“You are a cruel woman,” Britt laughed. “What about this guy? This is the cute guy with the kayak.”
“No one really has a kayak. He posed by one for his Tinder picture. They all have some kind of oh-I’m-outdoorsy shot. That way we can’t tell they spend all their time playing Call of Duty and eating Taco Bell.”
“He didn’t use any emoji. He says ‘hey how ru?’ What do I say?”
“I don’t care. Answer him.”
“Okay, I said nice kayak.”
“Very original. He says how are you and you say ‘nice kayak’? Social skills, babe. Learn them.”
“He’s answered back! Look! I feel like we’re winning. This is better than eBay!”
“Eh, never mind he just called us a hot mama. I disallow hot mama.”
“I think everyone since about 1985 has disallowed hot mama. He’s either older than he says or he’s a creep.”
“I say both. Next.”
Britt looked at new matches.
“Oh my gosh! Look at this one. He could be a Hemsworth.”
“Their eyes are too close together and the one in Hunger Games seemed stupid.”
“And you only date rocket scientists?” Britt said dubiously. “He is gorgeous. I’m right swiping him I don’t care what you say.”
“Whatever,” Marj said.
“It’s a match! I’m so making you go out with the Hemsworth! He’s messaging us!” Britt said, the other earbud dangling from her computer now as she seized the phone with both hands eagerly.
“Ha! He likes DIY shows, Mumford & Sons and his favorite movies are the Mad Max series. Winner winner, YOU are going to DINNER!” Britt crowed.
“No, you are.”
“What?”
“Tap there to look at the profile, Britt.”
“What the hell?”
There in the profile were three photos of Britt, one from Silver Rain, one from a dressing room when she’d tried on the tight blue dress for her anniversary, and one in a bathing suit from the summer before. Her name and age were on the profile. She realized with a sick thud that she’d been swiping and messaging for herself. Marj had set her up.
“Undo it. Make it go away or I will never forgive you.” She snapped.
“Way to overreact. I’m trying to get you back in the game. What’s the harm in a little right swiping? Instant messaging? No crimes were committed and you said yourself he’s gorgeous and he obviously liked your pictures too.”
“I am not LOOKING for some guy on Tinder.”
“Well, you didn’t have much luck at the bar since Chris was such a tool. I thought we’d cast a wider net.”
“Look, you can either message this guy and let him know you set me up and I’m not coming or you can go meet him yourself. Just make it go away.”
“Gosh, you act like I did something terrible!” Marj said, offended, and took the phone back.
Britt got back to work and tried to push down her anger, mainly at herself for not being up front with Marj. Although that was sort of a Tinder entrapment scheme, she thought ruefully. It was so addicting to approve or disapprove of people’s pictures and messages. She sighed. Wishing Jack was there, then being glad he wasn’t because things were so much more complicated when he was nearby. Particularly because she wanted to kiss him and never stop, which was awkward in the workplace.
That afternoon, she hesitated, considered skipping her weekly coffee with Marj, but she decided that was to