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“Just debating whether to call her tonight or tomorrow. I don’t want to seem desperate, but I cannot wait to take her out.”
I clenched my jaw muscles, trying not to blurt that I’d gotten her number too. First.
“That’s great,” I said, not meaning a word of it.
“Lana said to say that it was nice meeting you,” Todd said, sipping his punch.
“That all she said?”
He looked up, like he was trying hard to remember.
“Oh yeah. She said it would be nice to meet your wife next time.” He waved his hand playfully. “Something like that,” he said with a snort. Then he smoothed his tie down with his hand. “She’s really something, huh?”
“Yeah. Seems to be,” I grumbled, taking a drink. “You didn’t tell her I was in the middle of a divorce?”
“Nah, didn’t feel like it was my place or story to tell. And Grandpa was there. You didn’t tell him yet, right?”
I sighed and nodded. That would have to be a conversation for another visit.
“What did the nurse want to talk to you about earlier?” Todd looked at our grandpa. “Anything wrong?”
“Getting a little more forgetful, that’s all. You should come see him more often. Before things get worse.” I started picking up empty cups and plates from the tables to distract myself.
Todd joined me. “Yeah, I will. So do you think I should take Lana to dinner and a movie, or come up with a more unique first date? The zoo. Or a picnic in the park. Maybe paintball.”
He was talking to himself more at the end than me, and I was fucking glad he didn’t expect an answer.
The last thing I wanted to do was give him advice on how to impress Lana. Not when I was still kicking myself for missing out on my chance.
LANA
THREE MONTHS LATER
Todd and Ipulled into the parking lot of the senior home, and I noticed Dylan’s car was there. “I didn’t know Dylan was coming today.”
“Didn’t I mention that?” Todd said. “It was his idea, actually.”
We were going to take our grandfathers to the park to have lunch and sit outside in the fresh air for a while.
In the three months since Dave’s birthday, his memory problems had gotten slowly but steadily worse. My grandpa’s memory was fine, but Dave’s slowly declining health was hard for him too. We thought the outing would do them both some good.
Todd had called before I’d even made it home from his grandfather’s party. We’d been seeing each other ever since.
Love had never been easy for me.
After a string of cheaters, liars, and men with anger issues, I had sworn off dating for a while.
I tried not to let that make me think there was something wrong with men in general, though.
Or with me.
I thought I was just unlucky in love.
Maybe I was cursed at some point and doomed to a string of failed relationships.
So when I found out Dylan was married, I wasn’t surprised. But after meeting Todd, I felt like my luck was turning around.
I just hoped the lying and cheating gene didn’t run in the family.
