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ARROW

Flappingbat wings wreaked havoc in my stomach as I pulled into the parking lot of Healthy Smiles Dental Care, and my phone rang.

“Hi, Sylvia,” I said.

“Hey, babe. What are you doing? Where are you? I got invited to Real Rumor’s banquet in New York next week. Want to be my date?”

Why hadn’t she moved on? Our relationship had ended a while ago. She hadn’t taken the breakup seriously, even when I went on dates with other women. She believed I needed a break from her to realize who was best for me.

A woman who didn’t resonate with my heart wasn’t best for me even if she was beautiful.

“No, I can’t. I’m busy.”

“No, you’re not.” Irritation stirred in her.

“I’m busy, Sylvia. Ask someone else to accompany you.”

“But I wantyouto come.”

“We’re not a couple anymore,” I said calmly.

Silence hung in the air, and I could imagine her fuming as she always did when she didn’t get her way.

“Are you seeing someone?”

“Yes.” It wasn’t a lie. In my head, I was already seeing Vivian.

“Who is she?”

“No one you know.”

“Is she in our circle of friends?”

I was never in her circle of social media friends. I’d met two of her friendsonce.

“She’s a simple girl. Not in the limelight.”

Vivian was anything but that. However, I wasn’t going to add fuel to an already crazy fire.

She snorted. “That’s not your type.”

I didn’t have time for this. “She’s what I need.”

“You don’t know what you need yet.”

Perhaps not then, but I was beginning to understand my needs now. Needs and wants were different things. But Vivian fulfilled both requirements for me.

Like all my previous relationships, Sylvia had served as a temporary satisfaction until she got too clingy and hinted at marriage. I had wanted something that didn’t require all my attention, and Sylvia demanded all that.

“Sylvia, we’re just friends.”

“What about the wine expo in Monaco?” She huffed. “Are you accompanying me there?”

“I already have a date. You should ask Eric or Tyson.” They were wealthy bachelors within her circle.

“Tyson has asked me out several times, you know. But I told him I belong to you.”

I glanced at the clock on my dashboard. I didn’t drive all the way to the dentist to sit and chat with her in the parking lot.