out with my best friend. Don’t you enjoy spending time with me?”
“Oh, sure, I love feeling like I’m at the center of an episode of The Bachelor.”
He almost choked on his coffee as he laughed. “You know, sometimes you are really funny.”
“I have an annual quota. That was my last one for the year. Hope you enjoyed it. Now go to work. I’m trying to read, and that girl is going to get fired if you don’t stop distracting her.”
“Okay, I’ll let you get back to your book. See you later, Mike.”
“See ya.” With that she was back with her nose in the book. It was as if he had never even been there. He tried not to be offended by that as he headed to the door. He noticed the girl behind the counter again, still looking his way. He lifted his cup in her direction, acknowledging her, causing her to blush red again. It never got old.
* * *
Micah had set about her day purposely ignoring the dream she had the night before. A dream like that could easily set her back again.
Her mind wanted to get lost in the past again. Her heart craved the love she had once believed would last forever. But she couldn’t do it. She wouldn’t let herself go through this again.
Knowing her empty apartment was the last place she should be in this vulnerable state, she’d found refuge in a busy coffee shop and within the pages of a mystery novel. She’d never expected to see Josh, and with the current betrayal and instability of her heart and mind, he was the last person she wanted to see.
She didn’t want to talk to him. Didn’t even want to see him. His presence was a complication, and only made matters worse. How could she address one problem while he was creating new problems?
She’d kept the conversation light and casual and hoped her traitorous body wouldn’t reveal anything about the effect he had on her. She had to stay away from him. For now, at least.
Micah had left the coffee shop shortly after Josh did, unable to focus on her novel any longer. She found herself back in her quiet and empty apartment. Sabina wouldn’t be home until late, leaving her alone with her overpowering thoughts.
She tried to fight it, but the pull was intense. Her plan was an absolute failure. In an effort to neatly contain her grief in a box, she had only further remained lost in this grieving process. Healing would never happen until the grief was faced head-on, until she allowed herself to work through the emotions and to feel them one by one.
She was pissed. None of this was fair to her. She had hopes and dreams, and long ago they had been centered around Drew. In an instant, everything had been stolen from her. She would never know what it would feel like to stand opposite him as he lifted her veil and claimed her as wife. She would never see the children they would have had. Would they have had Drew’s bright blue eyes and her red hair?
She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to hit someone.
It wasn’t fair!
She needed a distraction. Turning on some music, she cranked the volume and cleaned the apartment from top to bottom, hoping to redirect some of this hostility toward the grime building in the bathroom.
Word had gotten back to Micah that Josh had a new girlfriend. This new piece of information should not shock her or bother her. He was showing typical behavior. She was the one who had been acting abnormally lately.
He was allowed to date. She had no claim on him. Never had and never would. However, it did annoy her that he had started seeing someone and had failed to mention it to her the other day at the coffee shop. There had always been an unspoken understanding between them. She always met the girlfriends before they became his girlfriends. Her approval was required.
It shouldn’t bother her, but oh, were her feathers ruffled. Hanna must have felt the same way, arranging a girlfriend meet and greet in the guise of a housewarming party. Or maybe it was a housewarming party with the added bonus of being able to sneak a peek at the new girlfriend. It didn’t matter.
She sat in her car, in Hanna and Nathan’s driveway, seriously considering heading back home. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to go in or not. Meeting the girlfriend was important, but she wasn’t looking forward to seeing Josh again.
Micah turned the car back on and reached for her seat belt when a knock on the window made her jump.
Busted.
“Where are you going?” Jamie opened her car door and stuck his head inside. “If I have to be here, so do you.”
“Oh, I just forgot—ah! Never mind.” She let go of the seat belt, turned the car off again and bravely stepped out of the car.
“Dang, girl! You look hot!”
Heat rushed to the surface of her cheeks, and she was sure they were turning an embarrassing shade of red. She looked down at her black leather leggings and electric-blue suede booties.
She was trying something new in an effort to feel better about herself, but it had only caused her to second-guess herself more. She felt so insecure in the new clothes, but she kept recalling Sabina’s lecture on confidence. Confidence makes the outfit. You can pull off anything as long as you do it confidently.
Therefore, she doubted her ability to pull off the look. “I don’t look ridiculous?”
“Heck, no!” He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her along. “You’re walking in with me.”
“Wow. This place is crazy. I bet it cost a buttload of money.” Hanna had been adamant about finishing the decorating before anyone saw it. It was impressive, to say the least. Colonial architecture provided history and elegance, but the modern upgrades gave it an element of luxury. “Hanna must be making a lot more money than she’s been letting on. Next time we go out, we should make her buy.”
“I was just thinking the same thing!”
The oversize front door opened to them as they walked up to it. Hanna greeted them, looking as if she’d just stepped out of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine with her happy-homeowner look. “Yay! You’re here! Let me take your coats.”
“Hanna, your home is gorgeous!”
“Thanks. Wow, Mike. Love the outfit.”
“See? I told ya.” Jamie’s elbow shot out and nudged her in the side.
“Nathan, come get these coats and put them away,” Hanna called out, disappearing into another room.
“Guess we have to give ourselves a tour.”
“I think that sounds like a good idea.” Taking Jamie’s offered arm, she followed him as they went off to explore the huge house in all of its glory. Each room was filled with people—people in suits—Hanna and Nathan’s type of people. Their conversations were even boring in passing.
She could hear Josh’s voice coming from farther down the hall. A delicious tingle traveled down
