From the Publisher: “‘Hey girl, u up? Wanna cuddle?’ Ahhh, how poetic, right?! Alas – love and chivalry is not dead after all.
Award-Winning Author Nadette Rae Rodgers took a break from writing to focus on finding her own ‘happily ever after.’ But what she found was far from it.
Wanna Cuddle? And Other Modern Love Letters is a collection of (unfortunately true) awkward dating stories from the author’s love life (or lack thereof). Get ready for second-hand embarrassment as you read stories of uncomfortable first dates, interesting text messages, and navigating the dating apps that’s a necessary evil all singles understand.
Whether you’re out there roughing it through the dating pool like the author, happily committed to your person and just like hearing about the dating lives of your friends, or one of those people who likes to eavesdrop at restaurants and listen to a couple’s awkward first date – this book is for you!
Rodgers has a way of storytelling that makes you feel like you’re just talking with your best friend about her recent first date! This book feels like girl-talk with your bestie.
So, grab some tea (or wine) and laugh, cry, and cringe as you read this book…”
More info About the Author: Nadette Rae Rodgers lives and writes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Naples, Florida. Her passion for writing, words and language developed at a very young age. Nadette is a nationally certified pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, who loves to use books to help children grow in their speech and literacy skills. Nadette is a member of the Quill & Scroll Society. She was also a featured author at the Beaver County Book Fest and Passages & Prose 2016: A Gathering of Authors & their Books. Nadette’s books have been finalists in the 2018 International Book Awards, 2018 American Fiction Awards, and the 2019 International Book Awards. She is the author of The Illusion Trilogy, the Hoo Loves You children’s book series, and Bye, Ocean.
Visit https://nadetteraerodgers.
wordpress.com/ or @nadetterae on Instagram to find more of her books. Author Site Don’t miss out: Rodgers will be celebrating the launch of two books (including Wanna Cuddle) on Saturday, August 17th from noon to 3:30 PM at Generoasta coffee shop in Warrendale.
Event info
“So, How Would You Rate Tonight on a Scale of 1-10?”
Alrighty, so you all remember MR. INTERVIEWER, right? With the arm touching…
Here’s where I tell you more about this date so you can understand why it was more than just the arm touching that made me not-super-interested.
His code name is MR. INTERVIEWER, because I have never so nervously sweated than during this date. This man came out guns a-blazin’ with questions for me. I felt like I was on an interview MORE than the recent actual interviews I had been on for getting my first job out of grad school.
The funny thing was, each time he asked me a question, he would kind of lean back in his bar stool seat (we were grabbing drinks at a nice Italian restaurant’s bar), put his thumb and finger to his chin like he really had to ponder his next question, and then ask me a question that he 100% had memorized from a “Tips for Dating Girls” kind of website or social media post.
The questions were so deep and difficult to answer and PERSONAL. They were behavioral interview type of questions, too. Recall a time when you… Tell me about how XYZ has impacted your relationship with your family… How would you define a successful relationship- to be specific, an intimate kind of relationship, not friendships…What’s your love language and how do you best receive love compared to how you give it…Are you happy with the name your parents gave you and would you take that feeling into consideration when naming our future children…
This man was not quiet-voiced either. He also did that thing where he repeated what you said in a “so, to make sure I’m understanding you, you said that xyz…”thing. Which meant, even if I tried to quietly respond my personal business, he ENUNCIATED it for the rest of the bar to hear.
Let me remind you, we were sitting at a bar.
It was crowded.
Next to me was a group of girls out for a little bachelorette thing, as two of them were in black and the third wore white with a little veil headband.
They were MOST DEFINITELY just full-on listening to our date and not at all celebrating their friend’s love and upcoming marriage.
Sometimes I would sit there thinking, “okay, am I just being too picky that I think he’s being too interview-y?” and then the group of girls by me would snort, gasp, laugh, or make some audible sound that showed all three of them felt just as uncomfortable as I did.
So there I am, trying to find a way to wrap this date up on the quicker side without being super rude, when MR. INTERVIEWER says:
“So, how would you rate tonight on a scale of 1-10?”
The group of girls: outright CACKLING now!
Me: Uhhh–
INTERVIEWER: *while stroking my arm* How likely would you be to say yes to another night like this with me? Was this one of your better dates recently? If not, what could we change for the next date to improve your outlook on our connection?
Y’all, I think I momentarily blacked out because I do not remember for the life of me what I said in that moment to this man. I think I said something polite and nice but somewhat non-committal in the moment, and then when I got home, I did text him to say I didn’t think we were a fit. (I try my best not to ghost like the guys from chapter five…)
He was shocked, because as he pointed out via text, he’s “never had such an incredible conversation on a first date before” and asked for advice of what he could do in the future for upcoming dates. Meanwhile, I felt like I had never had a more intense interview in my life.
For the record, the next day I did in fact have an interview for a fellowship. I felt very prepared. I crushed it. (Just saying… So thank you to MR. INTERVIEWER for the interview preparation the night before.)
Question for the reader: Have you ever asked someone to rate a date at the end of it? Is it like Uber ratings where the driver and the rider get a rating? Do we both get rated? Was I supposed to ask him how he rated it? Are the recommendations for his reference or shared with possible future daters, like a letter of reference from past first-dates? Again, just #askingforafriend.
+ + +
“Save a Horse, Request a Cowboy”
Alright, friends. The time has come for the Cowboy story I promised.
You know that scene in “The Longest Ride” movie when the handsome Scott Eastwood shows up to pick up Britt Robertson’s character for a date and all her sorority sisters are squealing and watching him walk up to their house, boots, belt, hat, a bouquet of flowers, and all? Then one girl says “I want a cowboy!”.
Well, I have ALWAYS loved that scene.
And I have ALWAYS wanted a cowboy.
My family and I went to Nashville for the second time around St. Patrick’s Day weekend one year after I had finished grad school for a fun little weekend trip.
We’re spending the day downtown on Broadway, and honestly it was a warm day, and we were all tired and figured we’d just go back to the hotel when my brother said he had been wanting to check out this one country duo’s bar. We all agreed, and I am so glad we did. Here’s why:
We walk up the stairs to their outdoor rooftop bar- and you know that feeling when your eyes are adjusting to the sun? Well, my eyes adjusted to the sun, and standing directly in front of me is this man in a cowboy hat.
This is not in any way an exaggeration: this man was what I had always pictured as my dream guy standing right in front of me.
I had this white, bejeweled cowgirl hat on, so I tipped it forward so no one around me could see the way my cheeks turned redder than a tomato just seeing this guy.
Anyway, I try to not stare, Nadette, get a grip! I told myself.
My family and I get our drinks and sit down at a table while we watch the previous act pack up his guitar and step down from the stage.
I wonder who’s performing next?
THEN
The hot COWBOY starts walking toward the stage and picks up his guitar.
If you couldn’t tell by some of my recent stories throughout this book, I seem to have a thing for musicians…
It’s dangerous, I know.
So COWBOY picks up the guitar and starts setting up his microphone stand and what not, and I’m thinking to myself, Gosh, there is no way I can watch this guy perform sitting this close to the stage. My face will be too red. But hey, maybe he’s not a good singer. Maybe then that will take him down a few pegs from this mini pedestal I just created in my mind for him.
So he’s setting up his things, and I notice he kept looking over toward the left of the restaurant.
Then he’d smile and look away quickly.
I was sitting toward the left of the restaurant. I wonder who he’s checking out?! I thought.
I turn to look around behind me, assuming I’d find a whole crowd of girls with their boobs hanging out wearing a sparkly bra and cowgirl boots and calling it a “country outfit” as so many people do in Nashville. (If you haven’t ever been on Broadway, it’s basically a Victoria’s Secret runway show but with drunk girls in cowgirl boots who probably don’t even listen to country music that much but for that day- they do.)
So of course, I assume that COWBOY must be looking at a girl like that- because the bar is usually filled with them.
Anyway, I turn around to look and guess what, y’all…
THERE WAS NO ONE AROUND ME!!!
Then, he looked back again, smiled, and
MADE DIRECT EYE CONTACT!
My mind: THIS IS NOT A DRILL. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. COWBOY HAS INITIATED EYE CONTACT.
So I smiled back (I know, like calm down, Nadette!).
The eye contact back and forth went on for a little while, all the while I’m trying to do mental gymnastics in my mind of how this gorgeous man could possibly be looking my way. (For the record: I had a pretty green dress on. I was not dressed like a typical Broadway girl, so I assumed I would not be getting any sort of attention when the competition was bearing it all.)
Then…
COWBOY opened his mouth and started singing.
Y’all this man had the voice of an angel. Still (to this day) the best voice I’ve ever heard live. He had an older kind of country voice, not pop-y like today’s top chart songs, but deeper and more southern.
I got out my phone and texted my friends Veronica and Esme. Here’s some snippets:
Me: Girl I found a cowboy
Me (again): He’s playing music right now but omg so cute
Me (yet again): I want to marry this man. You should hear his voice.
Esme: OMGGGG Girl shoot your shot
So, here is the story about how I shot my shot with COWBOY and embarrassed myself in front of a whole crowded bar.
For those who haven’t been to Broadway in Nashville, let me just say this. There is INCREDIBLE talent there. You can hear amazing music at 10 am on a Wednesday. Most of the time, when the artists are performing, there is a big QR code behind them to send them a “tip” through a mobile payment app instead of putting cash in a bucket and then you can add a comment to request a song.
COWBOY announces he’s taking requests.
So your girl thinks this is the way she can get him to see her name.
Please keep in mind: the eye contact was still going strong at this point.
So what do I do? I log into my mobile pay app account and realize there’s no profile picture. How will COWBOY know it’s me?!
Obviously, I quickly added a profile picture I recently took so he’d know the person requesting the song is the one he’s been smiling and somewhat blushin’ at.
Let me tell you: YOUR GIRL NADETTE WAS SOOOOO CONFIDENT in this micro-flirting that I took a screenshot before I sent the tip and song request.
In my mind, I had to document this for a “how we met” story someday.
This means there is photographic evidence of what happened next.
I send the money on the mobile pay app. Take a sip of my drink (a sparkling water at the moment). Sit back in my seat confidently, thinking I totally just scored a COWBOY.
COWBOY looks at his phone while another singer he was sharing the stage with played a song and his cheeks flushed bright red and he looked over my way.
Veronica: Girl, you should shoot your shot and go scan that QR code.
Me: Oh, girl, I already did.
Veronica: *claps emojis
Me: Buckle up, Veronica. Nashville wedding someday if this goes well.
After the other singer finishes the song, he whispers something to her and then goes back to take a drink of water while tuning his guitar, peering at me from under his hat.
The other singer pulls the microphone close and says:
“Is there a Nadette here?”
To be continued…
Be sure to check out “Wanna Cuddle? And Other Modern Love Letters” available on August 17th, 2024 to find out what happens next with Nadette and COWBOY…
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