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“No, it’s not that. It’s—”

“You have no idea. You think you can come in and point out all the things I’m not doing right?” Miranda’s voice was tight, the pitch high and tense.

“No.” Tori put her hands up, trying to go back to wherever she had mis-stepped.

“I don’t need your help.” Miranda stepped past Tori and headed into the daycare. She didn’t touch Tori, but the movement felt as though she had shoved Tori aside.

Tori watched in silence and shock. That had taken a way worse turn than she had anticipated. She was rooted to the spot in the parking lot, unable to move. Torn between checking out the sway of Miranda’s hips and the utter disgust that seemed to radiate from the set of Miranda’s shoulders, Tori was flabbergasted.

What the hell had she been thinking? What had Aili been thinking? Even entertaining the idea of friendship with that woman was ridiculous, let alone the fantasies of anything beyond that. She had to stop living in a fantasy world and remember who Miranda was. Cold-hearted. Impenetrable. Not interested.

Miranda might have been pretty to look at, but she was not what Tori needed. Tori needed to focus on her before-thirty goal, and there was no way she would spend a lifetime with a woman who was so fragile that Tori would need to step around broken glass to be in a relationship with her.

Thankfully, Tori’s phone rang, pulling her eyes and her thoughts away from Miranda. She pulled the phone from her pocket and looked at the display. An unknown number. One more deep cleansing breath before she answered.

“Hello, you’re speaking with Tori Frazee.”

The voice on the other end was familiar beneath the sobs and hysteria.

So much for a nice morning.

At least Tori had something else to focus on, even if it was the death of Nadine’s grandma.

“I’m so sorry. I’m on my way.”

See? Now Nadine knew how to ask for help. Miranda? Nope. She couldn’t even take it when offered. Tori couldn’t be with a woman like that. Miranda would drive her crazy with her neuroses. Still, Tori was running short on time to find her soulmate before she turned thirty. She only had nine more months.

six

No way. No fucking way.

Tori stopped short right in the entryway to the funeral home. Nadine had invited her, which was odd, but with Tori’s job, it wasn’t abnormal either. But she had never expected to walk in and see this. Her heart was in her throat, and even though she knew she should be looking for Nadine, she couldn’t stop looking at Miranda.

She had on a tight gray dress that flared with an edge at her hips so it looked more like a skirt and jacket. A black belt was tight across her waist, showing off her beautiful figure. Her long hair was plaited over her shoulder, and her makeup was on point today. Tori stuttered. She had not pegged Miranda for working at a funeral home, but it did make sense why she was dressed so nicely all the time.

What was she supposed to do?

Because turning tail and walking out wasn’t an option. Nadine needed her, and Tori wouldn’t let her go through this without strong support. Squaring her shoulders, Tori put on her professional face. She had to remember she was there for a job—mostly. Nadine was a friend too, but this is literally what she was paid to do with many life-coach clients.

Tori stepped up in the line, waiting for Miranda to hand her a program. It took a second, but her honeyed eyes registered Tori’s presence the moment she stepped in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” Miranda’s tone was frozen and sharp.

“Uh…I’m here for Nadine.”

Miranda’s lips tightened into a thin line, her gaze flicking over Tori’s shoulder to something behind her. “Lee Ann’s granddaughter.”

“Yeah,” Tori breathed out. “She’s a friend of mine and asked me to come.”

Miranda held her hand out with the program she was giving to every person who walked in. “The family has gathered together. You may take a seat with everyone else behind the reserved spots.” She held her hand out toward the chapel.

“Oh…uh…” Tori glanced toward the chapel then back at Miranda. “Nadine wanted me to sit with her, I think.”

“That’s reserved for immediate family only.”

“I…” Tori stopped. She glanced around her, more people filing in, most friends of Lee Ann based on their age. They wouldn’t know half the drama with the family that Tori did. “Can I just say hello to her?”

“No.”