The First Date by Zara Stoneley

Author:Zara Stoneley [Stoneley, Zara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2020-03-09T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Noah was right. Steve isn’t exactly my dream date. He doesn’t really tick any of the boxes on my new (not even committed to paper) list.

I thought I wanted, no correct that, I know that the type of man I actually need is all the things I said at the start. Some of those things are non-negotiable, like being faithful, a guy I can trust blah, blah … but I’ve had to add on ‘funny’. Noah can be wickedly funny; he can make me smile when I don’t even want to.

With Steve I’ve just smiled to be polite, like you do at a party of colleagues or family.

Robbie did make me laugh sometimes, but not belly laugh; it was more because of something that had happened, than something he did on purpose. We’d shared a sense of humour like I probably do with Steve. But with Noah it’s different.

With Noah it’s more like with Dad. Dad could make me laugh when he wanted to. Which was usually to deflect attention away from the fact that he’d just missed my birthday or forgotten to bring something home that he’d promised.

So naughty sense of humour had definitely not been on my list. Until Noah. Noah does it because he wants to make me laugh – not because he feels he needs to for his own ends.

I thought cheeky laugh and winks went hand in hand with addictive personality and getting what you want. I think I might have been wrong.

So yeah, when Steve asked me out, he did fit my safe, secure, nothing-like-my-dad list.

But after spending time with Noah, this is all a bit, well, boring.

He’s incredibly kind, incredibly nice, incredibly all of those overused words that are pretty meaningless.

Meaningless.

Like a pretty picture when I’d actually like something a bit edgy, a bit more nuanced. Though obviously not too much: I’ve not had a personality change, just a tweaking of expectations.

Noah is right (gahhhh). I need somebody who has a bit more about them. Sadly. But this is only a practice date, not a lifelong (or even day long) commitment.

Steve just happens to be very good at controlling runaway gym equipment. For which I am grateful. But not grateful enough to agree to a second date. But, hey, I’m having a first date at which the guy turns up, and stays, and we’ve had a lovely time. So that’s a big win in my book.

Part of Steve’s nervousness could be down to the fact that he spotted Noah at the other end of the bar about three seconds after he sat down – even though it is heaving and noisy. Noah isn’t one to merge in with the crowd.

‘He came over and said you’d probably want olives?’ Steve says, sitting down with our second round of drinks.

‘Sorry?’

He inclines his head in Noah’s direction, and Noah winks.

‘He what?!’ I am going to kill him!

‘You don’t like olives?’

‘He told you to get me olives?!’ This is just the type of controlling thing Dad does.

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