Listen to Your Heart(6)

“He’s a good kid, Skye.”

“He is. He’s had a rough year. We’re so thankful for guitar.”

I take a long drink of my soda and keep my eyes fixed on my nephew while he plays. If I’m lucky, maybe Caleb will forget all about Eli’s suggestion and we can finish our meal and pretend it never happened.

“So, about tomorrow night.”

No such luck.

“Eli’s just a kid. Please don’t take him seriously.”

He searches my face. “You don’t want to go?”

“That depends.”

“On?”

“Are you asking out of obligation to my nephew? Because if so, it’s really not necessary.”

“I don’t feel obligated. They’re a good band, and we both like 80s music. We should go enjoy it . . . if you’d like.”

I take a deep breath. “I’d like.”

Caleb smiles. “Me, too.”



It only takes one knock on Lynsey’s door before it flies open and I’m hauled inside. I hear Toby laughing from his desk in the corner as his wife pulls me toward the couch and starts the interrogation.

“What’s his name? What’s he like?”

“Hello to you, too. And yes, a glass of wine would be fantastic.”

After dropping Eli off at his dad’s, I remembered that I’d promised to have dinner with Lynsey and Toby tonight. After my rollercoaster afternoon, all I wanted to do was go home and think. Everything happened so fast, and I had no idea how I went from happily single to OMG-I-have-a-date in the span of a couple hours.

Toby suddenly appears with two glasses and a bottle.

“You talk. I’ll pour,” he says.

I smile in thanks as he fills the glass halfway. After taking a slow slip, I begin to recount the events of my crazy afternoon. The two of them listen intently as I tell them how my ten-year-old nephew played matchmaker and that we’re going out tomorrow night to listen to his friend’s band.

Lynsey screams.

I sigh and turn to Toby. “Does she scream like that in the bedroom?”

“No, and I’m a little jealous, to be honest. But it’s probably for the best. The neighbors already think she’s nuts.”

“They’re so uptight. Who cares if I check the mail in my robe?”

“It was transparent, sweetheart.”

“Once! That happened once!”

I shake my head. They both have ADHD.

“Hello? Skye’s having a nervous breakdown here!”

“Why?” Toby asked, confused. “You’ve dated since . . . him.”

Yes, my ex is like Voldemort. We never ever say his name.

“Because she likes him,” Lynsey says. “It’s been a long time since she’s liked anyone. Of course she’s going to be nervous. Just don’t be so nervous that you don’t have a good time. What kind of music does the band play?”

“It’s an 80s cover band.”

Toby quickly clasps his hand over his wife’s mouth to drown out the scream. I down the rest of my wine.

“You love the 80s. It’s fate,” she whispers.

“It’s not fate. It’s . . . I don’t know what it is.”

Lynsey sighs dreamily. “You really like him.”

“I don’t even know him.”

“And you still like him.”

I can’t deny it, and she grins triumphantly.

“Now, the most important question,” she says. “What are you going to wear?”

“Hmm. I was thinking fingerless gloves and leg warmers.”

Toby laughs as his wife’s face turns pale.





Caleb and I agreed to meet at the club, giving me even more incentive to place this evening in the not-really-a-date category. Lynsey called me a pessimist but agreed that arriving separately was a good idea. If the night is a complete bust, at least I’d have my car and could make a quick getaway.

As I walk toward the club entrance, I wonder what possessed me to think this was a good idea. I hate dating. Absolutely, positively despise it. Dating is full of uncertainty and heartache for everyone involved. Always the romantic, Lynsey truly believes we have soulmates, but if that’s true, why can’t we avoid this whole dating thing and just find The One? If it’s all pre-destined anyway, why can’t we all live happily ever after sooner rather than later?

The brokenhearted cynic in me knows the answer. There’s no such thing as soulmates.

“Hey.”

I gasp and spin around.

Caleb grins. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

He’s just too handsome. No one can possibly look this good in a solid black T-shirt and jeans, but he does.

I try to slow my racing heart. “Hey.”

“You look so pretty, Skye.”

“Thanks.”

I hadn’t really been serious about the fingerless gloves and leg warmers, but after that joke, Lynsey didn’t trust me to dress myself. She raided my closet, and we finally settled on a plum-colored tunic and jeans. Comfortable and casual, just in case this isn’t really a date and simply two people meeting at a club to listen to music.

Caleb places his hand on my elbow and steers me toward the doors. “Have you ever been here?”