. Life isn’t a fairy tale. Trust me, I’ve seen plenty to corroborate this. But life’s not worth living if you don’t have hope of some sort.”

  “I agree. The kids I teach give me hope. The way they look at the world is so fresh. You kind of forget that you were once that innocent.”

  Now this was a perfect lead-in to steer the conversation away from the topic of marriage, divorce, and the ugly aspects of life. “Tell me the moment you knew teaching was the right path for you.”

  Her job seemed a far safer topic of conversation than her personal life. Things were going well, and he didn’t want to jeopardize their date. The more he talked with Isabella, the more he was beginning to like her.

  *

  Isabella picked up her glass again and gulped another large swallow through her straw. It wasn’t a difficult question to answer, just one she didn’t really know the answer to. So she went directly for the truth. “I kind of fell into teaching, you could say.”

  Before Ethan could respond, a waitress turned up at their table, and Isabella said a silent prayer he would forget what they’d been talking about. She was never comfortable talking about herself, especially her road to college. When she’d finished high school, her whole life had been planned out. She was going to be a military wife and mother. Follow her man from base to base. How quickly that had all changed. Now, here she was surrounded by children—only none were hers.

  “Do you want to get some guacamole or chips and salsa? Or would you prefer something else?” Ethan asked.

  “Umm, I’m happy with whatever you’d like to order.” She sat back the second the words left her mouth. On her very rare previous dates, she’d never let the guy order for her. Not to mention she hadn’t committed to having something to eat with him, and yet here she was, letting him take the lead.

  Huh.

  She remained silent while Ethan placed their appetizer order and the waitress left them alone again. Although how alone could they really be in a restaurant full of people?

  “What were we talking about before we were interrupted?” Ethan asked.

  Could she slip a change of convers
ation into the mix? Sheesh, what was wrong with her? Being around Ethan had her totally off-kilter. He had an intensity about him she’d never experienced from another person before, not even Travis. Like his interest wasn’t just for the sake of making inane conversation.

  That was an eye-opener, for sure. This was their first—well, okay, second—date and already it had a different vibe to it than all her previous dates combined. Should she end this one now, before he started expecting more? Or was she the one expecting more?

  It’s not like you’re going to marry the guy.

  Her very vocal conscience was correct, and what did it matter if she told Ethan more about how she got into teaching than she’d ever told anyone before?

  “Hey, Izzy, are you okay?”

  Oh, geez, she’d flaked out again on him. “Yeah, I’m fine, just having a mental conversation with myself.”

  Oh, my God, why did I say that out loud?

  “Well, that says a lot for my conversations skills if you have to have one with yourself.”

  Fortunately, he was smiling and, boy, did his smile hit her right in the gut. She really should relax and stop overthinking everything. Acting on instinct, she reached out and placed her hand over his. A sizzle of electricity zigzagged its way through her blood. “I’m sorry. I’ve been a little vague since I’ve sat down with you. I’m nervous, I guess.”

  Ding. Ding. Ding. All the bells went off in her mind like a slot machine hitting the jackpot in a Vegas casino. She was nervous, and she didn’t know why.

  “Will it make you feel better if I say I’m nervous too?” Ethan turned his hand and laced his fingers with hers. The touch was nice and natural. She could get used to this very quickly if she weren’t careful.

  “Yes, it does.” With her free hand she took another sip of her drink. “You asked me how I got into teaching?”

  “I did.”

  How did she explain the fog she was in when she walked onto the college campus? That part she would skip over.

  “Well, like I said, I kind of fell into it, to be totally honest. I went to college with no clear vision of what I wanted to do. After the first semester, I went to the academic adviser to see if I could get some, you know, advice.”