Page 8 of Giveaway

He turned to me and deftly changed the topic. "So, how exactly did you win the giveaway? I’d love to know your prize-winning story."

We had walked out into an impressively large pool area, which had to be at least a few times bigger than an Olympic pool. I could hear the waves on the beach crashing louder now, too, and the air carried a warm, salty spritz that relaxed me...even if the pending answer to Leo’s question didn’t.

I turned to Leo. "You—you don’t know?"

"No, I hired a PR and marketing firm in Boston to help with the rebranding of this place following the renovation. All I got told was that the giveaway had been a success and that a very well-deserved winner had been chosen from a weirdly named town in southern California."

A giggle escaped me. I guess Cowbell Creek did have a funny ring to it. I was born and bred there, so I didn’t notice it anymore.

"What can I say?" I dipped my head a little sheepishly. "My love life is so bad that it’s now officially award-winning."

Leo’s previously happy demeanor faltered, his forehead wrinkling in concern. "The contest was called Happily Ever After for a reason, Mitchell. The purpose wasn’t to make anyone feel bad. It was to give the winner a chance, some hope, that despite having gone through a bad dating experience, things do get better."

I snorted. "Ha."

He’d said experience.

As in one.

As in singular.

"I didn’t win with one story, Leo." I blew out a heavy breath as I recalled the stories Jed had recounted to the announcer when he had called into the station on my behalf. "I won because I had three horrific dating stories. I think the judges were overwhelmed and felt so bad for me, I won based on pity alone."

The lines on Leo’s forehead deepened. "Let’s take a seat." He pointed to a couple of empty deck chairs.

As we sat, I started telling him about my tragic—yet, now, award-winning—love life.

"First, there was Valentine."

"Valentine? That was his name?" Leo clarified.

I gave a nod. "Yep, his parents were Italian or something. We met on an app at the start of the year. He lived a few towns over. Things were going well, or so I thought. Until Valentine’s Day."

"What happened on Valentine’s Day?"

"Good question. I still don’t know. We had dinner reservations, but...he never showed up."

Leo leaned in closer, his eyes sharp. "He stood you up?"

I nodded. "And ghosted me. I’ve never heard from him again."

"I’m sorry to hear that, Mitchell. What a terrible thing to happen on what’s meant to be the most romantic day of the year."

"I know, getting stood up and ghosted by a guy called Valentine on Valentine’s Day. It could only happen to me. But, Leo, we’re only getting started. Next up was Gavin. He worked in insurance, looked after his sick mom, and was an all-round decent guy."

"Let me guess. He wasn’t?"

"Bingo," I confirmed with a half-smile. "Turns out working in insurance was code for selling drugs and looking after his sick mom was double speak for fucking guys for money. Which, no judgment about that, just lots of fucking judgment for not telling me about it."

"Fair enough." Leo let out a pained sigh. "I’m almost afraid to ask, but you mentioned you had three stories?"

I tipped my head. This last one, this one hurt the most. "I—I did something so stupid, Leo. I don’t think I can bring myself to tell you."

I felt his strong hand landing on my shoulder. "You absolutely do not have to tell me anything, Mitchell. The last thing I want to do is to make you feel uncomfortable."

A shaky breath rushed out of me. "Thank you for understanding."

I hadn’t meant to be such a downer, but there was no way I could share my third story with him.

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