Hopeless Romantic's Handbook A Novel

1 Kate Hetherington sighed and put down her drink dramatically. "I just think there has to be a better way," she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "You'd think they'd have developed some sort of radar by now." Her friend Sal frowned. "Radar?" "To find the perfect man. So you don't have to endure things like speed dating. Honestly, Sal, it was the worst night of my life. I hated every minute of it. I hated every man in there. And at the end, I still came out disappointed that I only got one number. I mean, it's wrong on so many levels, I don't even know where to start." Sal shrugged. "I bet it wasn't that bad. I think it sounds like fun, actually." Kate looked at her friend levelly. "That's because you're happily married so you know you'll never have to go. Things like speed dating always sound like fun in principleit's the reality that's so excruciating." "So why did you go, then?" "Because you made me." "I didn't make you! I just said you should give it a go, that's all." Kate sighed. "I know. I think a little voice inside me really thought it might work, too. I mean, I thought I might . . . meet someone's eyes and just know. . . ." "But it didn't work out that way?" "No," Kate said despondently. "And the truth is, I'm kind of running out of options here. I'm going to be thirty soon, and I don't see any knights on white steeds turning up to whisk me away, do you?" Sal shook her head. "Does the steed have to be white?" she asked, a little smile playing on her lips. Kate grinned. "I'm willing to stretch to cream," she conceded. "If the knight is good-looking enough." "Ah, here you are. Sorry I'm late. So, how are we all?" Kate and Sal turned round and saw their friend Tom approaching. "Dreadful, thanks," Kate said lugubriously. "How're you?" Tom grimaced. "In need of a drink. Can I get either of you a refill?" Kate handed him her glass, requesting a vodka tonic, and Sal shook her head. As he disappeared off toward the bar, she frowned. "And you're sure there wasn't a single eligible man there? Not even one?" "Not even one," Kate assured her. "They were all either creepy, letchy, or just plain weird." Sal looked at her dubiously, and Kate's hackles rose. "What?" she demanded. "Don't you believe me?" Sal widened her eyes. "I didn't say a thing!" "No, but you looked at me like you wanted to. You think I would have missed some gorgeous guy just waiting to sweep me off my feet?" Sal hesitated, then blurted, "I just think that maybe your aspirations are too high. I mean, all you talk about is sweeping and knights and stuff. Instead of nice-looking, or amenable. I'm just not sure you're looking for the right . . . qualities." "Right qualities?" Sal put her drink down. "This is the real world, Kate, that's all. Richard Gere isn't going to turn up in a convertible car to whisk you off into the sunset." "I don't want Richard Gere to turn up,Townley, Gemma is the author of 'Hopeless Romantic's Handbook A Novel', published 2007 under ISBN 9780345480040 and ISBN 034548004X.