Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
“Thank you, ladies. This was fun.”
They offer to help me pack up, but I shake my head. “I’m good. Thank you, though. I’ll send you the finals in the next few days.”
As they walk away, talking and laughing, I sit down on the bench and pull out my phone. Miller has been texting me all day. I got a good morning text this morning, and he asked me if I liked coffee.
Just a few minutes later, I was being delivered a steaming cup of hazelnut coffee from Sugar Bakery down the street.
He’s asked me my favorite color, my favorite animal, and at least ten other questions. I refused to answer the animal question, afraid that he’d send me a dog or something, and that’s not something my lease allows.
I’m surprised when there’s no new text from him, but I try not to let it bother me. He said he’d be with his family tonight at the fundraiser.
I shouldn’t look, but I do anyway. I find the event’s social media page and start scrolling through the photos.
My chest tightens when I see it. A picture of Miller, his arm wrapped around a beautiful woman. She’s smiling up at him, and something inside me sinks.
Last night couldn’t have meant anything. He couldn’t kiss me like that and then show up with someone else on his arm.
Maybe it’s his sister. I search through the feed, looking for more pictures and find one of them dancing. The way she’s looking at him… That’s not his sister.
I let my head fall back. It was all a lie.
I screenshot the image, and before I can talk myself out of it, I send the picture to Miller with a text. “Lose my number.”
Am I overreacting? Probably. We went on one date, and I have no claims to him, but last night he made me feel as if I was special—and now he’s with another woman?
Instantly my phone rings, and when I see it’s Miller, I send it to voicemail.
My phone rings again, but I turn it to silent.
I shove my phone into my pocket and start packing up my gear. I’m walking to my car, and I can feel my phone vibrating in my pocket with incoming text messages. I’m not going to look. At least that’s what I tell myself. As I put everything into my truck, my phone vibrates again, and at the last second, I answer the incoming call. “Quit calling me. I’m not interested in what you have to say.”
He blurts out the words as if he’s afraid I’m going to hang up. “This isn’t a date. I’m helping my brother. He had two dates and—”
A laugh that almost sounds hysterical bursts out of me. “Two dates. Geez, nice. Look, I’m not interested, Miller. I know last night was a lie.”
“It wasn’t a lie. Everything I said to you was true.”
I laugh again. “And I probably would believe that if I didn’t see you dancing with another woman. Look.” I take a deep breath. “I’m done. This is not my thing. I’m not a jealous person, and I have no rights to—”
“Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it, Lindsey, because you have every right. I was with you last night, and even though nothing verbal was said, there were promises in that kiss.”
I look up into the starry sky. “No, it was just a kiss, Miller. A way to pass the time. Please don’t call me again.”
I hang up before he can talk me out of it.
My phone instantly starts to vibrate, and so I just shut it off.
I get into my car and drive toward home. Instead of going to my apartment, I walk further down the walkway and knock on my sister’s first-floor apartment. She opens the door, smiling, but when she sees my face, she looks worried. “What’s wrong?”
I tilt my head. How do I explain that my heart is broken after one date? It’s ridiculous. I sound ridiculous. But either way, it hurts all the same. “Can I come in?”
She pulls me into the apartment where Eli is sitting on the couch. As soon as he sees me, he jumps up and runs into my arms. I have to catch him, and when I do, I fall back into the chair. “Aunt Lindsey! You’re here.”
I laugh even though it’s the last thing I want to do. “Yes, Eli. I’m here. How did baseball practice go today?”
His eyes are so wide it’s obvious he’s excited. “My coach said I’m going to be the lead off hitter.”
I hold my hand up for him to high-five. “Way to go, buddy. That’s awesome.”
He’s smiling ear to ear, and seeing my nephew so happy lightens me up a little bit. “You have to make sure I get your game schedule. I’m going to be at all your games.”