Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
I felt a little guilty because I wasn’t actually sure I was ready. In fact, I was starting to question whether I’d ever feel ready to move on from Brayden. But there was a limit to what I thought I should share with my date. So I smiled and lifted the menu. “I’ve never been here before. What are you going to have?”
“This is actually my first time here, too. I have this dumb rule that the first time I go on a date with someone new, I go to a place I’ve never been. I think it’s nice to start fresh and not have a memory of someone else lingering.”
I smiled. “I love that.”
The waiter brought our wine and poured. Everett held his glass up. “To something new?”
“To something new.” I smiled again.
Conversation came easily, and Everett told me how he’d gotten into the furniture business. I told him all about the spa I owned with Wells. Things couldn’t have gone much better. Everett was the full package—handsome, independent, divorced with a good relationship with his ex and his kids. If I were making a pros and cons list, there wasn’t much I could think of to put on the con side. Except for the big one: He isn’t Brayden.
But even so, it turned out that a hundred things on the left side of the list couldn’t offset that single thing on the right, no matter how hard I tried. After we finished dinner, Everett walked me to my car.
“I had a really good time tonight,” he said.
“Me, too.”
“Do you think you’d like to do it again sometime?”
It would’ve been easier to say yes and make up an excuse later. But Everett was a nice guy and deserved honesty. Plus, he was Wells’s boyfriend’s brother. I smiled and met his eyes. “Earlier, when you went to the men’s room, I was thinking about what a great guy you are.”
Everett frowned. “Uh-oh. I hear a but coming.”
I sighed. “I think you’re amazing. But unfortunately, I don’t think I’m ready to get back into dating after all. I realized that I’m not over the guy I was seeing. You’re a man who goes to the trouble of finding a new restaurant just to make sure you give a relationship a fresh beginning, so you deserve a person who’s ready to give you the same in return. I wish I could do that, but my head is stuck somewhere else.”
He nodded. “I get it. And I appreciate the honesty. Wells wasn’t exaggerating when he said you’re something special.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll tell you what, if something changes, give me a call. Maybe our timing is just off.”
I kissed his cheek. “I’ll do that. Thank you for understanding.”
CHAPTER 25
Brayden
I slipped a shirt over my head as I spoke to Billie on speakerphone. “What can I bring tonight?”
“Just bring yourself,” she insisted.
Billie and Colby were having everyone over for a group dinner. Weekends had been busy lately, so they’d chosen to do it on a Tuesday.
“I usually bring wine, but you and Colby always seem to have so many bottles you don’t know what to do with them.”
“I’m pretty sure all of the bottles we have are from you, Brayden. It’s all you ever bring. Not complaining, just stating a fact.”
I sighed. “That’s because I never know what else to bring. Bringing wine means I don’t have to think. Since I don’t cook, I’m limited in terms of options.”
“Well, Owen and Holden don’t cook, either. It’s always Lala and Devyn who make whatever they bring. Therefore, technically, the other guys don’t bring shit. So don’t feel bad.”
“I guess I could buy something from the market, since you’re sick of my wine.”
“Brayden! Dinner is in fifteen minutes. Just bring yourself. Truly. And don’t be late. You know how I hate it when the food I make gets cold.”
I glanced out the window. “There’s still time to go to the store…”
“Brayden, if you show up with anything, I’m gonna strangle you.”
I chuckled. “Well, since you put it like that. Jeez…”
I heard a knock at the door. “Someone’s here, Billie. I’ll let you go. See you in fifteen.” I hung up.
When I opened the door, my heart fell to the floor. On the off-chance I was hallucinating, I blinked. She’s here.
She’s here?
“Alex…”
Her cheeks were red. Was that the cold January air outside or nerves? Her long, blond hair was wind-blown and wild. And she looked more beautiful than I’d ever seen her in the nearly five months since we’d met.
Perhaps I should’ve thought of something more eloquent to say, but nothing came out of my mouth.
She fidgeted with her hands. “Is this a bad surprise?”
I shook my head. “What the heck are you doing here?”
“Can I come in?”
Jesus. I was an idiot. I moved aside. “Of course. Sorry about that. Come in.”