Page 39 of Surprised By Love

“It was nice. Miles is a nice guy, but I don’t think we’ll be going out again.”

“Why not? Nice is a good thing, right?”

“Yeah, don’t get me wrong. He’s great, but there wasn’t any spark. You know.” I reach down and grab a sugar cookie off the plate in front of Vicki.

She nods.

“It’s been a long time since I felt the spark.”

“I meant to ask you. What’s up with you and Sloan?” I bite off the head of the snowman cookie.

“Nothing’s up with us. He’s one of my best friends.”

“Hmmm.”

Vicki raises an eyebrow at me. “What hmmm?”

“Nothing. I thought I might have seen something between you two at the diner.”

Vicki laughs. “Na, we’re just good friends.” Vicki tucks a foot under her and turns to me. “So, how was the date?”

“It was nice. He took me to a restaurant in Pineridge Falls. It must be new. I don’t remember it being there before.”

“The Chandelier?”

I nod.

“It opened three years ago. It’s nice. I’ve only been there once for a friend’s birthday.”

I look at her, my eyebrows knitted together. “It’s a little romantic for a birthday party, no?”

“They have an event room in the back for parties.”

“Oh, okay. Makes sense.”

“So there was no spark? None?” Vicki raises a brow.

I know she won’t let this go. “No. I’d be okay being friends with him, but nothing romantic, no.”

Vicki looks at me as if she’s reading my mind. “What are you not telling me?” she asks.

I roll my eyes at her. “Fine. There were a few times I thought about someone else.”

“Josh!” she squealed, jumping up in her seat.

I throw my head back and laugh. “You are ridiculous. You know that?”

“You’re not denying it? It was Josh, wasn’t it? You do like him?”

Knowing she wouldn’t stop until I told her, I let out a huff before I confess. “Yes. I thought about Josh a couple of times. That’s bad though, right? I shouldn’t have been thinking of another man when I was out on a date with someone else. It makes me a horrible person. Doesn’t it?”

Vicki laughs. “No. If you talked about him, then yes, but you thought about him when you were on a date with someone you had no spark with. For what it’s worth, I think it’s great.”

“Why would that be great? I have a crush on a guy who doesn’t do relationships and doesn’t date girls from town.”

Vicki tilts her head and smiles. “I have a feeling it’s about to change. Trust me. He has this look about him when you are around. I don’t think it will be long until he’s asking you out on a date.”

I can feel my cheeks flush. “I sure hope you’re right.”

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