The Blind Date Takes Off!

Let’s continue reading Romance by Design. 

Chapter Three

A thrill shot up Goldie’s spine as she walked beside Ryan to his house—the only house on the street that looked just like hers. It must be a sign! And for once, Mike sent her a guy she was actually attracted to. A handsome guy, with hazel eyes, brown hair, and a wonderful smile—when he finally did smile. Mike was right about Ryan being the silent type. He seemed tongue-tied at first, almost confused.

She glanced over at his handsome profile. He didn’t seem confused anymore. In fact, as she gabbed about the weather, Ryan strode beside her with an air of confidence.

Goldie took a happy satisfied breath. Yep, this blind date might be the end to all other blind dates. At least she hoped so.

Ryan opened the side door of his house and motioned her inside. “I have to feed my cat before we leave. Hope you don’t mind.”

She raised her eyebrows. “You have a cat? So do I.”

They walked into the kitchen where a yellow tomcat rubbed up against Ryan’s leg.

“Oh!” Goldie stopped to stare. “This cat is huge! I have a little female named Felina, which is derived from feline. Your cat could eat Felina for lunch.”

“This is Archie.” Ryan bent down to scratch the cat behind the ear. “Derived from architect, which is what I am.”

“An architect?” The more Goldie found out about Ryan, the more she liked him. “Do you work in an office in Stroudsburg?”

“Not yet.” Ryan pulled a silver can opener from a drawer and opened a can of wet cat food. “I just graduated with my master’s degree, and this afternoon I handed my résumé to an architectural firm called Stratton, Moss, and Klein.” He glanced at her. “Ever heard of them?”

“Um…no, I haven’t.” Goldie watched his hands opening the can, mesmerized by how tan and smooth they looked with neat fingernails. Definitely the hands of a pencil pusher.

A fishy smell enveloped them as he spooned the food into the cat’s dish and set it on the floor. “Stratton, Moss, and Klein is quite a prestigious firm. I love designing, and I’ve already designed a couple homes for people, but I need a steady job.” He stood upright and met her eyes. “Someday I hope to build my own house. I already have the blueprints finished, although I’ll probably redesign my home ten times before I finally have enough money to build it.” He chuckled.

“That sounds wonderful.” Why did Mike say Ryan was the silent type? He talked quite a bit! And his smile wasn’t toothy at all.

Leaning against the counter, Ryan shrugged. “The money’s the thing. But with a good job, I can bankroll a lot in the next few years.” He pulled off his tie. “Mind if I leave this here?” Not waiting for an answer, he laid his tie on the messy table. “I usually don’t wear a suit and tie, but I had that interview this afternoon.”

Entranced, Goldie watched him, trying not to shout out, “Thank you, Mike!” Her brother had finally sent her a great guy!

Ryan walked toward her, tall and handsome. “Are you ready to go? I’m getting hungry.”

With a nod, she let out a wistful sigh. What if Ryan Collins was the one?  

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Until tomorrow, God bless!