The following was written for Fandango’s Story Starter #66 and is a response to “Bait and Switch” one of the entries submitted to the challenge by Paula at Light Motifs II. I recommend reading Paula’s awesome take first and then coming back to see what happens during a chance meeting years later.

What Might Have Been

Several years later while jumping into the back seat of a Glide she vaguely recognized the driver. “Do I know you from somewhere?” She asked quizzically, “I’m certain we’ve met but I can’t place when or where.”

He grinned, “Remember Mingle, the dating app? We spoke for several weeks through the interface before meeting and then when we did – “

“Fuck sakes…” she cut him off. “You’re the guy who asked for a thousand bucks during our first kiss!” Looks like I made the right decision, she finished the thought inside her head.

There was an awkward silence before he finally spoke, “I was in the data center talking with the techs when I saw your name come across the screen. I wasn’t certain if it was you but I knew I had to take this ride to see.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you left an impression on me. Asking you for money at that moment was a terrible idea.” She nodded in agreement as he continued, “I learned a valuable lesson. What do you say I take you to dinner, it’s the least I can do.”

“I don’t know. Whatever happened with your sure-fire business venture?”

“I own the company,” he replied.

“Then why are you working for a ride share? Guess it didn’t work out as planned.” A hint of condescension rumbled through her voice.

“Oh, it worked out, my ride-sharing business is better than I could have ever imagined.”

A pause and then the realization… “Wait, you own Glide?” her eyes growing wide as she queried him.

“Yes, I do. I just needed to hire a programmer to make it a reality back then.”

“Wow, that’s crazy meeting you again like this. I guess dinner is the least you could do,” she said with a giggle and a smile.

At the end of a wonderful evening that included good company, expensive wine, great food, and a baked Alaska that was literally to die for, she found herself lost in her own thoughts. The evening played back in her head as he drove to the destination she had originally keyed into the app.

As they pulled up to the brownstone that bore her address she smiled and said, “Well this is me.”

He jumped out and opened the door for her and then they just looked at each other for a long while.

“W-would you like to come up for a nightcap?” she asked all timid like.

She felt the butterflies well up in her stomach as he leaned in. She knew he was going to give her a long, deep kiss, but she was surprised when he said, “Don’t worry, I’ve taken care of the Glide fee, enjoy the rest of your life thinking about what might have been…”

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Image: Unknown.
Copyright 2022 Greg Glazebrook, All Rights Reserved.

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