AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The engaged guy was one of the stupidest men on the planet.
“No. I mean, I guess my ego took a little bruising, but it was more the idea of getting married. The dream seems to get further and further away the older I get. I assumed it would be the opposite.”
Austin understood that. As a kid he’d always assumed he’d have what his parents had. Definitely by the time he’d turned thirty. But now that he was a couple years beyond that, he couldn’t really ever see it happening. Not when he’d never felt for a woman what he’d have to if he were to remain committed to just one, forever.
“You’ll find someone,” Austin promised. Because even though he couldn’t see marriage in the cards for his future anymore, it had to be for Sofi. She deserved the doting husband, the adorable kids, and the picket fence. She wanted it so she’d get it. Austin would make sure of it.
“I’ll keep trying. I’m even letting Tía Rosa set me up.”
Austin felt his eyes go wide.
“My thoughts exactly,” Sofi said as if she were already regretting the decision.
“Sofi,” Rachael moaned.
“I’m being paged. But really, thanks again, Austin. I owe you.”
Austin shook his head. That was just silly. Sofi could never owe him. They just did stuff like this for one another.
He watched as she hurried back to the couch and helped Rachael get more comfortable. Sofi leaned over and Austin forced himself to look away before really getting a good look at Sofi’s backside like his eyes wanted to. Those silk shorts were just so tempting. But if any other man had tried the same in front of him, Austin would have knocked him out. Maybe he should knock himself out.
Austin walked out, closing the door behind him. He made it into his truck before texting Sofi,Lock the door behind me.
Sofi texted back immediately.Already done.
Austin sat in his truck for a minute, waiting as he watched the last of the lights go out, ensuring all was well.
As he began the drive back to his place he thought about how lonely it would be. His home was beautiful. Built out on the lake at the ranch. The perfect house for a family.
But Austin wouldn’t be having that. Not with the way he dated and couldn’t ever commit. Most of the time he was fine with his life’s choices. But tonight he longed for something different. He wasn’t sure why.
But tomorrow he’d be back to normal, knowing he’d chosen the right path for himself. Tomorrow all would be right.
Four
“I needto stop going into every date hoping he’ll betheone.” Sofi met Leia’s eyes in her mirror.
“Theone, the one? Or the one who’ll make you forget Austin?” Leia asked honestly.
“Pretty sure they’re one and the same,” Sofi answered as she blended her eyeshadow with a fluffy brush. She didn’t really need to. Her makeup had been done for fifteen minutes. But she didn’t want to sit on the couch as she waited for her date, so standing in the bathroom seemed like the better bet.
It was one minute until six. When the man Tía Rosa had chosen for her had told her he’d be there.
Sofi sighed. It was a sad day when even Sofi held hope that the guy Tía Rosa set her up with could be the one.
Sofi’s doorbell rang, causing her to jump. She usually wasn’t this nervous before a first date but for some reason she had a lot more riding on this than normal. Maybe it was attending Lake and Logan’s wedding or maybe it was spending the last two days cancelling every part of Rachael’s wedding, but Sofi had forever on the brain and she wanted to get started in that direction.
Leia left the bathroom to answer the door as Sofi gathered up her nerve and courage. Sofi began to imagine the guy on the other side of her front door. He was probably shorter than she was and slightly balding. Yes, she’d just conjured up the image of Tía Rosa’s husband, Tío Markus, but if Tía had chosen that man for herself, wouldn’t she come up with someone similar for Sofi?
And if he did look like Tío Markus, as much as Sofi loved the man, she wouldn’t have to worry about forever. There was no way she could spend forever with a man who looked like her uncle.
The thought made her giggle and settled some of her nerves.
She could do this. She’d done dozens if not hundreds of first dates over the years. She was an expert. This was just one more.
She set her eyeshadow brush down as Leia called her name.
Ready or not.
