Three Blind Dates (Dating by Numbers, #1)

by Meghan Quinn

NY152, You know that scene in You’ve Got Mail where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are at that party together where Meg Ryan finds out Tom Hanks is in fact, Joe Fox, and they are both getting food from the table. Tom Hanks grabs all the caviar off one of the plates and Meg Ryan yells at him, telling him the caviar is a garnish? Do you remember that? Well, I had caviar today for the first time and I’ve come to the conclusion that it should be a garnish and nothing else. Ugh, I can’t get the taste out of my mouth. Help! Noely

NY152, On the show today, Turk Gunderson came and did a piece about Christmas trees and how to decorate them. He was insistent about using fake fiber-optic trees because they glistened and shimmered rather than glowed. When did glistening and shimmering become better than glowing? I always thought glowing was the optimal way to shine light. Are you a glower, glistener, or shimmer-er? In my head, you’re a glower, but maybe that’s because I hold you in a higher regard. Noely

NY152, My brother made duck last night for our little family dinner. Duck, like the little quack, quack ducks you can feed at a pond. I wasn’t a fan of his menu selection, nor was I fan of him using the head of the duck as a “decoration.” Hell, I would have rather seen the caviar gracing the plate at that point. When he brought it out, all I could think about was the end scene in A Christmas Story when they are at the Chinese restaurant, singing Fra ra ra ra all night long. Despite the fun memory, and that song playing on repeat in my head, I still couldn’t get over the dead duck head. Why my brother had to do that, I have no idea. Thankfully, he got an earful from his wife when their daughter buried her body under the table and would not reappear for dinner. He doesn’t think things through sometimes. Noely

NY152, I’m not sure why you’ve been so silent lately, but please know this. I’ve missed you and your messages. I’ve missed the way you make me laugh, and the sweet words you say. I’m not sure if I said something wrong, or if you’re pulling away, but whatever it might be, I hope you tell me because honestly, I’ve missed you. Hope to hear from you soon. ShopGirl

Noely, I’m so sorry about the silence recently. To be honest, I was trying to come up with different excuses as to why not to answer you, but they were all lies and you deserve better than that. So to tell you the truth, I took some time to do some serious thinking about what’s to come, about us, if there even is an us. Despite being a strong and confident man, you’ve bewitched me. You’ve invaded my mind and turned it into a dusty fog, a place where nothing but your beautiful eyes and smile exist. But even that is not an excuse, so I deeply apologize if I bewildered or upset you in any way. Please don’t think I’m not thinking about you, because your mouthy remarks and funny banter ring through my head every damn day. Me

NY152, Some serious thinking? What were you thinking about? It kind of makes me nervous that you took a while to respond because of thinking. If we’re being honest, I like you, a lot, and if you were thinking about possibly ending this messaging relationship without even meeting, it would probably crush me. Noely

Noely, Ending our messaging, no. I could never do that without at least taking you out on one more date, without giving myself one more chance at winning over your heart. So, will you do me the honor and go out with me this Friday night? If you’d like to, accept my date request and I’ll see you at Going in Blind. Until then, sleep well, beautiful. Me

Pressing send, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly as I stare out at the ocean, trying to let the crash of the waves calm my nerves. Unfortunately, I’m at a point where nothing is going to soothe me, not until Noely is once again in my arms. Not until she is truly mine. Because when she is, I am never letting her go.

“I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly.”