Chapter Three

Date Two

From: jonesindy113

To: bookworm87

206 143 1222 Call me sometime. I'd love to go to an art showing with you.

"Don't let one bad date ruin this for you, woman." Leah said, frustrated with her best friend to no end.

"One bad date? Seriously, you're calling that embarrassing and surreal experience bad? That was worse than bad, Leelee, and you know it!" Bella stomped to the fridge to grab a soda.

Leah pinched the bridge of her nose, "Fine. It was terrible. Crazy. Horrific. And if I ever see Doc McSexy in a dark alley, it's on like Donkey Kong."

The straight face failed, and she burst out laughing. "It's not a joke."

"You think I'm kidding?" Leah's shocked expression made Bella laugh harder.

Eventually -after a pep talk that rivaled the one in Fight Club (Brad Pitt, anyone?)- she wrote jonesindy113 back, asked for his name, and the best time to call. Leah congratulated her on not acting like a twat.

Sam came over a few days later with his friend, Paul. The man was luscious, even with the constant serious look on his gorgeous face. If she had to describe him, she would say sex… pure sex… chocolate, sex, strawberries, delicious. Yum.

Bella nudged Leah, "Who is that, and why have I never met him before?"

"That's Paul. He's known Sam since they were in diapers. Lives on the Res. Casually involved with Jake's sister, Rachel…" she waited for the recognition on Bella's face. As much as she loved the girl, there were times when she wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box.

"Rachel… Jake… Billy Black? His kids?"

"Yep."

"I haven't seen them in a long time. And wow, Rachel hit the jackpot with that one… I bet he'd be even sexier if he smiled."

"Lahote doesn't smile. He smirks in a way that makes the women in his vicinity drop their panties."

"Lee!" Bella's face turned beet red.

She laughed, "You're so easy, Bells."

Bella heard back from jonesindy113, also known as Embry. They spoke on the phone for two hours. He was nice, sweet, and mature. She asked him for a picture, and he told her to follow him on twitter… odd, but what about this situation hasn't been a little odd?

Opening twitter, she searched for him under the same name as his findingsoulmates profile… He was cute. Tall, tan skin, and had that whole boy-next-door-thing down pat. The picture was a tad grainy, so she commented on it. He explained pixelization and sizes.

He asked to meet her at Starbucks. She loved their coffee, and readily agreed. Public place plus kick ass coffee was a winner in her book.

Leah asked if they had seen each other on Skype.

"No," she said, finishing the bow on her sneakers, "He doesn't have a webcam."

"Who doesn't have a webcam, but has a computer? This sounds fishy to me, Bella."

"You said give it a chance, so I am. If anything, I'll just come back home, like I did the last time."

"Fine. Take the 'protection'," she used air quotes, "from the Chief, and I swear if you get yourself killed by some crazed psycho, I'm coming after you."

"You do realize that makes no sense? Like none at all?"

Leah shooed her out of the bedroom, pepper spray and taser in Bella's hand, "It does to me."

She looked around the cafe', her phone in her palm with her twitter app on his page. He sent her a message a while ago telling her he was on his way… where was he?

"Bella?"

She recognized the voice, smiled, and turned around. "Hi. It's nice-" the words died on her lips as she took him in… this was not the guy from the picture. He was shorter, wider, and balding.

She coughed, distracting him from her blatant, stunned staring. "It's nice to meet you."

He showed her to their table, oblivious or just not giving a damn that he lied to her. When he went to order their coffee, she took her phone out of her pocket.

I think Fate hates me.

Leah responded half a second later, Oh, god. Now what?

Older. Shorter. Balder!

In her mind, she could clearly see Leah tittering like a mad woman. Lmfao! No! Seriously?!

Seriously. Help?

No way. I told you about that webcam shit. Deal with it. Luv u.

Hate you. She'd just pressed 'send' when Embry came back. "I hope you like frappucinos."

He talked and talked, while she looked at him… really looked at him... My God, he was as old as the Chief.

If she didn't know any better, she would have assumed that he read her mind. "So, you probably noticed that I don't look like the picture."

Lie, act innocent, stop staring, she berated to her brain. It didn't work. Somewhere between the first hello and the second mocha frappuccino, her filter abandoned her.

"Well, yes. I thought you looked… older…" she said carefully.

"That picture was from high school."

Bella was a smart woman, she figured that out on her own. He seemed to take her silence as a positive because the next thing she knew he was making plans for more dates.

"I really am sorry. I can't tell you how much this is making me feel like a shallow bitch, but I can't go on another date with you."

"It's because I'm short, isn't it?"

She snorted coffee out of her nose.

"I'm still taller than you. And I can go on a diet… maybe get some Rogaine," he explained with conviction.

Her face turned bright pink. She was trying, willing herself to not laugh. Don't laugh, it's not funny, it's mean, don't laugh. She excused herself to go to the restroom. There, Bella splashed cold water on her face and schooled her expression. Be sincere, attraction is a good thing in relationships, do not feel bad because its not there… well, not too bad.

He was waiting for her outside of the women's door, scaring her half to death. He opened his mouth to talk, she interrupted him. "It's not… you shouldn't have to change to be with someone. They should like you for you. You're nice, and sweet, and maybe if I was older…" - don't lie, idiot - "Just... it's okay. I'm going to pay for my drinks. Good luck, Embry."

He begged for her to let him pay, to let him salvage some part of the date ending. She gave him a hug and wished him luck, sincerely, and told him to be himself the next time he goes on a date.

Securely in her truck, she texted the Chief, If I beat up Leah, will you bail me out of jail?

TBC

Still unbeta'd-pre-read. - beginning to like that word. ;)