Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“It’s happening right now. I’m trying to distract myself by planning some surprises for him when he gets home. I think he’d really like it if he had someplace comfortable to sit outside, but you’ve seen my backyard.”
“I’m sure they’d be thrilled to get the job. They’re trying to get their landscaping business off the ground, and your yard would be the perfect before-and-after to show off on social media.”
“I guess Collie’s going to be in the hospital about a week. Do you think they could do the yard that quickly?”
“Probably.” Yolanda paused for a moment before saying, “It’s really sweet that you care so much about Collie… but have you thought this through? I mean, you’re planning to take care of him after major surgery. It’s a lot. You’re turning your life upside down for this guy, Miller, and you’ve only known him a few days.”
“I know, but from the day I met him, I just… I needed to be around him. I don’t know how else to explain it. And really, my life needed to be turned upside down. It’s like I spent the last year sleepwalking. Every day was exactly like the one before it. It’s not like that anymore, because of Collie.”
“I can see that,” she said. “But who’s to say he’s not just going to pack up and disappear, the moment he’s well enough?”
“There’s always that chance. No matter what though, I want to help him, and I want to know he’s going to be okay. I have no idea what’s going to happen after he gets better, and maybe I don’t need to know. Maybe living in the moment with him is all I need.”
“I like this new, chill side of you, Miller. I was worried you were setting yourself up to get hurt, but it sounds like you have a good handle on this.”
“Believe me, getting hurt is not the goal here.” I’d had enough of that for one lifetime.
We chatted for a few more minutes, and after we ended the call, I closed my eyes and turned my face toward the cool breeze. Coming outside had been a good decision.
Or it was, until an all-too-familiar voice said, “Hi, Miller.”
I opened my eyes and frowned at my ex-fiancé. Two sightings in less than a week. Lucky me. “What are you doing here, Bruce?”
“One of my colleagues requested a consult. What about you?”
“Collie is having surgery.”
“Nothing serious, I hope.”
“Is there ever a time when surgery isn’t serious?”
“Well, it could be elective, or laparoscopic, or—”
“It’s open-heart surgery.”
“Oh.” He sat down at my table uninvited and fidgeted with his paper coffee cup. “Who’s the surgeon?”
“Bauer.”
“She’s excellent.”
“Good to know, I guess. But if you told me she sucked, what was I going to do? Run in there and wheel my husband out of the operating room?”
Bruce’s blue eyes went wide as he repeated, “Husband?” I’d dropped that bomb for the shock value, and I wasn’t disappointed. “Since when?”
“This past Sunday.”
“Oh. Well… congratulations, I guess.”
“You guess? That’s so heartfelt. Have you considered switching careers and writing Hallmark cards?”
“It just seems sudden.”
“You don’t know when we started dating.”
“No, but it has to be less than a year… right?”
I shot him a look. “Of course it was less than a year, but thanks for insinuating I was dating him while you and I were still together.”
He paused before saying, “You know, we never got to talk after our breakup. I really hoped we’d have a chance to clear the air, so maybe we can do that now.”
“I don’t think there’s anything left to say, unless you’ve thought of a few more things that are wrong with me and feel compelled to share.”
“I shouldn’t have said any of that. I guess I was trying to justify my decision to end the relationship, so I tried to find fault with you. I’m sorry, Miller.”
“What a perfect example of too little, too late.”
“I wasn’t wrong to end our relationship. Going through with that wedding wouldn’t have been fair to either of us.”
“You’re right. It’s good you ended it, but you didn’t have to go about it like that,” I said. “You didn’t have to wait until two days before the wedding, and you really didn’t need to add insult to injury.”
“I agree, and I regret the things I said. Instead of trying to make it your fault, I should have told you the truth.”
“Which was?”
“There was this guy…”
I muttered, “Fucking hell.”
“I didn’t cheat on you.”
“But you really, really wanted to?” He looked guilty, so I asked, “Who was he?”
“He was someone I worked with. He was always flirty and attentive, and I found myself thinking about taking him up on his not so subtly veiled offers. Like I said, I didn’t do it—not while you and I were together. But it made me think, if my head could be turned that easily, was I really ready to get married?”