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Chapter Ten
Silver
I chugged my coffee, forgetting to put sugar and cream in it. I made a face as I set my mug down and reached for the sugar. “I can’t believe I let him sucker me into kissing him,” I said. I was having breakfast with Lexy and was in dire need of caffeine. I hadn’t slept a wink all night thanks to Liam and his drama last night.
Lexy took a sip of her coffee while she contemplated the advice she was about to dish out. “I warned you, didn’t I?”
Um, okay. That is not what I was expecting. I glared at her.
She smiled, the evil woman that she was. Obviously, she’d got her eight hours of sleep in just fine. “I know, I know. We are past that point now. I don’t get it. You like Liam. He likes you. Maybe there is even love between you two? Why not give it a try? You always seemed good together to me. I mean, before.”
“I can’t. I suck at relationships. I’m not the wife and motherly type of woman. I think Liam wants that sort of life. Not now, of course, but one day. And honestly, I can’t forgive him for lying to me about the Magnum account.”
“Silver, let it go. That is ancient history now. He told you why he didn’t want to tell you he was pitching to them, and it makes perfect sense to me. Now as far as being wifey and mommy, I can’t help you there. There are some things that you just have to figure out yourself. But I wouldn’t write off family so fast. You never know...”
Lexy wisely stopped talking and took a deep sip of her coffee as I shot her an icy look.
“I’m not maternal. I wouldn’t even know how to be. I never had a mother growing up.”
“I know, Silver. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be one. It doesn’t mean you can’t want a family. Your life is yours to create, however you want it to be. You need to leave your history behind. You’ve got one life to live, as far as I know. Better make it the best, most fulfilling, wild ride you can dream of while you are here. Playing it safe will never give that to you.”
I knew in my heart she was right. But it was always easier to give advice than to take it. “And how are things with your mystery man? Have you probed further to find out who he is?”
“He’s still a mystery,” she said. “I’m almost afraid to open that Pandora’s box up.”
I grunted. “Can’t take your own advice, huh?”
She shrugged. “You aren’t the only one who’s got baggage. On one hand, I want the fairy tale, on the other hand, I’m not sure I believe I’ll ever find my happily ever after. You know?”
I began to cut my pancakes as I pondered her question. At least Lexy believed in the fairy tale. I don’t think I’d ever even read one. Would I ever find my happily ever after? Was Liam my happily ever after or my happily never after? I really hated the turmoil he created in me. I wasn’t accustomed to this conflict that constantly plagued my thoughts.
I’d always been a go-getter. My stern grandmother had taught me a good work ethic. The thing is, she’d never taught me about love. And my dad, being a no show in my life, well, he taught me maybe love was a fleeting thing. Or didn’t exist at all.
I looked at my friend. She was a knockout with a sweet disposition and a kind heart. Finding a man to date was never her problem. Finding the right one? Well, wasn’t that every woman’s issue?
“You will find your happily ever after, Lexy. Don’t lose faith. Maybe this mystery man is the one. Don’t be afraid to open Pandora’s box. Good things came out of it too.”
“Yeah, along with a whole lot of chaos.”
I smiled. “What would life be like without a little chaos? Pretty damn boring.”
“Um, where is my friend Silver and what have you done with her?”
I laughed. “I guess all these crazy weddings are getting to me.”
The waitress stopped by our table and dropped off a few fancy looking drinks. I looked at Lexy, puzzled. “What’s this?”
“Mimosas,” she said with a sly grin. “You looked like you needed one.” She raised her glass up. I took the cue and raised mine. “To happily ever afters,” she said. “And finding true love.”
“Here, here,” I said. “To true love.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised when Liam’s beautiful face flashed in my mind as soon as the words were out of my mouth. That man was going to be the end of me.
Or maybe my happily ever after. Hey, a girl could dream.
~
Despite my advice to Lexy, I had barely agreed to meet Liam for dinner. He’d cunningly enticed me with his promise of air quotes, ‘big, fantastic news’ about the Magnum account. I guess he’d got to work after I left him in the dust at the last wedding. Maybe he’d even got back together with the red-headed femme fatale.
