Page 42 of The Mr. Right Checklist

“If you change your mind, dinner is at seven.”

“I won’t, but tell everyone I said hello,” I call over my shoulder. I’m not fit to be around people right now. I don’t even want to be around myself.

When I get home, Molly’s all sloppy kisses and tail-wagging joy. It’s hard to be in a shitty mood when I’m greeted like that, but I manage to hold on to it. That is, until I spot a card on the dining room table, and my fucking heart hammers in my chest. I snag it on my way to let Molly out.

Dear Fletch,

Thank you for the lovely flowers. Molly and I had a great walk today. Let me know if you still want to scout locations with me tomorrow. No pressure.

Destiny

PS: I hope you still want to come with me.

PPS: But again, no pressure.

Damn. I obviously made her uncomfortable. There are no exclamation points like in the other notes she’s left me this week, and she didn’t dot the i in her name with a heart.

I head into the kitchen and put the card in my junk drawer with the others she’s left over the last couple of weeks. Needing air, I walk out back and sit on a chair on the patio. Molly bounds over with her ball, and I toss it into the yard for her. She runs after it, and I take out my phone to text Destiny.

Fletch:

I’m glad you liked the flowers. I hope sending them didn’t make things awkward between us.

Dots dance across the screen like she’s typing, but they quickly disappear. Shit.

Fletch:

Sorry if I overstepped last night. I thought we were on the same page when we kissed.

Those dots dance again and then disappear. This is another kind of torture I’ve never experienced before. The dots reappear, and I grip the phone so tight, my knuckles blanch.

Destiny:

You didn’t overstep! We WERE on the same page!

“Then why does this feel off?” Molly brings me the ball, and I throw it across the yard again.

Destiny:

You did the right thing by leaving.

I breathe a little easier, but it only lasts a second as I realize she’s drawn a line in the sand and we’re on opposite sides.

Destiny:

You were right. I am a forever girl.

Destiny:

Destiny:

And you’re definitely not my forever guy.

Destiny:

Yup, the line has been drawn, and I fucking hate it, even if she’s not wrong.

Destiny: