Page 4 of Darrin: The Wolves

While she took out the lunch she’d prepared for herself – a wedge salad with a side of grilled steak, and a Twinkie for dessert, along with her favorite orange soda – Lena told her about her weekend.

“Laundry. And I caught up on my shows. How was yours? Oh, you had a date last night, right?”

“Don’t remind me.”

Audrey had given a dating app a try a few months ago and had gone out on numerous dates. Most of those dates had been first-date-only, because the guys had been letches or arrogant or used pictures that weren’t theirs.

The latter had happened to her the night before.

“He looked freaking nothing like the picture!” she said. “He was in his late thirties, and not only is hebetween jobs, but he’s living with his ex-wife to save money! I can’t make this crap up.”

Lena laughed so hard she dropped her sandwich.

“It’s not that funny.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

Audrey glared at her friend and took a bite of salad and steak. After eating for a bit, she said, “I think I’m going to give up.”

“On what?”

“The dating app. It’s been nothing but a string of losers and momma’s boys.”

“I don’t think you should give up just yet.”

“Why? Because you like hearing my disastrous blind date stories?”

“They are hilarious. But no, I just think it’s okay to be hopeful.”

Lena was divorced and not dating anyone.

“Why don’t you download the app?” Audrey asked.

“I’m okay being single. You’re twenty-four. Live a little. And let me live vicariously through you. Just... one more date.”

Lena scooted her chair over as Audrey pulled out the phone. The dating app was a bright square on her screen, taunting her with the promise of a happily ever after.

She wasn’t even sure that was a real thing.

Her parents were happily married, but they’d known each other a long time before they fell in love. The dating app made it seem like the promise of love at first sight could be a reality.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?” Audrey asked.

“Sure. What’s wrong with a little hope?”

Audrey shrugged. She ate a few more bites. “I don’tneedsomeone. I justwantsomeone. And every time I take a chance and swipe right, I feel like the universe is telling me that good guys are only in fiction.”

“Bad dates don’t mean all men suck, it just means you have to wade through the trash to get to the treasure. So, open the app and find someone. Just give it one more try.”

“Fine.”

She opened the app and began scrolling. As she bypassed various men who didn’t appeal to her in one way or another, she was beginning to think that she wasn’t going to find a guy to swipe right on anyway.

And then she stopped.

The man on the screen stood behind a bar, one hand on the polished wood, his dark hair short, his eyes a piercing steel gray. He was broad shouldered and clearly muscular, and while he wasn’t smiling fully, his lips may have been the most kissable ones she’d ever seen.

Darrin.