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“Well what?”

“You sure you don’t mind?”

“Why would I give you the number if I minded?”

“I don’t know. You can be too nice sometimes.”

“That’s my problem, is it?”

“I need to go get ready,” she said, standing up. “It’s okay if I leave?”

“It’s okay, I promise,” I said, nodding toward the bottle. “More wine for me.” I smiled.

“Thank you for this. I need to find a good man.”

I swallowed, not sure Melvin was really someone to consider a good man. A uncomfortable feeling squirmed inside of me as I remembered my not-so-pleasant experience with him in Afghanistan. I’d told Kim about it, but she had insisted that I’d been ‘too-nice’ to him earlier, and he likely just misread the situation.

With Kim though, he would meet his match.

Feeling better, I smiled again. “I hope he works out for you,” I said.

She waved and walked toward the door.

“Call and let me know how it goes,” I called after her.

“You know I will!”

After she left, closing the front door behind her, I sat back and took another drink of wine. My eyes moved to the laptop screen, which had been left on a shirtless photo of Melvin.

I began to think about both Warren and Melvin.

Did I even really like either of them?

No, I told myself. I’m perfectly fine being alone for now, concentrating on my career.

Yet, as the night wore on, I found myself becoming more than a bit bitter about Kim going on a date with Melvin.

Why had I set up my best friend with him?

The thought left me feeling more upset with Warren and the games he was playing. As if I should tell him everything when he wasn’t telling me everything.

The night stretched on forever with no call from him, and I eventually went to bed, feeling more alone than ever before.

CHAPTER 22

Rose

Waking the next morning alone, I missed Warren.

Why did he have such an effect on me?

Had I made a mistake giving Kim Melvin’s number, or was I just upset about getting rid of an easy rebound from Warren? I couldn’t have both and at this rate, I would just end up having no one.

As I dragged myself out of bed and through my morning routine, I contemplated whether I should call Warren or not, ultimately deciding against it in favor of visiting my father instead.

He had moved to New York shortly after I did, wanting to be close to me. I usually visited him at least one Saturday a month, but hadn’t done it this month of June yet. He lived in Staten Island, which would take me a while to get to by train. The time I spent with him was worth it though. Growing up, my father had also played the role of mother after she died. Whenever I felt stuck in life, he was who I needed to see.

Lately, I’d been bogged down quite a bit. Did I really need either man? Sure, Warren could make me feel good in bed, but he kept secrets from me. And Melvin—if I was being honest with myself, I knew he wasn’t my Prince Charming by any stretch.