Excerpt: Jonesing for Mr. Jones

“I’m through with men.” Katie declared.

Her mirror image looked back at her, solemn and determined. She meant business this time, she was kicking men for good. The decision had been made that morning after yet another disastrous date.

Paul Dodd had all the potential to be a good date. He’d seemed genuine when he had asked her out. He was good looking, average height, seemingly good sense of humor. They had gone to a club, not the most romantic for a first date, but it was a local hot spot so Katie had gone along with the idea. Until Paul had proceeded to get drunk in under ten minutes and spill his drink on her new cream satin blouse. Not to mention that he had called her by the wrong name, three times.

There were others too. Paul was the last in a long line of bad dates. At first Katie had thought that maybe her datees were just bad examples of the male sex. But as they continued on one after the other she concluded that either she was cursed to be a jerk magnet or men in general were simply pigs. She did know exceptions to the rule, her father and brother being two fine upstanding men. It was most likely just her. Which was even more reason why she should keep her distance from any man who seemed interested in her.