Page 17 of When We Meet Again

Me:Thank you :)

Roman: Rest up. You’re going to need it so you don’t get dizzy.

Me:Why would I get dizzy?

Roman:When I’m dancing circles around you.

I smile at the screen. For someone who prides himself on being such a “badass,” he’s a pretty cheesy one.

Me:That was cringey and don’t ever say that again.

I still don’t believe you know how to line dance.

Bubbles appear and disappear. I wait a minute, but nothing ever comes through. I hope he doesn’t take my comment as offensive. That’s what I’ve always enjoyed about him. He took my dry humor and sarcasm and ran with it. I think he might have actually enjoyed it. But that wasthen. Now I’m just lost. Drained. A corn husk of a human.I set my phone down and do as he says, try to get some rest.

Memories flood my mind of the man I was in love with. Or thought I was in love with.Wasit love? Or was it the idea of how good he looked on paper? Patrick had his shit together. He was financially stable, smart, and would give the shirt off his backfor anyone in need. Was that enough to love someone? To spend the rest of my life with him? He changed who I was completely, whether it was for better or for worse. But I’m determined to find who I was before Patrick. The happier version of me.

A rebirth. And maybe that rebirth includes Roman.

CHAPTER 10

WAVERLY

Fortunate:I’m not as lonely now as I have been for the past year.

Unfortunate:My plant was sent back to me, unable to be rehabilitated. I now run a plant hospice.

“I can’t believeI agreed to this. I’m nearly forty. I shouldn’t be line dancing, I should be…” I let my hands fall to my sides in defeat, looking at my outfit in the mirror. An outfit that isn’t mine. These black jeans are painted on, and I feel like a fool in these cowboy boots. The tank, however, is adorable: light brown suede with fringe at the bottom. It’s hot.

Victoria comes up from behind. “You should be,what? Crocheting a blanket? Knitting a sweater next to some cats? No. You’reonlyalmost forty. Life has just begun. I promise.” She smiles and fixes herself in the mirror. She may be the only woman with curly hair who can pull off bangs.

I turn to her so she knows I’m serious. “If I hate it, can we leave?”

“I promise you won’t, but yes, if you hate it, we can leave.” She pops her lips after she applies a layer of bright red lipstick. “You know, Roman likes you.”

“Well, ofcourse,he likes me, Victoria. I was his brother’s fiancée. It kind of comes with the territory.”

“No, Waverly…helike-likes you. I can tell.”

“Oh, please. He’s a child. He doesn’t knowwhathe likes” I scoff.

“Whatever you need to believe, but I can still see it.”

“You’ve spent all of five seconds with us, you can’tseeanything. Besides, I’m old enough I could be his mom,” I walk away from the mirror trying to hide the blush that’s now creeped up my neck.

“Yeah, if you got knocked up at fourteen. Who the hell cares, Waverly?” She rolls her eyes.

I grab a gray cardigan out of my closet before Victoria snatches it from my hand. “What the hell are you doing?”

I grab it back. “What’s it look like I’m doing?” I raise one eyebrow.

“You aren’t wearing a cardigan over that top. It’s hot and here you are wanting to nun-ify it.” She grabs it, tosses it in the shower, turns it on, and soaks it before turning off the water. “I’m doing this foryou. You need to meet—” I cut her off.

“I’m not into meetinganyoneright now, Victoria. I’m okay. Really. Just let me do this at my own pace. Whatever that looks like.”

Her shoulders fall and a look of pity crosses her face. “You know what? You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She rubs at the bridge of her nose, her beautiful brown eyes pinched shut. “I wasn’t thinking.” She bends over and picks up my dripping cardigan. “I can dry this real quick,” she says with remorse.

I smile a genuine smile at her act. “I know you’re coming from a place of love. It’s a little aggressive at times… but out oflove.” After a dramatic exhale, I continue, “Idofind it funny how extra you are sometimes. And a little naïve because I have that same cardigan in two other drab colors.” I wrap my arms around myself and spin around. “And theyarepretty sexy, if I may say so,” I joke.

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