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I open my mouth to use the very reason she just gave me but close it. Then decide on the truth. “I didn’t want to go home yet.”
Her lips thin. I sigh, again. Knowing what’s coming.
“Let me match you, dear.” Her tone is patient.
“I wanted to find love on my own, Ruth.”
“I know, but I’ve already found you the perfect match. Let me set it up.”
It’s not that I don’t believe Ruth has indeed found me what she thinks is my perfect match, it’s that I had wanted to find him myself. And a part of me thought it was Theo.
“Fine,” I mumble.
She straightens. “Really?”
“Yes. Do it. Work your magic, Ruth.” I slouch into the couch.
“Oh, darling, I already have.”
Giving her the side-eye, I don’t even question what she means.
“How does your Wednesday look?” she asks.
“Um, I’m going to have to check, but I think it’s a light day.” It’s nearly midnight, and she wants to book this setup now.
“Perfect, let me know in the morning if you’ll be free for dinner.” She looks like a woman who just won the grand prize onThe Price Is Right.
“Sure.” I huff.
She chuckles. “You made this easier than I expected. Where’s all your fight these days?”
I’m heartbroken. It’s hard to fight when you’re sad.But I go with, “I guess you’ve worn me down.”
She tsks like she knows that’s not the full truth. “Chin up, dear, your sunny days will return.”
“If you say so.”
“Night, love.” She blows a kiss and in a blink the woman is gone.
Staring at the door where Ruth just left through, I fight back tears. Seeing Theo tonight was so hard. He looked so handsome and I wanted to kiss him. The smile he wore as he walked Nora down the aisle nearly brought me to tears. I normally focus on the way the groom and bride watch each other as they meet at the altar. It’s one of my favorite parts of the wedding. But tonight I couldn’t keep my eyes off the man who stole my heart and I fear will always hold a piece of it in his grumpy, but sexy hands. On several occasions, I thought he might have tried to talk to me, but I stayed busy all night. The wedding went off without a hitch. There wasn’t much for me to do, but I found things to do just to keep myself from approaching him.
He cut ties after the fallout. I learned shortly after when his assistant sent me an email requesting I contact her with payment requests going forward. It hurt, but I didn’t expect anything less from the man.
The whole situation was so messed up. I spent the first week so mad at my mother and Theo both, that I was a bear to nearly everyone I came into contact with. Layla came over and told me to pull myself together. That I could be angry and sad, but I could not be the storm cloud that was following me around. It was the kick in the ass I needed.
After that, I worked my way through with smiles. Fake it till you make it, yeah?
The days started to blend together, though, and when my mother finally called, we had a nice long chat. I told her that what she did was unacceptable. That her version of my failed engagement was not the correct version. She seemed remorseful and then unexpectantly apologized. I haven’t fully forgiven her, but we are working on our relationship and it started a couple of weeks ago when she attended church with me. I think it will be good for both of us.
With a huff, I decide that crawling into a warm, cozy bed is my best option, so I stand from the couch. I turn off all my lights and leave the office. Before long, I’m home and changing into PJs and wondering more about Theo and how he handled the breakup. He’s probably a little more grumpy than normal, if only because he went against his no relationship rule for me and then got burned. Even though I didn’t burn him, I just didn’t tell him everything about my past. I would have. I honestly didn’t think it was important now.
Flipping the light switch, I get into bed with a sigh.
A restless sleep takes over, but when I wake in the morning, I decide it’s time to move on.
Driving into work, I commit to trying my best to only think about Theo no more than six times and I’ll attempt to get excited about my impending date with the man Ruth claims to be my soul mate. A term she uses when confirming I’d be meeting him Wednesday for dinner as I stop by her office on the way to my own.
Two hours later, when I’m in line for a mid-morning pick-me-up at Sweet Wave, Layla taps me on the shoulder and stands next to me.
