Page 112 of When Love Is Unexpected

Jon nodded, and Sharon smiled. I took that as approval.

Now, I'm sitting in my new living room, trying to figure out how I'm going to get Laila to talk to me.

When the doorbell rings, I get up to answer it, thinking it might be Loren. No one else knows I'm here.

I open the door and find Aaron and Adam standing there.

"You've got to be kidding," I say, waving them in. "By all means, come in."

Aaron is wearing his World's Best Bro-In-Law T-shirt, and Adam is wearing his. It reads World's Best Brother.

They come in and make themselves comfortable on the couch.

"Just tell me," I say, "am I about to get Ericked?"

"Well," says Adam, "that all depends."

"Depends on what?" I ask.

"On whether you want to do this the easy way or the hard way."

Aaron doesn't say a word. He sits back on the couch and crosses his arms, as Eric so accurately described it: "Letting his biceps do all the talking."

"Do you guys mind waiting for just a minute?" I ask.

"Take as long as you need," says Adam, popping his knuckles.

When I return two minutes later, I stand in front of them and wait. When they both look up at me, and realization registers on their faces, I cross my arms, doing my best Aaron impression. Aaron instantly breaks character, throws his head back, and lets out a roar of laughter that fills the entire house. Adam starts clapping and laughing so hard that it quickly turns into a hilarious snort followed by laugh-crying.

They both get up, still laughing, pat me on the back, and leave, shaking their heads and without saying another word.

"Good night, gentlemen," I say before shutting the door.

I walk into the bathroom and look at my reflection in the mirror, trying to read the words on my T-shirt in reverse; World's Best Kisser.

Over the next two weeks, I establish a routine that includes running six miles four times a week and joining a gym. I'm at the studio by ten on the days I run, helping Zoe prepare for the groups we have scheduled and putting together an advertising strategy for the upcoming holidays. On the days I don't run, I meet Jon for coffee and work on my freelancing projects for the rest of the day. I meet Aaron, Adam, and some guys from their office to play basketball a couple of times a week.

Before leaving San Diego, I started attending church again. For obvious reasons, not my old church, but a church Pastor Duncan highly recommended. I asked God to forgive me for blaming Him for my mistakes and thanked Him for letting me meet Loren and her family, especially Laila.

"I love her, God," I said. "Please give us another chance. Open the doors so I can see her again. To explain and ask her to forgive me."

I felt He was asking me to grant forgiveness, too, so I met Patricia for coffee once. I let her talk, never mentioning my conversation with Jim.

"I thought you were going to tell me you still love me," she said.

"I love Laila," I said.

"She forgave you for kissing me?"

"You kissed me," I reminded her. "My love for Laila is not contingent upon her loving me back."

"You sound like a lawyer," she said, smiling. "I asked if she forgave you."

"If she loves me, she'll forgive me, and I know she loves me."

"You forgive me?" she asked.

"I forgive you," I said, "but I don't love you—not the way you want me to, not anymore."

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