Page 8 of A Sanctuary from Shadow
Three
“Don’tgetmewrong,I’m hardly a recluse,” I said the next afternoon as Olivia and I perused the racks in Peregrine Patriot. “I’ve been on my fair share of dates.”
The mall store was popping, but most congregated around the summer collections. We bargain shoppers had beelined straight to the clearance racks for last year’s leftovers.
“Just not ones Iwantedto go on.”
Olivia scrutinized a maroon tee-shirt. “What does that mean?”
“It means they were all blind dates set up by my aunt—with guys only there to get in good with my uncle.” That truth still tasted bitter. “They weren’t really interested in me. Mostly, dates were a series of awkward encounters I couldn’t wait to end, so I could go home and read.”
She emitted a dry chuckle. “I’m guessing your aunt didn’t consider your personal tastes in boys before she set you up.”
“Please. The only thing she considered was their Danann heritage.”
“You weren’t into any of her prospects?”
“Meh.” I made a face. “The only Danann boy I’ve ever had a thing for was Briar. So, not really.”
“As much as you and Zahra talk about guys, it’s hard to believe you limited yourself to just one of them.”
“I didn’t. The others were all Christians from school, though. Or members of the Bayview Boys.”
Olivia snorted.
“Unsuitable for me.”
“You never went after the onesyoufound suitable?”
I shrugged. “Wouldn’t have mattered whoIliked. Nobody wanted to date Sasquatch.”
Olivia clicked her tongue. “Amy, you look nothing like Sasquatch.”
As my friend, she was obliged to pretend I looked normal.
“Regardless, any guys I approached wouldn’t have seen past my giantism.”
Usually, Olivia sympathized with this plight. We often joked that we’d never find a husband who wouldn’t feel inadequate whenever we crouched to kiss him. Yet right then she appeared doubtful.
“You’ve never actually asked anyone out?” she asked.
“Have you met me? I’m not the type to subject myself to the pain of guaranteed rejection.”
“But you never gave anyone the chance to prove you wrong. How do you know you’d have been rejected? You never did the field research.”
“Trust me.” I recalled high school in a series of scornful looks, laughter behind my back, and chucked parking lot pebbles. “I knew.”
“Well, Briar obviously likes what he sees.”
I grimaced, wondering if the dude needed glasses.
“Ready to try on?” Olivia segued, disregarding a rack of jeans after surveying their prices.
“Ready.”
Minutes later, Olivia asked, “What about this?” Her slatted dressing room door juddered open.
I threw on a linen shirt, then emerged from my own fitting room to opine on her khaki shorts, the third pair I’d judged since we’d started the fashion show. “I like them on you. Are they comfortable?”
