Page 93 of My Real Love Affair

“Check the comments,” Cleo said, already scrolling on her phone. “People are going to lose their minds over this.”

I pulled up the episode comments with shaking hands. Some people were brutal. Damn trolls and keyboard warriors.

Simp behavior.

Weak for a Bancroft.

She’s got him whipped.

This is embarrassing.

I felt bad for him. Then again, it was nothing he hadn’t been exposed to before. The guy had been in the public eye before he could take his first steps. He’d be okay.

“It looks bad, but look at the comments that haven’t been mercilessly thumbed up by the trolls,” Cleo said.

This is actually really refreshing to see.

A man openly caring about a woman he’s no longer with?

Okay but the way he defended her??? I’m swooning.

Maybe Austin Bancroft isn’t who we thought he was.

My throat felt tight. My eyes were stinging.

“You okay?” Cleo asked.

I had an overwhelming urge to call him. I wanted to thank him. Throw myself at him and beg him to take me back.

But Cleo would not be okay with that. She was firmly in the camp to move on. Let it go. Lethimgo. I wasn’t going to ruin a day of shopping by earning a lecture from Cleo about why it was better if I moved on from the Austin debacle. He might have softened her opinion of him a little, but it was going to take a lot more than that to change her mind.

Cleo was a fierce protector of me and I loved her for it. But it could be just a little overwhelming at times.

The cab finally started moving at a normal pace. We’d be at the shopping district in a few minutes. We finally made it to the boutique, a small place tucked between a coffee shop and a jewelry store. I’d been following them on Instagram for months, drooling over their pieces. They specialized in plus-size fashion with an edge. Bold prints and pieces that made statements.

The owner, a woman named Anna with silver hair and incredible style, greeted us at the door. “Melody! I’m so glad you’re here.” She pulled me into a hug like we were old friends. “I pulled some pieces I think you’ll love.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Are you kidding? Having you shop here is a dream. Come on, I’ll show you what I’ve got.”

Her excitement was a reminder of my status. I wasn’t Taylor Swift, but in my little world, people knew me.

Cleo and I followed her into the store. The racks were organized by color rather than size, which I loved. No separate “plus-size section” hidden in the back. Just beautiful clothes for bodies of all sizes.

Margot had pulled an entire rack of pieces for me.

“Oh my god,” I breathed, running my fingers over the dresses, blouses, and pants. “These are gorgeous.”

“Try them on. All of them. Take your time.” Margot gestured toward the dressing rooms in the back. “I’ll bring you more if you want.”

In the dressing room, alone for a moment, I pulled out my phone.

I shouldn’t text him. I knew I shouldn’t. But my fingers were already typing.

Me:Are you okay?

I hit send before I could overthink it.