Page 20 of Happily Ever Never

I was only a couple of minutes early, so I smiled and saidyes to bread but no to anything else as I waited.

I pulled out my phone and rechecked the time, knowing hewould likely be here any minute.

The restaurant was beautiful with soft lighting. People werelaughing, but it wasn’t too loud. Couples and groups were here on dates, enjoyingthemselves, though it was late afternoon on a Wednesday, so it wasn’t like itwas hopping with evening activities. Still, it was nice. Busy in the sense thatpeople seemed to like the food and the ambiance. But not so busy that thewaitstaff was running around without breathing.

Another ten minutes passed, and I looked down at my phone,realizing he was late but only by a few minutes. That was fine. He was allowedto be late.

I opened my reading app and continued a romance I hadstarted the night before, smiling as the hero groveled because he had donesomething stupid to the heroine. Nothing violent, nothing cruel, just somethingfoolish. But he groveled well.

What would it be like to be in a relationship where the heromade a mistake and figured out how to make up for it?

Maybe that would be me someday. Or maybe I wouldgrovel. Either way, it would be nice to get to that point.

I rechecked my phone and saw that another twenty minutes hadpassed. Dread began sinking into my stomach. I opened the app and looked for amessage from Theodore, but I didn’t see anything.

I frowned, my fingers hovering over my app, and then I saidscrew it. I would just check on him. Maybe something was wrong.

I went to text him, but it didn’t go through.

He had blocked me.

Humiliation settled over my skin like an ice-cold blanket,and I pressed my lips together, holding back a sob.

I would not cry. I would not feel like I had done somethingwrong.

He’d stood me up. He wasn’t coming.

Thoughts assailed me, and I told myself I was only imaginingit. But what if I wasn’t?

Maybe he had come and seen me and decided to walk away.Maybe he had just been playing with me. Enjoyed fuckingwith me because he wanted to see what he could get away with.

It didn’t matter, though, because he wasn’t coming.

I was sitting alone in a restaurant, hungry. The waitstaffkept coming by, offering me more sparkling water, sad expressions on theirfaces.

Because they knew that I wasn’t just sitting here waiting to suddenly be hungry. No, they knew I was waiting forsomeone.

And I’d just been stood up.

I cleared my throat, put my phone into my bag, and got atwenty out of my wallet. I set it on the table and smiled as the waiter cameby.

“Miss? Did you want to order now?”

“My sister decided to stay home with a stomach bug. Shetexted me. I’m so sorry. But I’ll pay for the sparkling water and your time.Again, I’m sorry.”

I didn’t know if my lie had worked. I didn’t want pity, so Ijust went with it. I hated to do it. So, I made my way out of the restaurantand got into my car. My hands shook, and my stomach hurt.

Fuck him. Fuck him hard. I was so done with this. Done withdating, done with people.

I pulled out my phone again before I started the car.

Me: He never showed. I’m done.

Lake: May? I can’t talk right now, I had to do alate, overnight meeting. Oh, my God. Are you okay?

Me: I’m fine. Just thought I’d let you know. I’msafe. Headed home.

I stuffed my phone back into my purse, started my car, andpulled out of the parking lot.