Gaynor Evans has dropped two dress sizes
WORDS: TRACIE COUPER. PHOTOS: GETTY, COVER IMAGES. *NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED
After a relationship breaks down, it can be hard to imagine ever putting yourself back out there again. When my second marriage ended in June 2008 after two decades together, I was ready to give up on love for good.
By then I was in my mid 40s and was a mum to Lauren, then 27, Liz, 26, Rob, 25, and Jake*, 21. I had grandchildren too and, working as a recruitment director, I resigned myself to being single, and just focusing on my family. But it didn’t stop the loneliness creeping in, especially of an evening when I longed to have someone to snuggle up to. And of course, I missed the intimacy. After all, I was still young and wasn’t ready to give up on my sex life just yet. I still had a life to live and knew I couldn’t keep wallowing; I had to start enjoying myself.
So one evening, when Lauren and Liz suggested I join them for a night out at a local bar, I agreed. I slipped on a black dress and applied some lipstick and, after a few drinks, I started to loosen up. Looking around, I knew I was probably the oldest one there, but I found it quite refreshing to be in the company of so many young people.
Everyone was just looking to have a good time, and that’s exactly what I wanted, too. Later in the evening, a handsome man in his 20s approached me, and complimented me on my blue eyes. I was flattered that someone of his age would find me attractive. My confidence had taken a hit after my split, but compliments from this younger man seemed to give me the boost I needed.
Looking for love
After that night, I decided I was ready to throw myself back into the dating game so I signed up to a few dating sites. At first, I didn’t actively seek out younger men, but when I looked at the profiles of men my own age, I just didn’t fancy any of them. Perhaps it makes me a hypocrite, but I thought that they all seemed a bit old and boring. Plus, most men seemed to be looking for much younger women, so I thought, if men can do it, why couldn’t I? I adjusted the age I was looking for to between 25 and 40. I wasn’t searching for a husband; I just wanted to have fun and I made that clear on my profile.
The following month, I started talking to a man in his 20s, called Jason*. He was a barman, loved football and travel, and after spending a few weeks getting to know each other on dates, and chatting over the phone, I invited him over for drinks. I wasn’t being pr
