“It’s not wrong, because you signed up for this life. But the truth is, it’s only going to get worse. When you become managing partner, you’re going to have to account for yourself, pluseveryoneunder you. That’s a lot of people. And it’sa lotof pressure and a lot of responsibility that the average person wouldn’t come close to being able to handle. I have no doubt in my mind thatyoucan do it, because you’re the toughest, hardest-working, take-no-prisoners, kick-ass woman I have ever met in my entire life. The question is, are you going to be happy? Because that’s what it comes down to. Will you be happy?”
“Now, you sound like Nick.”
She smiled. “See that? Nick’s on your mind again.”
“I’m serious. He says I’m a workaholic.”
“You are.”
“He also said I get to choose exactly how I want to live my life and if that’s my preference, if that’s what makes me happy, more power to me.”
“He’s right again. The question is, will you be happy?”
I shrugged.
“Well, only you can answer that. And you need to be honest with yourself. Now, back to the most important topic at hand, the speed dating event.”
“Yeah, that.”
“You can skip the speed dating—”
“Make up your mind!”
“You didn’t let me finish. You can skip the speed datingifyou have a thing for Nick. It’s nothing to be ashamed about. You keep telling me he’s not your type, but I see something happening between you. Something changed. It’s in your physiology when you talk about him. And the bottom line is, you can’t choose love. Love chooses you.”
I laughed. “Love? Seriously? Give me a break. Like it’s that easy and I’m just going to find love in my own backyard.”
“Sometimesit isthat easy.”
“I think you’re confused. Just because I may think a man is attractive, or because I enjoyed a few laughs with him at the sushi restaurant does not mean it isanywhereclose to love.”
“Youlaughedwith a man?” She sat back in her chair. “You didn’t tell me this. That’s amazing. It’s unprecedented.”
“I’ll give you that much and it could’ve been a fluke. It doesn’tmeananything. And to prove it. I’m going to the speed dating event.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Dee stared at me again, but I forced a smile right back, letting her know I was making the right decision and would prove to her that I wasn’t interested in Nick.
But if I were being completely honest, I needed to prove it to myself first.
Chapter Eighteen
RUTH
After visiting Byron at Caltonic and confirming that everything was a done deal, I called Gary to update him, and then I walked into the Mexican restaurant where the speed dating event was being held. I had no idea what to expect. I was surprised that women were already seated in their places, ready to go, while the majority of the men were hanging out in the bar.
I had the sudden urge to eat chips and guacamole but decided against for fear of having something stuck in my teeth during the dates and not finding out until I got home.
Luckily, the women stayed seated in the same place while the men would rotate around the room to each of the tables when the buzzer or whatever they used sounded to signify the date was over. Dee told me that each date lasted only three minutes.
I checked in and the host gave me my name tag that said RETH.
Seriously?
I mentioned the mistake and she let me know that the name tags were pre-printed since the event was sold-out, but that they would try to get me another one.
