Out Of Focus (Wattys 2023)

9. Tinder Dates/Tinderboxes.

Shayne can't believe what's coming out of his roommate's ridiculous mouth as he sips his cup of coffee on a lazy Sunday morning.

He and Max are both still in their pajamas, worn out from a well-deserved distraction (Shayne can't deny it WAS a good idea) surrounded by medieval fans.

"You've never been much for good ideas, but you must be insane now," Shayne says.

"Hear me out," Max says. "You download the app. I swipe through, set you up on a blind date; and if you hate him I'll buy us a new Keurig."

Shayne sighs, Max's idea of another distraction annoying him even more despite his good intentions.

"In what world do you think you can bribe me with coffee to get over some celebrity prick before I have to go back to work with him tomorrow?" Shayne asks.

Max narrows his eyes. "I'll throw in a few 24 packs of your favorite blend."

"Dark roast?" Shayne asks.

"Darker than your sister's heart," Max says. "And all yours for the price of one date. You at least know I won't pick the hunchback of Notre Dame."

Shayne rolls his eyes at that, letting out a chuckle. "This isn't your plan for secretly offing me is it?"

Max leans against the counter, "Do you guys think I chop people up with an axe? I've never even owned an axe. You can check my Amazon purchases."

Shayne doesn't need convincing, Lily on the other hand.

"Fine, but I want five boxes, no questions asked; and hands off when you buy them," Shayne says, unlocking his phone and tossing it to Max who he swears grins like the devil himself.

No part of him wants to do this, but thinking about Oliver at this point, especially after he's been blatantly ignoring him just isn't an option.

"Time for daddy to work his magic," Max says as Shayne hears the sound of an app downloading from his App Store.

Shayne frowns. "Please don't refer to yourself as daddy, ever again unless you have a child. Maybe not even then."

Max throws him a devilish wink before getting to work.

Max opens the dating app on Shayne's phone, a mischievous grin on his face. He starts swiping left and right, scanning through various profiles.

"Alright, Shayne, let's see what we've got here," Max says, scrolling through the app. "We need someone who can match your charm, wit, and good looks. Oh, and they better have a sense of humor because you'll need it."

Shayne rolls his eyes, not entirely convinced that this is a good idea. He sips his coffee, bracing himself for whatever Max has in store for him.

Max finally stops scrolling and shows Shayne a profile. "Here we go! Meet... Ethan!"

Shayne looks at the profile picture, his interest piqued. Ethan is indeed handsome, with black hair, a bit of stubble, a charming smile, and kind eyes. He has a quirky sense of style, evident from the colorful shirt and funky hat he's wearing in the photo.

"He's got a fun sense of style," Shayne comments, unable to hide his curiosity. "But does he have a sense of humor to match?"

Max taps on Ethan's profile, revealing more information. "Well, his bio says he's a stand-up comedian. So, I'd say he knows a thing or two about making people laugh."

Shayne chuckles, his skepticism fading slightly. "A comedian, huh? Alright, I guess that's a good start. Let's give it a shot."

Max grins, clearly pleased with himself. "That's the spirit! Now, I'll message him and set up the date. Don't worry, I'll make sure it's something memorable."