Free Point, Click, Love by Molly Shapiro

you write a book, Katie?”
    “Because I’m too busy being the best divorcée ever,” said Katie. “Anyway, I’m not going to have any time on my hands now that I’m starting to date.”
    Katie hadn’t had a chance to tell Maxine in private and hadn’t meant to reveal her entry onto the dating scene to a larger audience yet, but she was so excited—and a little drunk on melon balls—that she couldn’t resist saying something. She also felt like she needed a good pep talk and maybe some advice on what to do. By Katie’s calculations, she hadn’t been on a real date since her junior prom eighteen years ago.
    “What?” Maxine practically screamed. “You’re dating?”
    “Not yet. We’re going out this weekend,” said Katie.
    “I can’t believe it!” said Maxine. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “It just happened,” said Katie.
    “Who is he?” asked Annie. “How did you meet?”
    “Online,” said Katie.
    “What?!” cried Maxine.
    “Oh, God,” said Claudia.
    “What?” said Annie, giving Claudia a reprimanding look. “Why not?”
    “What do you expect me to do?” asked Katie. “Go hang out at a singles’ bar?”
    “I would have fixed you up,” said Maxine, a bit hurt. Because she was eight years older than Katie, Maxine often felt like she needed to take care of her friend. She regularly asked Katie if she could set her up with one of the single dads at her kids’ school. Last week she told her about a journalist who had recently separated from his wife of fifteen years. She thought Katie would have leapt at the chance to meet a writer, considering her interest in poetry and all, but she completely blew it off.
    “No, thanks,” said Katie. “I don’t like the idea of getting fixed up. I really want to choose someone on my own.”
    “I’m sorry for sounding so negative, Katie,” said Claudia. “I’m just a little anti-Internet lately. I think it’s great that you did it.”
    “So who is he?” asked Maxine, ready to get over her feelings of rejection and support her friend.
    “Well, his name is Ed. He’s forty-six—”
    “Forty-six!” shouted Maxine, newly incensed that Katie was taking matters into her own hands. Clearly she had no idea what she was doing. “That’s kind of old for you, isn’t it?”
    “An Ivy Leaguer. Went to Wharton for business school. Didn’t you go to Wharton, Annie?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I don’t think they knew each other, Katie,” said Maxine. “He’s way older.”
    “Enough about how old he is! Forty-six is not old!” Katie glared at Maxine.
    “Sorry,” said Maxine.
    “He grew up in L.A.,” Katie said calmly, sure that the rest of Ed’s résumé would win her friends over.
    “Cool,” said Claudia.
    “Works for some tech company. And he makes at least $150,000 a year but probably way more.”
    “Do you know how much he weighs?” asked Claudia.
    “He’s well toned.”
    “Huh?” said Annie.
    “That’s how they do it. Athletic, well toned, average …”
    “So what are you?” asked Annie.
    “Average,” said Katie.
    “Average? You’re not average!” Maxine was often frustrated by Katie’s self-deprecation, feeling her friend had no idea what an incredible person she really was. For that reason, she didn’t trust her to choose a man who was sufficiently worthy.
    “I’d rather he be pleasantly surprised than disappointed.”
    “Are you kidding?” said Maxine. “This old coot hit the jackpot with you!”
    “What does he look like?” asked Annie.
    “Kind of professorish,” said Katie.
    “I hope he’s not all stuffy,” said Claudia.
    “No, I don’t think so.” Katie wondered if she had done the right thing by telling her friends about Ed. She was already feeling a little exhausted by the third degree she was getting. “Should I mix up some more melon balls?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
    “Definitely,” said Claudia. “So you’re not going to get married again, are you?”
    “No!” said