Nick took a swig from his beer bottle as he punched Brian’s number into his phone.  His night had ended earlier than he planned so he hoped that Brian would still be awake and willing to talk.  He needed to talk to someone.

“Hello Nick,” Brian answered after the first ring.  “Aren’t you supposed to be on a date?”

“It’s over already,” he replied as a slight sigh escaped his lips.  He took no time to recount the beginning of the evening to his friend who listened patiently on the other end.  “And that was only the beginning.” Nick stated when he finished talking about the napkin fire.

“Nick those things could happen to anyone who is nervous,” Brian tried to talk some sense into his friend.

“Bri, there’s more.  It was so quiet I started talking; I was doing all of the talking.  I didn’t notice at the time but every time she started to say something, I would cut her off and talk about me or my life. And one time she had to tell me to be quiet so she could tell me I had a piece of lettuce stuck in my teeth.” Nick took another drink of his beer; he knew he ruined it with Veronica.  He wouldn’t be surprised if she never spoke to him again.

Brian chuckled lightly on his end; Nick glared at his phone before bringing it back up to his ear.  “I’m sorry,” Brian apologized.  “You have to admit that is funny.  You sitting there talking while you have something in your teeth.”

“Brian, it’s not funny. I’m cursed.”  Nick retorted.  “I told her about all my other dates and told her I hoped she was psychotic.”  He slapped his forehead remembering the discussion about Jess and how crazy she had gotten.  He had been serious when he turned to Veronica and asked her if she was going to become psychotic on him too.

“When we finally left I dropped her coat.” Nick cringed.

“How is that a part of this so called curse?” Brian asked.  Nick could almost see the grin on his friend’s face and though he wanted someone to talk to he cursed himself for thinking of Brian first, Leighanne would surely know about his date as soon as they got off the phone.  He groaned  he needed single friends that would discuss him during pillow talk.

“It wouldn’t have been so bad if it had happened inside but it happened on the way to the car and I dropped it right into a puddle of water and who knows what else.  I told her I’d pay for it to be cleaned and she said she’d be taking me up on that offer. Then at the end of the date she stood smiling at me and playing with the collar on my shirt so I assumed she wouldn’t mind a good night kiss no matter how bad the date was.  I leaned in to kiss her and our noses collided. I tried to make sure she was okay but she held her hand up and pushed me away walking inside quickly.”  Nick leaned back in his seat and chugged the rest of the beer.  It felt good to talk to someone about how horrible the evening had been.

“Nick I still think you are over analyzing the entire evening.  Stuff happens.  You should call her, apologize and see if she is willing to have a makeup date.”  His friend advised.

“Brian I am cursed.  I have never had a second date go well and the girls never want to hear from me again.  I know Veronica won’t want to talk to me ever again.”  Nick turned on his television and began to flip through the channels making sure it was on mute so his friend wouldn’t know what he was doing.

“What do you mean?” Brian asked.

Nick sighed and explained the fortune teller he met when he was eleven explaining what she told him and even going so far as to tell him about his dreams with the woman with green eyes staring at him.  When Nick finished with his explanation he was happy that his friend had not laughed at his comments.

There was, however, silence across the phone from both of them for  a few minutes before Brian started talking again.

“Nick, I think you are letting what the gypsy told you get to you. I think you have it in your head that since you have fame you cannot have love too.  You need to forget about what she told you.  You are a great guy, you turned your life around.  You are worth loving, remember that always.” 

“Brian, I don’t want to use that site anymore.  Veronica was my last attempt, my last blind chance.” Nick had always been contemplating never using the site again. He felt foolish relying on a website to find him someone to love, he was a Backstreet Boy and he was using a dating site!

“Nick, do you like her?”

“Yes.”

“Then call her.  Tell her what happened tonight, though you might want to leave the words of the fortune teller out of it.   Just tell her that you were nervous and you let your nerves get the best of you.  It is the truth after all.  If you are meant to spend more time with her, then she will understand.” 

Nick sat silent for a minute contemplating what his friend just told him.  “Thanks Brian.”  His friend had given him sound advice and he would try it, call and explain. It sounded simple enough.  “Can I ask you one more thing?” 

“Sure, anything Nick.” Brian replied, his voice upbeat.

“Don’t talk to Leighanne about this. I already feel foolish enough that you know, I don’t need your wife looking down on me more than she might already.” 

“Nick, you know Leighanne doesn’t look down on you, but since you asked, I will keep this between us.  I gotta go now.  Call me later and let me know how the girl takes what you tell her.” 

“Sure thing,” Nick replied and waited for the click of the phone telling him Brian was gone.  He sat staring at his phone.  Should he call her now or wait.  He glanced at the clock on his phone and decided it would be better to call her later.  Their date had ended a little more than an hour ago, he didn’t want to see desperate to her.  Tomorrow, that would be a better day to call her.