Hey, I had this idea and had to use it. Tell me what you think. If you don't like the idea I won't bother writing anymore.

The other characters come in later.

So in the UK we call soccer football, so if I say football by accident I really mean soccer.

Criteria

"Dad, you really should date," Louise said. She was sprawled out on the sofa, mud on her knees.

"Lou, come on," I objected.

"It's not like you're out of it. You're only 30, that's young,"

"My 8 year old is talking to me about dating," I muttered.

"Mom dates,"

"What your Mom does has nothing to do with it,"

"Come on, you've been divorced like 2 years." I rolled my eyes. "I used to find the idea that you'd ever like someone other than Mom kinda scary. I didn't want you to date; I guess I hoped you'd get back with Mom. But now I'm fine, so do whatever you like." Was it normal for 8 year olds to be able to speak like this? To say this stuff? To even think this stuff?

"Great, now I have your permission, I think I'll join a dating agency right now," She rolled her eyes at me. According to Seth she had perfected it; she could convey everything with a look.

"Don't be so sarcastic, Seth's being a bad influence," It still amazed me how mature she was. Kirsten said it would probably be to do with the fact that she had divorced parents. When she came over, she seemed to look after me, rather than the other way round. She was only 8 for Christ's sake.

"Ok." I gave in. At least it would be a bit of fun, a way to fill up the holidays. I had her all summer, Hannah was going away to travel around Europe with her latest boyfriend. I guess I never dated because I wanted to be the stable one, I didn't want to introduce someone the Louise, her to bond, then break up. I didn't want to be like my ex-wife. Louise liked a few of the guys, some of them sounded really decent, but something always mucked up. Then there were the idiots. The one's that Louise hated. These always seemed to be the one's Hannah stuck with longest, but they still ended up being thrown on the trash heap. The current guy was the latter type. Louise thoroughly hated him. She had already written a list of things that could possibly go wrong whilst they were away. Her biggest hope was that he'd get lost somewhere and Hannah would come back...alone.

"Ok what?" Louise looked confused.

"Ok, I'll date. You can choose some people; we can go on the date together. To make sure you approve of them before it gets serious," It was only going to be a bit of fun. I knew it was unlikely I'd call back any dates that I met. If Louise was there it was unlikely they'd want me to call them back. It seemed being a divorced father was not that cute. Louise was also quite an acquired taste. I loved her, not because I had to, but also because of who she was. Some people found her overbearing and a little too mature for an 8 year old. They expected a little girl who wore dresses and played piano. They got a little monster who wore shorts and t-shirts, played soccer, thought boys were gross and thought kissing was even grosser. But I loved my little monster. So much. "What else have we got to do for 8 weeks?" A smile illuminated her face.

"You're joking?" I shook my head. She jumped on me, hugging me. "You're the best Dad in the world,"

"Thanks, you're the best munchkin in the world," The moment didn't last long before she quickly stood up.

"Let's go! Everyone will be on the beach!" She said pulling my hand up.

"Shower first!" I laughed, looking down at her muddy knees. She'd scored a hat trick in her soccer game.

"Okies," She said running off upstairs. I laughed to myself. I tidied around, putting away her soccer boots and shin pads. Hannah was a bit pissed off that she didn't get a girly girl; I got pissed at her for saying that. I told her she should love Louise for who she was, not try to change her. Our parenting views had always been a little different. I would encourage Louise at whatever she wanted to do, but Hannah always tried to make her do stuff that she wanted her daughter to be good at, like ballet, piano, gym and so on.

Soon Louise came running back down the stairs dressed in denim shorts and a Manchester United t-shirt, her hair still wet.

"I'm ready, let's go," She said grabbing my arm.

"Let me get some shoes on," I laughed. "Why are you so excited anyway? You hate dating and kissing," I asked as I put my shoes on.

"This is different! I get to choose a girl for you. Which is just FUN!" I laughed again. As soon as had the car keys in my hand she was pulling me out of the door. On the drive I decided to have some fun.

"So, does this mean I get to choose you a boyfriend when you're old enough?"

"YAK! I don't EVER want a boyfriend. They're just...UGH!" I laughed at her. "Don't laugh." I couldn't stop. "OI IT'S NOT FUNNY!"

"Ok, ok," I said holding back my laughter. I parked up and got out. "You want an ice cream?"

"They have calcium in...right?"

"Yes," I say, confused by her question. "Why do you wanna know that?"

"I want to win more headers, which means I have to be taller, and coach said if I wanted to be taller I had to eat lots of things with calcium in,"

"Why do you wanna be taller? You're the tallest on the team,"

"Yeeeaaaah...but there are people on other teams taller,"

"Ok," I say, trying not to laugh again. We walked over to the ice cream stall. "Flavour?" I ask her.

"Vanilla," She replies straight away.

"One vanilla and one...strawberry, please," I said, handing the money over the man. He gave us the ice cream and we began walking along the beach.

"So, time to play spot the date," I say.

"Ok..." Louise stoped, leant against the railings, looking out onto the beach where people laid sunbathing. "You pick first,"

"Ok..." I looked around. I noticed one particularly hot girl. "Her," I pointed her out.

"Nah," Louise didn't even need think about it. "She's too pretty. She's probably really full of herself. And she'll wear lots of makeup and she would never play sports with me,"

"Your Mom wears makeup and doesn't play sport,"

"But she's my Mom, that's different."

"Ok...I'll pick again," I look around again and point out someone else.

"Too pretty," Louise replies again.

"Lou, I live in Newport, everyone here is pretty and anyways, you can't just say no because they're pretty. That's stereotyping,"

"I know, but still,"

"I tell you what, let's sort out some criteria, it might save us a lot of time."

"Okies." Louise pondered for a while. "Can we go home for today? I want to make a list of things they need to have," She liked making lists did my girl.

"Sure, sure," We began walking back to the car. We were nearly home when she first spoke.

"Daddy,"

"Yeah Honey?"

"We'll have to talk to them, before you ask them on a date. Because otherwise we don't know anything about them,"

"I guess that's right," I said pulling into the driveway.

"It is right." She said assertively, as she stepped out of the car. She ran up to the door, then realising I had the key to unlock it, ran back down to me. "Come on slowcoach!"

"Slowcoach? I'll race ya!"

"Ok!"

"3, 2..." She started. "OI!" She turned her head back.

"You never said which number to go on!" She laughed. I ran at her, hauling her up over my shoulder. "OI PUT ME DOWN!" She shouted, hitting my back with her fists. I threw her onto the sofa and started tickling her. "STOP IT! STOP IT!" She said through the tears that had been brought on by laughing too much. "I'VE GOT TO MAKE THE LIST! STOP IT!" I backed away.

"What you want for dinner?" Ryan asked as he stood up.

"114," She answered. She'd always give me the page number in a recipe book. She had memorised which page her favourite dishes were on. I had bought the cookery book when she was born, hoping to cook more than just grilled cheese for her. I knew Hannah would never be able to cook, even if she had wanted to, so the duty was left to me.

"Ok," I headed off into the kitchen.

I was plating up the food when she came in.

"I've got the list!" She said triumphantly as she sat down. I joined her and began to eat.

"Read it out," I said in between mouthfuls.

"One, they must be pretty,"

"But you said I couldn't choose that girl on the beach because she was..."

"Sssh and listen. They must be pretty. Two, they must have a sense of humor. Three, they have to be able to cook. Four, they have to like me. Five, they can't be a gold digger. Six, they have to play sports. Seven, they have to be nice. Is seven enough?"

"I think you've narrowed that down to...nobody. Munchkin, that's quite a perfect girl you've got imagined,"

"I can compromise on some," I laughed.

"Good, otherwise I'll never get a date,"

"Tomorrow we got hunting," I was rather worried that she called it hunting but nevertheless I nodded and she smiled.