Page 79 of Thanks for the Memories
I groan. “Maybe you should just let him do what he wants. For all we know, they might be together right now.”
She holds up her wine glass and points at me. “No way. Paul is like a brother to me. I can’t sit by and let him get mixed up with her. If he was your friend, what would you do?”
I grit my teeth. “Probably the same thing you’re doing.”
“You’d want to protect him, right?” Gabby asks. “Especially if she’s only using him since she’s burned the bridge with us.”
“She has Dante too,” I remind her.
Gabby shakes her head. “I’m not convinced Bethany likes Dante. I think that was only because she knew it would bother you so much.”
“So maybe she does like Paul,” I suggest.
Lila shrugs. “I don’t care if she does or not. She’s not a good person, and Paul is way too nice to recognize that in someone. The last thing he needs is to get mixed up with her, and I’ll make sure of it.”
This isn’t only about me anymore. Lila is going to make it her mission to keep Bethany away from Paul.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to invite her to stay with us. People change, and I should’ve known things were going to be different after months of very little communication.”
Gabby pats me on the shoulder.
“Hey, we’ve all been there,” Lila says. “We’ve put our trust in people who let us down. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Have you thought about what you’re going to say to Dante when he calls?” Gabby asks.
My heart sinks.
“This may sound surprising, but I hope he doesn’t call for a while.”
“I don’t blame you,” Lila exclaims. “Meanwhile you have a hunky man feeding you donuts. Focus on that.”
That’s not a bad idea. I think back to all the times that Jeremy went out of his way to show me he was interested. I’ve realized that I deserve so much more. I deserve someone who’s going to make me a priority. Dante’s not the first man who’s had to balance career and personal life. If he really wanted to be with me, he wouldn’t let anything stand in his way. My eyes are open and things are becoming clearer by the minute.
Chapter Twenty-One
It’s funny how something so great can be right in front of you and you don’t see it. I still can’t believe that Jeremy and I are having dinner for the first time tonight—although technically this isn’t true. We’ve had countless dinners together—and lunches, and plenty of donuts. However, this is the first dinner that counts as a date.
It’s also my last official vacation day, and I want to enjoy it, especially after the nightmare I just went through with Bethany. I’m meeting my sister for an early breakfast, and she’s about to get an earful. I texted her after Bethany left and told her I had lots of news for her. I left it at that, deciding to give her specifics when I see her in person.
Kennedy is already at the restaurant when I arrive. She looks so much more refreshed and relaxed than the last time I saw her.
“You look happy,” I say.
“Oh, do I?” she asks. “Well, Evan is driving Barbara to the airport as we speak. She decided she’d be much more comfortable in her own home.”
I laugh. “I guess those ten days with Barbara turned out to be more eventful than you expected.”
“You have no idea,” she says dramatically. “I really thought she was planning on milking it for everything. However, I was surprised to learn that Barbara doesn’t like being waited on.”
I shrug my shoulders and open the menu.
“It’s not that surprising. She got hurt while she was cleaning your house. I think she likes taking care of people and not the other way around.”
She shakes her head. “I think it’s more about Evan. No one is as good at taking care of her baby boy as she is. She probably thinks I’m a lousy wife, but trust me, my man is well taken care of.”
Please, no. The last thing I want to do is discuss the intimate details of her marriage, especially after living with them right after they were married.
“She knows you’re a good wife,” I assure her.
