Page 32 of No Faking a Second Chance

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It’slunchtime when my door gets shoved open andIfindGeorgiastanding in front of me with her head held high. “Dr.Adler,I’mgoing to sit with you for lunch.It’sabout time we talked, likeI’vebeen wanting to.”

I’mabout to deny her a chair, when she lifts her hand and has me clamping my mouth shut with a frown. “I’mnot going to have you ignoring me any longer,I’llsay my piece and you can decide what to do after that.”

Iguess she deserves to get her side of things out, not that it will change the betrayalIfeel from her actions.Insteadof denying her access,Igesture for her to take one of the empty seats and lean back into my computer chair.Shequietly sits down, then crosses one leg over the other and looks at me with determination shining in her eyes.

Thatdetermination only makes her look more beautiful, and this is the exact reasonI’vebeen ignoring her.Ican’t be in the same room as her without noticing her beauty, or the way her clothes show off every single curve she has.Thecurves of her breasts are visible from the neckline of her dress, which only has my stare zeroing in on it, andIlick my lips at the sight.

Sheclears her throat, gaining my attention quickly, andIcatch the hint of amusement in her smile. “Let’sget started, shall we?”

Inod, but don’t form any words.Ifshe wants to talk, she can, but that doesn’t meanI’llbe doing any talking.

Georgiasighs and runs a hand through her hair. “Camdenhas been my crush forIdon’t even know how long — middle school,Ithink?”Sheshakes her head and glances at me. “Notthe point.Anyway,I’vealways had this image of what our life could look like together, the kind of man he would be to me, and everything else you could imagine.”

Thisis the last thingIwant to be hearing right now, andI’msure the frownI’mwearing right now tells her that.

“Winnieconvinced meIneeded to bring a date to the wedding to get him to notice me.”

“Andthat’s whereIcame in,”Imutter.

Shefrowns and nods her head slowly. “Unfortunately, yes.”Hersigh is loud in the otherwise silent room. “That’sall it was at first, a way for me to get the attention ofCamden… andIdid, but not in the wayIhad hoped.Hecrushed me after the wedding, ruined everything goodIever thought about him.”

Tellme about,Iwant to say, butIkeep my mouth closed so she can finish the story.

“Bishop,” she says, then shakes her head. “Dr.Adler,Ididn’t mean to hurt you andIhate thatIdid that.I’verealized where my real feelings have lied all along, andI’mseeing things in an entirely different light.”Hercheeks flame up as she wipes a hair from in front of her face. “Iwant to try something more with you, if it’s what you want.”

Shethinks that just because she was trying to get the attention of some douche who couldn’t bother to notice her for years, makes up for everything she did to me to get what she wanted?Iglare at her and scoff at the audacity.

“Also,”Georgiastates quickly, “Iwanted to tell you how sorryIam for hurting you, and thatIhope we can put it all behind us.Startfresh.”

Justas she says that, her phone pings with a text message and she glances at the screen, her eyebrows scrunching in confusion, before slipping it back into her pocket.Herattention falls back on me, a hopeful smile on her face. “I’dlove to take things further with you.Ifthere’s anythingIlearned after all this it’s thatIwantyou.”

Inod slowly asIstand from my seat and walk to the office door, then swing it open. “Asmuch asIappreciate the apology, there’s nothing you can say to me right now that would make me believe you.Youbetrayed me,Ms.Flowers, andIno longer trust you after that.So, respectfully,Ihave to decline, and would like to spend the rest of my lunch alone.”

Shetakes a deep breath, giving me a soft smile, even though her eyes are glistening with tears.I’msure she’s going to run into her office and cry alone and, even though my body is itching to comfort her,Isimply watch as she walks away with her shoulder slumped in defeat.Thisis what she truly wanted.Otherwise, she never would’ve done what she did in the first place.

OnceIsee that she’s safely inside her office,Ishut my door with much more force than necessary and aggressively sit down in my seat.TheItalianhoagieIheated up beforeIsat down is cold all over again, which only frustrates me further, andIthrow the entire thing into the trash.Irun a hand through my hair, groaning up at the ceiling asIthink about her words.

Iwant you.

Butwhy did it have to take hurting me for her to see that?Forher to realize that the person she’s wanted all along was me?Anddid she actually come to that realization, or didCamdenreject her andI’mthe second choice?Thereare so many possibilities, andIcan’t help but let the one of her actually wanting me cross my mind.

WouldIbe able to give her a chance?

Ishake my head.No.Sheruined that from the moment she decided to play with my feelings and use them for her own gain.There’sno way she couldn’t tellIfelt something for her, not after these last two years of trying not to cross the linesheput up.Whichis the exact reasonIcan’t give in to her words.

Instead,I’llstart putting myself out there.Maybeget on a dating app and find another lovely woman to go out with.It’sthe only thingIcan think of to possibly take my mind offGeorgia.

Ican’t let this go on any further.Thereare more women thanGeorgiaout there; the real question is are there any other womenlikeher out there?GuessI’llhave to find out for myself.

Chapter19

Georgia

It’sbeen a couple weeks sinceItoldBishopabout seeing him in a new light and admittingIwant to try more with him, and since he rejected me.Ithurt, butIcan't blame him.Ifhe had done whatIdid,I’dprobably feel the exact same way.Scratchthat,I’dmost definitely feel the same way as him andI’dexpect him toshowme he wants me — not just tell me.

That’swhyI’mnow over atWinnie’s, since she andSageare back from their weeks-long honeymoon, trying to talk to her aboutBishop.I’mnervous to talk to her, sinceIknow she was always rooting for me andCamdento get together, butIneed to get her opinion on everything.

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