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CHAPTER ONE

VERITY

Dating in the city sucks.

Don’t let anyone say otherwise.

I tap my phone screen for what feels like the hundredth time, lighting it up in the hope that maybe I missed a message. But…nope. There are no new notifications. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

My fingers itch to swipe the phone open, but I flip the screen facedown, so I’m not tempted.

I tell myself I can’t keep staring at the text thread, hoping that it will cause a response to magically appear from him when I haven’t heard from him in hours. That’s right. Hours.

I am self-aware enough to know that I am a sucker when it comes to men and dating. I put total faith in guys after just one date, envisioning what our future could possibly look like and falling under their spell. It’s something I really need to change.

I swear, if he doesn’t show up tonight, I’m never dating again.

Okay, maybe that’s a smidge excessive. But I sure as heck will promise myself not to get swept away after just a few dates. I will hold myself back. I will make the next guy chase me like I actually mean something. I will make him prove to me that he is serious before I go all in. I’m sick of cradling my heart after it gets tossed on the ground by men who don’t give a crap.

My phone vibrates and my eyes dart to the device, hand flicking out to turn it over.

Well, that resolve lasted about five minutes.

The screen shows nothing other than a notification for thirty percent off shoes from a brand that I like. The silent message thread below it glares back at me, and I swallow what little pride I have left and click on it, my fingers tapping out one last message.

Which is definitely a bad decision.

I slide the texts to the side, noting each of the timestamps. My upper lip curls with a slight wince at how utterly pathetic the messages look.

10:21 am Me:Morning :) Can’t wait to see you tonight!

1:05 pm Me:The restaurant is going to be to dieeee for

1:06 pm Me:i just looked up their drink menu *drool emoji*

2:49 pm Mike:I’m going to be late. I have a showing

2:53 pm Me:All good!! I can push the res by 15

2:54 pm Me:I’ll see u then
7:40 pm Me:On my way

8:01 pm Me:Just got here :) lmk when ur on the way

8:39 pm Me:ETA?

8:50 pm Me:Mikeee??

9:06 pm*missed call from Verity*

9:13 pm Me:Are u all good?

9:41 pm Me:???

Sourness swirls through my gut, and I force myself to shut my phone and toss it into my purse so I don’t get tempted again.

This is getting beyond pathetic.