Page 33 of Where We Belong

“We’ll be traveling a lot,” Bodhi muses when I ask about the future. “Living our best lives together.”

I blink, confused. “Do you see us eventually living together?”

He makes a noncommittal sound. “I mean, we could get a place to share during my kid-free months. But you can never really be part of their lives.”

My jaw drops. “Wait… why are we even dating if I can never meet your kids, and you don’t want a real future?”

“We’re having fun,” he says, as if it’s obvious. As if I’m crazy for wanting more.

I recall him saying in Paris he wasn’t an easy man to love—or was it to get along with? I can’t remember but that was clearly an understatement. With all his baggage and restrictions, we can never move forward. I’m just a fun destination for him, not a home port where we can build a life together.

Ben’s questions come back to mind, and I have to ask them because I hate to live in a world where Benedict Farrow is right about the man I’m dating. “Are you sure you’re even divorced?”

“Of course,” he insists. “We just have a very unconventional custody agreement. But we’re done, I swear.”

I can’t help but laugh bitterly. Bodhi seems to check all the boxes on paper, but the fantasy dissolves under closer inspection. Whether he’s trying to spite his ex or cling to her, I want no part of it.

Though our time together was enjoyable, it’s time to leave this car ride—permanently.

“Would you mind taking me home?” I ask abruptly.

He frowns, eyes fixed ahead. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“I just realized that my sister was right,” I say, releasing a hollow chuckle.

“Care to share more?”

Since this is the last time I’m seeing him, I might as well be honest. “She said I had a type, emotionally unavailable men.”

“I could fall for you, if we had more time,” he argues.

I roll my eyes. “I’m not interested.”

Because even if he did love me someday, that’s as far as we could go. It would be the same movie on repeat—me falling helplessly while he holds back. I already lived that script once with Benedict. I won’t keep recasting the role, hoping for a different ending.

“We could really try, make it work,” Bodhi presses earnestly.

I just laugh mirthlessly. “No thanks.”

I slump back in my seat, staring out the window. I’m done chasing men who will never prioritize me. It’s time I learn to walk away when they show me who they are. No more waiting around for unavailable men to change.

Chapter Seventeen

Cory: Men are stupid.

Ben: All of them or just a few of us.

Cory: You’re probably on top of the list.

Ben: I would agree, but I have the feeling I’m not the only stupid man. What happened?

Cory: I want to believe that Bodhi is indeed divorced, and he has a pretty unconventional custody agreement.

Ben: What happened?

Cory: He can’t get married until his youngest (who is five or six years old) turns eighteen. He shares a house with his ex-wife but only lives there every other month with the children. It sounds… weird.

Ben: I can ask my brother to look for the divorce settlement. Finn can hack almost anything.

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