Page 27 of Jilted

“No. I’ve had a few long-term relationships.”

“How long were you with your fiancé?”

“Two and a half years.”

“Can I ask why you broke up?”

“He was still in love with his ex.” This might’ve been the first time it didn’t sting too badly to admit that. “I had no idea until I was standing at the altar.”

“Jesus. What a dick.”

I smiled sadly. “Yeah.”

He wiped the corner of his mouth. “Well, his loss. My gain.”

I laughed. “You haven’t gained anything, Mr. Hayes.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “I like the way that sounds rolling off your tongue.”

“Rejection?”

“No. You calling me Mr. Hayes.”

I had to give him one thing, I’d been smiling since we sat down. Maybe I’d give him two things. He was even better looking than I remembered.

I twirled more spaghetti carbonara onto my fork and stuffed my face. “I feel like you know my life story—from favorite food to my relationship history. What’s your deal? Why are you single?”

“Busy. I’ve jumped through a lot of hurdles over the last year to get this close to adding an expansion team in the US. I should get my name painted on the side of a British Airways jet with all the miles I’ve flown. Plus, my little brother spends more time at my place than his dad’s. He’s a handful.”

“Is there a reason for that?”

“His dad was always flaky, and then a few years back he got remarried. Brenda is a little too free-spirited to enforce rules for a teenager. Lucas tells her he doesn’t feel like going to school, and she tells him to stay home and immerse himself in a book of poetry instead. He also started getting into her pot stash, so I stepped up my time with him.”

“Oh boy.”

“He’s a pain in my ass, but I think we were all pains in the asses at his age.”

I smiled. “I take care of my niece a few nights a week for my brother who works overnights. So I very much understand. But I have the opposite problem. Today I heard her talking about kissing a boy. If my brother knew, he’d ground her until she was thirty. So I try to manage what I share with him and give her guidance as best I can. Her mom died eight years ago.”

Wilder leaned back, spreading an arm across the top of the booth. “Look how much we have in common already? Family with Parkinson’s, helping raise teenagers, we both think I’m handsome.”

“Modesty, too.” I laughed. “Are you also obsessed with self-help books?”

“I’ve always thought those were dumb. But I might need a book for my recent obsession.”

“What about before last year? How long was your longest relationship?”

Wilder’s smile fell. “I haven’t dated anyone for more than a few months since college.”

“Why is that?”

“You won’t like the answer.”

“It’s okay. I prefer honest answers. I don’t love lies that pacify me.”

“I enjoyed my single life. I traveled all the time when I was playing. Rugby is big in Europe, and I was the team captain, so…”

“So…” I said. “We’re sort of the polar opposite in that area. I’m a relationship girl, and you’re a love-’em-and-leave-’em type.”

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