I was at writing conference a while back and we were talking about blogging. I asked what I should blog about and the instructor said, "blog about what interests you the most." Well, what interests me the most is writing romance novels. So I decided to write a romance short story on this blog. But I've added a twist. I am not going to write the story out then release it a little a time. Instead, I am going to write the story as I go. I don't know where this will all end up any more than you, the reader, does.
So without further ado...let's start this adventure!
THE BLIND DATE
Chapter one - The Pact
I look around at my closest friends, eyes wide. Kyle has just dropped a bomb with his suggestion. Shawna, Cindy, Marty, and I stare at him, all with expressions of shock.
"Say that again?" Shawna says.
Kyle has the nerve to look exasperated. "I said we should set each other up. Look, you," he points to Shawna, "are an insanely successful woman who chooses total losers. Didn't the last one end up in jail?"
Shawna pouts. "Everyone deserves a second chance."
"But you're a lawyer!" Kyle points out. "And, Cindy, you've been divorced for a year now. It's time you get back out there. Bea," I flinch as he turns to me. "You just got dumped."
"Thanks for putting it like that."
"It's true and the guy was a prick. You need to move on."
My jaw drops. "You didn't like him?"
Kyle shakes his head. "None of us did."
I look around the table at my four friends. We meet up every third Friday of every month, and have been since we left college nine years ago. Tonight we're in my very best friend's condo. The closest person to me in the world. The one I can count on the most. So as all my other friends nod in agreement with Kyle, I turn to Marty. He just shrugs and turns his gaze away from me.
"What about you, Kyle? You haven't had a boyfriend in a while," Marty says.
"I haven't. But at least I'm less of a monk than you, man. When was the last time you had a girlfriend?"
"The point is," Shawna interrupts. "You think the solution to all this is that we set each other up on blind dates?"
"Exactly." Kyle takes a pad and pen out of the messenger bag hanging from his chair. As a writer he always has these handy. He rips five pieces of paper from the small pad and scribbles on each one. Then he reaches over and grabs Marty's ball cap off his head laying it face up on the table. He throws the paper inside. "We'll draw for it. Whoever's name you draw, you are responsible for setting that person up with their future spouse."
"No pressure," Shawna says under her breath.
We all sit in silence, our souls focused on that cap which displays the name and logo of the college we all went to, the same one Marty now works for.
After a long and painful pause, Kyle plunges his hand into the abyss and pulls out a piece of folded paper. "Fine. I'll go first." The paper crinkles as he neatly pulls apart the folds. "Marty!" he announces.
Marty groans. Kyle shoves the cap at him. "That means you draw next." Kyle wiggles his eyebrows at Marty and they exchange a strange look. "Who will you get? Whose future will you determine?"
"Dramatic much?" Marty mumbles as he reaches in.
He seems to take a while choosing. It's as if he's feeling the texture of each piece of paper. The suspense gets so intense that Cindy finally says, "Come on already, Marty!"
With a smirk, he pulls the paper out. It looks tiny in his big hockey player hands. He unfolds it and reads aloud, "Bea."
Oh crap.
Next chapter available here.
Meanwhile you can check out my full-length romance novels here.
-Kay Harris
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