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“No, I won’t.” Theo places his drink on the counter and leans forward, listening intently. “Where would you go?”
“I’ve always wanted to go to Greece.”
Theo’s smile is radiant, and he shifts in his seat. “Well, I happen to know a guy who goes to Greece once a year, despite the fact he’s heavily medicated on the flight there and back due to his fear of flying. I suppose he would agree to be your tour guide. For a price.”
What a wicked smile.
“Let me guess. This so-called tour guide’s payment would most likely be in the form of tacos?”
“How did you know?” He laughs and I can’t help but giggle with him.
“I guess I still owe you tacos from the other day.”
“You absolutely do,” he nods toward my bag. “Should you pull out that handy dandy planner of yours and pencil me in?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Well, not with that kind of attitude.” I smirk.
He finishes the last bit of his beer. “Who was he?”
“Who?”
“The guy who broke your heart.”
Hellfire. Do I have a sign hanging around my neck or something?
Theo must sense my reluctance in answering that extremely personal question and says, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to -”
“His name is Derek, and he is a pilot.” I spit it out and it feels like ripping a band-aid off a wound. “We met flying to D.C. He asked me out and we dated for almost a year. As our first anniversary approached, he took me to a really fancy restaurant.The Seattle Royale. Do you own that one?”
His voice is raspy when he says, “No.” It seems like he feels sorry for me. “What happened?”
I suck in a breath. I don’t like talking about this. In fact, I haven’t even told Eve and Tommy everything that happened that night. Too embarrassing.
“I thought he was going to propose.” I click my tongue. “But he broke up with me instead. Said he’d met someone else and then he left.”
Theo rubs his hands up and down his thighs. “Do you still work with him?”
I nod. “Sometimes. Not that often anymore. But I see her several times a month.”
“Is she a…?”
“Flight attendant? Yes.” I tilt my water bottle side to side watching the liquid inside splash around like waves crashing against a cliff. “She was a new hire. Fresh in from training. Blonde. Petite. Bubbly.” I shrug, not daring to look across the counter at him. “It is what it is.”
“How long have you two been separated?”
“He broke up with me four months ago.”
“Do you still love him?”
My eyes flash up and meet his gaze. Those dreamy green eyes look stormy grey now. Pity. I don’t like being pitied.
“If you’re asking if he came to my door asking me to be with him again, would I?” I shake my head. “No. But the pain of rejection is still there. Some days are better than others.”
“And you haven’t gone on a date since then?”
What a curious question to ask. And it seems pathetic that I haven’t been on a date since Derek. Not even a rebound, get back on my feet,Stella, get your groove back, date.
I scratch the back of my head. “Uh no. Well, until now of course. Not that this is a date. I just mean, being your fake girlfriend should count as something, right?”
