Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 164828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
I’m doing a little better—feeling proud of myself for staying strong.
I got a promotion at work and am settling in more. I’ve met three really nice girls, and we have started hanging out and doing things. I even got asked on a date this week by a security guard at my building. I mean, I’m not going or anything, but it gives me hope, you know?
Maybe there is life after Nathan Mercer.
Surely a lesson that hurt that bad has to teach me something, and what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, right?
I smile sadly as I sip my wine. I thought it was going to kill me for a while there.
I had an ache in my chest that just wouldn’t go away. It’s funny you know, I always thought that my grand love story was going to have a happy ending. Never once did I think that, once I fell in love with my soul mate, it wouldn’t work out.
I know that eventually I’ll meet someone else, but I can’t imagine ever loving someone as much as I loved Nathan. It’s like I’m grieving a death.
But it’s the death of who I thought I was—of who I thought my best friend was.
A death of all my hopes and dreams.
My phone dances on the table, and the name Henry lights up the screen. I smile and get up from the table.
Henry Morgan has surprised me. He’s kept in contact, and we’ve become friends. He’s called weekly to check in on me. He’s uncomplicated, refreshingly open, and I do enjoy talking to him.
“What do you want?” I answer with a smirk as I walk out onto the deck.
“Merry Christmas, old bag.”
I giggle. “Let me guess: you’re home alone, desperate and dateless.”
He chuckles. “Why else would I be calling you?”
“I thought as much.” I smile. “Merry Christmas, Henry.”
“Was Santa good to you?”
“Ha.” I laugh. “The old bastard forgot where I lived.”
“Yeah, me, too. I was hoping to wake up to a sack of hot Christmas fairies under my tree. The ones with two vaginas.”
I laugh out loud. “I haven’t heard of those kind of fairies.”
“Yes, only the very good get them.”
“Ah, that explains a lot. What are you doing today?” I ask.
“With the fam. You?”
“Same, I go back to New York on Wednesday.”
“I have some time off. Can I come and visit?” he offers.
I scrunch my eyes shut. He’s asked me this before, and I don’t want to go there with him. I know what’s going to happen if he comes to visit me. Our conversations skate along the edge of flirting often.
“Not yet,” I reply. “I’m not ready for visitors yet. You’ll have to stick to your Christmas fairies for a while.”
He chuckles. “Okay, your loss. You can’t really compete with doubled-pussy fairies, anyway.”
I laugh. “Undoubtedly.”
“Eliza!” my mother calls. “Dessert.”
“I’ve got to go.”
“Okay, I’ll call you next week.”
I smile. “Bye, Henry. Merry Christmas.”
“Bye, Lize. Have a great day.”
Nathan
January
“Hi, there,” the sexy voice behind me rasps. “Where have you been?”
I turn, surprised. “Stephanie, hi.” I force a smile.
“Have you been avoiding me?” she purrs.
I chuckle. “I couldn’t even if I tried.”
“This is true.” Her sultry eyes hold mine, and I know she has something on her mind. Stephanie always has something on her mind. And, yes, I have been avoiding her like the plague.
“What are you doing tonight?” She goes up onto her toes as if distracted. “Do you want to get a drink?”
“Ah.” I raise my eyebrow in frustration. “I thought we already established this.” I exhale heavily. I need to just come out and say it…again. “That’s not a good idea, Steph.”
“Why not?”
“I told you already. I’m not into you that way.”
“She’s not coming back, Nathan.” She snaps.
“I know.”
“So, let me get this straight. You won’t sleep with me because you don’t want to upset her.” She puts her hand on her hip in a huff. “But you’re not even together anymore. Isn’t that slightly ridiculous?”
My temper bubbles close to the surface. “Listen, not that it’s any of your business,” I whisper angrily. “It’s true, Eliza will never know if I slept with you. But I’ll know. Since you are a trigger for her, I’m not fucking going there.” I glare at her. “I have told you this, time and time again. I am not having this conversation with you anymore.” I become exasperated. Her constantly trying to get into my pants is really beginning to piss me off. “Get it through your head. Do you fucking understand?”
“You owe her nothing. I can please you in ways she never could.”
“Goodbye, Stephanie.” I turn away from her. “Keep this up and I don’t even want to talk to you anymore as a friend. It’s getting ridiculous.”
She grabs my arm, leans in and whispers. “Let’s have a party for three with your ex!”