Chapter 198 Soft First Date: 2

• "Steve." He racked the balls. As we played, I found out a little about him. Steve was a graduate student in computer science. "Theoretical work only; nothing practical about it at all," he joked. He was a year younger than me, and he had also recently ended a serious relationship. "I chose this graduate program to stay with her, but it just wasn't working out." He was kind and gentle - maybe a little too passive for a man. And he had been the opposite of a flirt.
• I asked him, "Why would your girlfriend leave someone as nice as you? You're such a sweetheart." It was risky. I might have scared him off with that prying question - looking like a would-be high-maintenance girlfriend - but he responded. She had wanted someone tougher. Now I was certain: I knew he would let me drill his ass. I was ready to test that. Tonight. I sank the eight ball, and another game was over. It was nice to go out on at least one win. "Well, I guess I should be going," I said facetiously.
• "Umm, yeah." He looked at his watch. It wasn't really late. "Well, I might stay a few. My bus leaves in 25 minutes."