Page 61 of The Valentine's Bet

“Look at you with all that deep advice.” I pick up a chicken strip and take a bite.

She shakes her head. “I don’t really have great advice. I don’t even know what I’m doing when it comes to relationships, obviously. I can’t even find a boyfriend and I’ll bethirtyin three weeks.”

“Yeah, so? You worry too much about that stuff. Being single isn’t all that bad.”

“Ugh. My parents already hadmeby the age of thirty.”

“So?” I meet her gaze. “My parents were already divorced by the time they were my age—with two kids. In fact, my mom had already been married and divorcedtwice... And you know what, I still have no idea why she put herself through all of it—and continues to do so. It would have been so much easier for everyone involved if she would’ve just stayed single instead of jumping from one failed relationship to another.”

“Maybe she just wants to find the right person.”

“You’ll never find the right person if you’re willing to throw someone away at the first sign of trouble. That’s always been her problem. She always thinks some guy is gonna come along and save her, and sure, it starts out that way, but the moment he messes up—I mean, like forgets something at the store—she’s done. She says she doesn’t have to put up with anything less than perfect.”

Amy nods. “I’m sorry ... it must’ve been rough growing up with that kind of instability.”

“It was. My parents were always fighting about money or custody or something. I never knew if I was coming or going, and I didn’t understand why they couldn’t just get along like other families. Add on the fact that my mom would bring these guys around and try to pass them off as another father figure ... it was just a cycle of disappointment every time they left.”

Amy’s expression is sympathetic as she listens to my words, and for a moment, I feel a pang of vulnerability at having shared such intimate details about my past with her.

“I can’t even imagine how hard that must’ve been for you. But what about your dad? What’s he like?”

I hesitate, carefully choosing my answer. “He’s ... angry. Maybe bitter. I don’t know. He also had his fair share of failed relationships, and he worked a painstaking manual labor job for over a decade. He was working his way up with the goal of moving us out of the neighborhood we lived in, but then he got cancer.”

Amy gasps, her hands flying to her mouth. “Oh my gosh, I’msosorry, Parker.”

“Oh, it’s okay, he’s fine now. He’s been in remission for nearly ten years,” I say, keeping my tone light.

“Oh, good. Okay. Well, it sounds like you and your family have been through a lot...”

“My life certainly wasn’t easy growing up, but I have a solid one now. I finally have the stability that I so desperately needed as a kid.”

She nods, but then stops. “But what about love? Don’t you want to love and be loved by someone?”

I shrug. “Iamloved. I have great friends. I guess I’m just not convinced I need anything more than that.Allthe relationships I’ve ever witnessed are toxic and end in heartbreak—love never seems to work out. Look at my sister.”

“But look at my parents.”

I let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, and that’s great for them, and for you. It sounds like they were two really great people who didn’t give up on each other. Which is awesome, but rare. I mean, the chances of finding that kind of love are slim.”

“But not impossible.” Amy grins, waggling her eyebrows. “Tell me there’s some part of you that’s not acompletecynic. Because I’m willing to bet on that sliver of a chance that we’llbothfind the right person.”

I grimace. “Yeah, maybe, but there’s no way it’s happening before Valentine’s Day. So, you might as well just plan on accompanying me to that jazz concert. I’ll make sure I at least get you a birthday card or something to lessen the blow.”

She bursts into a fit of laughter. “Yeah, right. You’re gonna be buying those VIP tickets for me and my boyfriend. I know it.”

I take a deep breath. “No way.”

“Yep.” She shoots me a wink that makes my heart stutter. “In fact, why don’t we go ahead and fill out that matchmaking questionnaire right now? I dare ya.”

“Fine,” I mutter, swooping up my phone. I click on the link and start through the questions, carefully answering them to the best of my ability. They’re mostly fundamental things like,Are you religious?Or,What are your hobbies?

And as I type in my answers, glancing over at a smiling Amy, I wonder what she’s typing in the blanks.

Is there a chance thatwewill get paired up again? Or will someone else be her “match made in heaven”?

My stomach tightens at the idea of her paired up with someone else. But I push it away.

They’ll never put us together.

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