Page 113 of The Enemy Face Off

"I have."

"Without telling me?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise if you knew."

I resume walking, and after a few moments, Beth catches up to me. "Am I going to like this surprise?"

My hand finds its way to hers.

She's been waiting for me to do this since the night she laid eyes on me at karaoke night last year.

"Yeah," I say, grinning big. "I think you're going to like the surprise."

21

Beth

For the umpteenth time, I'm at a loss for words.

I'm walking hand in hand with Milo, wearing the necklace he gave me as a nod to the grand gesture from my favorite romance ever, over an anniversary lunch I didn't even know we had, during which he basically told me he thought we were soulmates, and now he's leading me somewhere else for another surprise.

How is this happening?

I'm both elated and uneasy at the same time.

Elated because, hello, this sweet, sensitive side of Milo is one of my favorite things about him.

But uneasy because I was such a stitch to him that I didn't even think he would be capable of having a side like this.

I made assumptions about him because…what? He was a pro hockey player? He looked grumpy on the ice? He doesn't talk a lot in social settings?

When did I become so judgmental?

It's not a nice feeling when you discover something about yourself you're not proud of.

I will revisit this again later—one apology is nowhere near enough—but right now, I'm going to put that to the side and enjoy whatever Milo has in store.

As we walk hand in hand, I sneak a glance at him.

I stand by what I told him at the diner. He really is the strongest man I know. I haven't made any of this easy, and not once has he turned around and treated me badly. And he's stayed true to his word, not pressuring me into doing anything I'm not ready for physically. He really is a patient man.

Spending time together this past year has helped me release a lot of the old stuff I was holding onto. In my mind, there's nowa clear distinction between how I've been treated by guys before and how Milo treats me.

I guess that's what comes with being with a real man, a man who knows how to treat a woman right.

I have nothing to fear, no impending betrayal to anticipate, no heartbreak looming around the corner. So I've released it, determined not to let those things from the past stand in the way of the amazing thing Milo and I have.

We come to a stop in front of Miss Patty's salon.

"Here we are," he says with a broad smile.

"Aw, did you read an article online about how joint mani-pedis are a new trend? Because, let me assure you, they most definitely are not."

He chuckles. "We're not doing a joint mani-pedi."

"Then why are we here?"

He holds open the door for me. "All will be revealed shortly."

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