Of Tinder dates and Uber drivers (complete)

Chapter 4

"Luca," Jennie said, exasperated, for the fifth time in 20 minutes. "Can you please do that somewhere else?"

Luca looked up from where he was bouncing his basketball against the dining room wall and pouted. "But it's raining."

"I know, but if you're going to scuff up my wallpaper, you could at least do it in your own bedroom."

"There isn't room," he insisted. Noticing that his mom was looking down at her phone again, he got up from the floor and shuffled closer. "What are you doing?"

"Messaging someone."

"Who?" He tried to peer over her shoulder. "Who's Hanbin?"

Snatching the phone away, she replied, "None of your business, young man. Now, I thought you had English homework to do?"

"I started it, but I need help."

"Then why didn't you ask me?"

"Because you've been too busy texting."

Jennie rolled her eyes. Hanbin, the latest man she'd been chatting to on Bumble, had just sent her another message. So, it's a date, then? How about Wednesday?

He actually seemed to be quite a nice man, which was alarming - he asked insightful questions and hadn't used the eggplant emoji once, and the photos on his profile showed a beaming face that looked both thoughtful and polite. Lisa had been right - when you moved away from Tinder, the options were slightly better.

Just thinking of Lisa made her jolt. I can't do Wednesdays, she replied. Only Thursdays.

He replied immediately. Thursday's perfect. I'll set something up.

She put her phone down. Luca was still looking at her.

"Alright then," she said. "Let's take a look at that homework."

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The face watching her from across the table was even more youthful than it had appeared on her phone. Within 15 minutes of sitting down, Jennie had found herself blurting out, "Are you sure you're 35?" Rather than get offended, Hanbin had just laughed and proffered his driver's license. He wasn't drinking, but only because he had an early meeting in the morning and would need to drive. He listened to Jennie's stories and nodded with genuine interest in all the right places.

So why, Jennie asked herself, did she feel so disappointed?

"Tell me more about your job," he asked over their entrées. His eyes were a kind of navy blue - she wasn't sure she'd ever seen that before. "It sounds fascinating. When did you get into politics?"

Jennie swallowed. "When I was 21. My mother already had a hand in most of the town's workings, so as soon as I was old enough to be useful, she 'suggested' I follow that career path too."

Hanbin nodded again, his expression earnest. "Do you enjoy it?"

But she couldn't help think how Lisa would have reacted to her admission: so, she forced you into it? She sounds like a piece of work.

She shook the voice out of her head and smiled. "Yes, I do. It's very rewarding."

At the end of the meal, Hanbin insisted on paying and then offered her a ride home. "I really don't mind, and I won't try and barter my way into your house - I promise. I just want to make sure you get back safely."

It was a kind offer, and Jennie had no plausible reason to say no. So she pulled on her coat, let him guide her to the door, and tried not to think about the person she'd rather be getting in a car with.