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Me: Lunch with Fran.

Robert: Ah. Fran. She still hates me.

I stir in my seat. Fran told me to take action. Robert doesn’t know that I’ve forgotten the last six years of my life. Maybe he’ll shed some light on his side of things.

Me: Well…

Robert: I don’t blame her.

Okay… That doesn’t exactly say innocent.

Me: You don’t?

Robert: Well, no. She thinks of me as this awful cad who did you wrong. I’d hate me, too.

Thinks? So… there is another side to this story.

Action it is.

Me: Are you saying you didn’t do me wrong?

Robert: Rose, we both know we were drifting apart. Life had gotten so hectic. And we let the most important thing fall to the wayside. Us.

I reread his text, my heart pounding in my ears.

Me: Silly us.

Robert: I’m just glad we’re moving forward. That we can be friends again.

Friends. Of course. Because Robert Pattinson is a very married man. See? He was being polite the other day. That’s all.

Robert: What would you say to drinks? Or dinner?

Me: Like a double date?

I assume that’s what he meant. But I need to interpret this as clearly as the cleanest glass. There’s too much fog and forgotten in my life as it is.

Robert: If you want.

All at once, the racehorse patter of my heart turns to thunderous pounding.

Maybe Fran’s right. If I’m going to get over Robert, I need to take action. I need to see him with his wife. A happy couple, living their lives. Moving forward. Sure, it’ll hurt like Hades. But I think it’ll help, too.

Me: Okay. Where should Zev and I meet you?

Twenty-Eight

TWENTY-ONE MONTHS AGO

“We made it,” I say, settling into the auditorium seat next to Rosalie. “She finally said yes.”

A scolding grin spreads over those pretty pink lips. “If you are going to talk about me like I’m not here, I’m leaving.”

I lift one shoulder in a shrug, acting nonchalant. “I’m just excited. It only took eight tries. Eight asks. Eight pleas to wear you down. I was certain it was going to take twelve.”

“You did not wear me down. I simply decided I was tired of listening to you whine, and I could use a free meal.”

I grin. “That sounds exactly like wearing you down.”