Page 81 of Miss Fortune

“Yeah. Dimples. And he does charity stuff for animals.”

“You’re going to have to help me out here, Kelsey. What’s the problem aside from him being attractive?”

“The problem is me. I become a bumbling idiot whenever he asks me a question. His voice makes my body do things, like he’s the Pied Piper of pussy or something.”

I threw my head back with laughter, wiping my tears at the image. Luckily, she joined in with her own giggles.

“Okay, I will never get that picture out of my mind. But I can’t believe you could ever be an idiot. You’re very good at what you do.” Chance had bragged on his sister and her capability as an incredible forensic accountant.

“I’m better at it if he isn’t there. Anyhow, I need to get a handle on how to speak to him. Sorry if I’m acting as if this is a real problem.”

“All problems are real problems to the people having them. And if this one is best served with Thai food and wine, then let’s do it.”

She grinned. “You’re the best.”

We ordered the food and sat on my sofa, both of us enjoying the spicy noodles.

“Tory, Chance, and Penny are in Spain?”

“Yeah, for two weeks. Penny was so excited to get her first stamp in her passport. Tory too.”

Chance was opening up a club there, and I loved how he didn’t want to spend time away from his loved ones, so he’d brought them along.

“You mentioned your parents visited. How was it?”

“Better than I thought it would be. I’m glad they got a chance to see where I live.”

“Did they meet Caleb?”

I related the story of the brunch and my parents hanging at his house and capped off my tale with how I’d then met Caleb’s family the past weekend.

“Wow, that’s a serious relationship move.”

“Yes, well, with one step forward we went ten steps back.” My phone dinged with an incoming message. “Speak of the devil.”

I opened the text to see, “I have to head out of town tomorrow. Will be in touch next week.”

I was sure the out-of-office message on his email was warmer than this text. So much for always having our Saturdays together.

“What is it?”

“I think it’s the end of dating Caleb.” I showed her the text. “Not sure how to respond.”

“Maybe don’t.”

“Then he’ll assume I’m upset.”

“You are upset.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I know, but I shouldn’t be. This was never a long-term relationship and it’s clear my impromptu overnight on a Sunday did something to him. Even though the entire thing was his idea.”

I typed, then erased, then typed again. Finally I quickly tapped in, “Safe travels.” And put my phone down.

I refused to spend a perfectly good girls’ night crying over a man.

“So let’s talk more about Mr. Dimples.”

Chapter Thirty-Five