Page 33 of Perfect Blend

He was quiet for a few moments. “That’s why you kept giving me weird looks.” His face crumpled. “The things I told you,” he whispered, staring into the distance over my shoulder.

“Please don’t worry about that. I will never break your trust. Just like I know you’d never do that to me.” I needed him to know he could trust me and that I trusted him.

He didn’t say anything, but at least he looked at me again. His eyes were more guarded than I’d ever seen, but there was a flicker of hope. I desperately seized onto it with everything I had.

“This is incredible, Dave. I know I’m not the only one who’s been feeling something special this week. And the connection we’ve built on Discord? We can have it all.”

Dave shook his head. “I shared those things with someone who didn’treallyknow me.”

I squeezed his hand. “But Idoreally know you. And you know me.”

He pulled his hand from mine. “I hear what you’re saying, but I need some time to think. You’ve had a couple of hours to process this. I’m not going to shut you out, but…” His jaw was tight. “I need time.”

I blew out a breath, and my stomach dropped. “That’s fair.” I stood on shaky legs. I was grateful he was at least openly communicating with me. He deserved time, despite how badly I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and laugh with joy over the wild coincidence.Or fate.“I’m planning to leave at noon tomorrow, in case you want to talk before then. You know how to get ahold of me.” I didn’t mention our Discord DM, but Dave winced.

He stood. “I wish I could forget everything I told you and be thrilled. A part of me is, but…”

His words hurt, but I appreciated his honesty. “It’s okay.” I didn’t believe me, and I knew he wouldn’t either.

“How about we have brunch?”

“Sure.” Enough time for him to build a fortress between us. Or cancel.

I wished he would process it with me, but what right did I have to expect that? I wasn’t Bricker at that moment—the guy he always processed stuff with—I was Mikey. The guy who suddenly knew too much.

Anyway, he was right. I’d had time to get used to the idea and come up with a hundred reasons why it was the best thing in the world. Dave had been the more insistent one between us about staying anonymous, by far. Of course he needed time. It was the least I could do for someone so important to me.

“I’ll give you a ride back to the bar to get your car.”

I shook my head. “It’s a beautiful night. I could use the walk.” It wouldn’t take more than ten minutes if I walked quickly. Dahlia Springs was a lot safer to walk around at night than Seattle. Yet another thing to love about this town that was probably about to get snatched from me right when I found it.

He walked me to his door and gently kissed my cheek, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d already lost what we could’ve been. Maybe I should use the night to consider why I was so quick to jump to the worst-case scenario.

Dave isn’t your ex-husband. Give him a chance.

CHAPTER11

DAVE

I collapsedonto my couch and stared at the popcorn ceiling, trying to comprehend what Mikey had admitted. One of the best nights of my life had been ruined faster than tripping on stage mid-performance and face-planting.

That wasn’t fair. Mikey hadn’t ruined anything. He’d discovered something and told me as soon as he could. I respected him for that.

How could Bricker be Mikey? How could the universe take away the person I trusted?Or maybe the universe gave me someone special.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and launched our Discord chat. The longer I read old messages, the further my stomach sank. I’d sharedsomuchwith him. How devastated I’d been by the divorce, how I didn’t trust myself to make good decisions about men, how I’d been tempted to close my business and start over instead of lying to people. I was humiliated by what Mikey knew about me. What I shared without knowing it was him. How could I face him as a friend, let alone anything more?

It was ridiculous. I was a grown-ass man in my thirties, and I was afraid of the community—myfriends—knowing the truth about me and Travis. It hadn’t been fair to assume they would shun me.

As I kept reading, I found myself chuckling. Mikey really was great to talk to. Something surprising stood out as well. Some of what I’d shared with Bricker were things I’d begun to share with Mikey after only a few days. He put me at ease—no matter how we communicated.

I picked up my phone to tap into a lifeline.

Dave: SOS. Can I call you?

Bailey: I’m leaving the bar now. I can swing by.

Dave: Thanks.

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