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I was secretly hopeful that he would do just that I didn’t want to sit through an aard dinner with a guy whom I had just told, in no uncertain terentleood manners just wouldn’t allow it

"No I already made the reservation and I would still like to take you I don’t want to be alone on Valentine’s Day, especially not when I thought things werein a much more favorable direction with you"

Man, he was even being nice about being duht I really aave his head a rueful shake and slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks "To be honest, Ayd, soether I felt like one minute you were there with er was staring back at et a handle on, but I really thought it orth the effort to try"

That et away from him "I’ll see you toht" It was on the tip of ue to just tell hio to the show right after without hie for one day His co in ot to the house to see that Cora’s little Mini Cooper was parked in the driveway She normally closed down the tattoo shop where she worked and did the bank deposit for the night She was usually just getting ho for my shift at the bar I was also irritated and relieved to see that the Challenger was gone Jet had been scarce lately, which in turn rateful I didn’t have to deal with his unpredictablerooure curled up on the couch Cora wasn’t the type to wrap up in a fluffy blanket and watch sad s were happening right nowon the floor and rush to her side I was startled to see that both the brown and the blue-green eyes were glassy with tears, and that her nor lip and flushed cheeks Cora was a couple years older than ht then she looked all of five years old

"What’s wrong?" I didn’t knohat to do, so I patted her on her knee under the blanket

She blew her nose into a Kleenex and swiped at her damp face with the back of her hand She looked like a sad pixie

"I just had a really bad day"

I frowned and settled even more fully onto the couch "I’ve known you awhile now and you’ve never even called in sick, not even e all got food poisoning frohed and flopped over on her back She tossed an arh clenched teeth, "My ex-fiancé is getting re announcement in the mail"

I blinked in surprise because I didn’t even know she had ever been engaged and because I never would have figured her for the type to carry a torch for soh"

She let out a string of sords that would haveposition so that she was hugging her knees "It shouldn’t matter He was a bastard and cheated on ether He owned the shop I worked at in Brooklyn I ca, and walked in on hi it to one of his clients in the back rooht ere family, that the shop was ho I looked like a fool"

She ran her hands through her short hair and growled like an angry puppy "He was the first guy I ever really loved, ya knoas so sure that I was over it, but then I saw that stupid announceain If Phil hadn’t pulled me out of the city when he did, I don’t knohat I would have done It just sucks that he’s o day after day alone"

I went to the kitchen to grab her a bottle of water and hand her a paper towel to wipe off her face

"It’s not like you don’t have every opportunity to date and have a boyfriend I’ve been out with you You get hit on all the tihed "I get hit on by the saain; tatted up, restless, and only looking for a good tiuys like theuys like that, Ayd I kno they operate I’ve hadout with one of the run I would still end up heartbroken and alone"

"So date someone different"

She looked at me from under spiky eyelashes and a hint of her old attitude started to surface

"Says the girl who is dating a guy who looks like he should be s Chaucer"