Page 74 of Scandalous Secrets

“Love?” My mother raised a questioning brow.

“Yes, we are so in awe of you and Dad. Thirty years. Wow,” said Erica dreamily.

My mother’s face softened. She bought it.

“When you know you know, and I knew with your father,” she said.

“Awww,” said Veronica, her fake voice dripping with sweetness and laying her head on my mom’s shoulder.

My stomach turned with unease.

“That’s so special, Mom,” said Erica, before narrowing her gaze at Veronica. “I think everyone deserves to be with someone theytrulycare about. Don’t you, Veronica?”

Veronica’s face dropped slightly before she collected herself and plastered on that smile I could see through so easily. She excused herself to use the restroom, but I knew I would have to deal with her for the rest of the night, despite this brief moment of reprieve, thanks to my sister.

Chapter 33

Monica

Iwaited in line to pick up my takeout order at Fu Yings, apparently a hot spot on a Friday night for singles of the city because the line was practically out the door. As I glanced around, I wondered if any of them were as miserable as I was. Today had been confusing, between Erica coming to take me to lunch and the big win at the meeting where, for a moment, I lost myself to who I used to be with Troy. For a glimpse of a second, it felt like we were us again. I thought he felt it too because, for that second, he looked happy. There was that twinkle in his eye again. I hadn’t seen it in weeks.

I figured I had just had a moment of weakness. A reprieve from the act I had been putting on since we ended things. The one where I had to pretend I didn’t care, and that I was only there for work. Yes, I needed the money, but I had other options to make it. I just wasn’t sure if I was ready to take my agent’s calls yet. I knew if I didn’t talk to her soon, I would surely be dropped from my publisher. I just wished that threat was enough for me to pull out my laptop and start typing again.

Now, I had this potential opportunity where Erica worked. It would be less pressure than a full-on novel with an already faithful fanbase. The idea of it was intriguing. Maybe she was right. It would be a good way for me to dip my toes back into writing. But it would also mean quitting my job. Which meant not seeing Troy anymore. The torture of seeing him every day was somehow better than the idea of not seeing him again.

My head felt like my thoughts were pounding against it, desperate to get out. Desperate for me to make a decision to give it some reprieve. God knew my heart needed it.

“Monica,” said a man’s voice from behind me. My hair stood up on the back of my neck as I immediately envisioned long blond hair. Stubbly beard. Dingy clothes. Could it be my stalker? If it was, at least we were in a crowd of people. I swallowed hard as I slowly turned around to find it wasn’t my stalker at all. It was the guy who I had gone on a date with all those months ago. The one I had left alone in the restaurant. The forty-year-old puppy dog.

“Oh…” I said, trying to remember his name.

“Dean,” he said with a shrug as he put his hands in the pockets of his baggy jeans.

“Right, of course,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment. “Uh, how are you?”

“Clearly, just as good as you to be here on a Friday night.” He looked around the restaurant at the others flying solo.

Ouch. That was kind of a backhanded thing to say.

“Gotta love Fu Yings,” I said with a weak smile.

“I hope you’re feeling better,” he said with a note of snarkiness.

As if our date had been last night and I somehow still had the stomach bug months later.

“Oh, yes. Sorry about that.” I only felt a tinge of guilt because of his attitude. “I had a really—”

“Great time. Yeah, I’ve heard that before.” He rolled his eyes.

Ugh. I looked forward at the line that felt like it was barely moving. I just had one person ahead of me. Then I could get my food and get the hell out of there.

“You still writing those little love stories?” he asked.

“Mhmm…” I lied.

“How isthatgoing?”

“Probably better than unemployment,” I said, before turning to see that it was thankfully my turn at the counter. I breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped forward and away from the asshole behind me. I quickly paid and gathered my two brown bags of food, avoiding Dean as I stepped past him and out into the chilly night air where it felt like I was no longer suffocating.

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