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But when the server took their plates and their orders for postdinner lattes and dessert, Mia leveled Claire with a look.
“Okay. Spill.”
Claire made a completely pathetic, half-assed attempt to deflect. “About what?”
“The last time we talked, you and Graham had admitted to being in love, had a huge fight, and you started talking to the hot dentist. Then you basically dropped off the face of the earth and started avoiding me.”
“Because I knew you’d ask me how I was. Like, how Ireallywas.”
“Yeah, I’ve been known to do that.” Mia twirled long, dark hair around her finger. “So tell me how you are.Really.”
“I don’t know!”
Mia just looked at her across the table with the patience of a saint.
“I mean it. I really don’t.” Claire twisted her palm against her forehead. “That’s the problem. Some days I feel great. Positive, happy, and super stoked about how things are going with Matt. Other days I sort of fall into this valley where I think about Graham and wonder if I made a mistake. Rinse and repeat. Is this gonna go on forever?”
Mia, ever the reasonable one, suggested they break it down. “Let’s start with Matt. Tell me how that’s going. You seemed excited about him several weeks ago, so I guess it’s a good sign you’re still talking. Do you like him? Do you look forward to seeing him? How do you feel when you’re with him?”
“Yes, yes, and happy.”
“That’s great, Claire,” Mia said, genuinely smiling. “What do you like most about him?”
“He’s the whole package. Seriously. I don’t even care that he’s divorced—they grew up in super religious households and got married really young before they really knew who they were or what they wanted out of life. It sounds as if ending it was a mutual decision that benefited both of them.” Claire balanced her elbows on the table. “He’s so nice. Thoughtful. Funny, but in an unassuming way...like he doesn’t mean to be. Super smart. It’s nice he’s in the medical field, because he understands some of the stuff I deal with at work. It sounds so cliché but the only fault I can find in him is he almost seems too perfect. I keep wondering when he’s gonna realize I’m the kind of girl who speaks before thinking and shows every emotion on her face, even when it’s inappropriate.”
“You don’t think he knows that already?”
Claire shrugged. “I’ve been myself around him. It’s just...nice guys like him usually don’t stick around for long. But he seems pretty damn interested. It feels too good to be true, you know?”
“No. You’re a great catch, and the things you seem to think are faults are my favorite things about you.”
Claire smiled. “Thanks, friend.”
“Some of those nice guys want a woman like you, you know.”
“Maybe.”
“Can I ask a personal question?”
“No, we haven’t slept together yet.”
Mia laughed. “How’d you know that’s what I was gonna ask?”
“You blushed.” Claire shook her head. “Which is hilarious, knowing how you and Noah are. You’re no innocent.”
Mia’s flush deepened. “We’re talking about you, not me. And I think that’s great that you haven’t. I was just curious.”
Matt was definitely interested in taking their relationship there, but so far Claire had held off. While she wasn’t super conservative about it, sex was something that meant something to her. The arrangement with Graham had been completely out of character, but even if it had been based on a weird spur-of-the-moment understanding, he was still a man she’d known for years, liked (most of the time), and trusted. The chemistry between them, once tapped, had been off the charts.
Maybe some unconscious part of her had known all along it would be like that. She’d be lying if she said she was all that surprised about how good it had been.
It didn’t feel right to sleep with Matt when she was still unsure where her heart stood with Graham, even if the rational part of her had moved on and was impatiently waiting for the rest of her to catch up.
Sweet guy that he was, he didn’t seem to mind waiting for her.
“Have you talked to Graham?” Mia asked.
“Not once.”
