Page 196 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 3

"It was officially over when you gave him back the ring."

I ran my thumb along the spot where my ring had once been.

Kendra clicked on Patrick's name. "See." She turned her screen to me. There was a picture of Patrick with his arms wrapped around some brunette girl with huge breasts.

"Okay. I'll change my relationship status to single. I'm going to go get my work done."

"Bee." Kendra put her hand on my wrist. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to make you upset. I'm just trying to help."

"No, it's fine. You're right. If he really wanted me, he would have tried to make it work. I'll change it." I walked back to my desk and sat down.

I had thought Patrick and I were okay. We were both working long hours. When I had found out about him cheating, he had said it was my fault. That I wasn't giving him what he needed. Because I came back from work tired and ready for bed. So for a long time after I found out he was cheating I had blamed myself. As if him being a dick was somehow my fault. It wasn't. He was just an asshole. And I did need to move on. He wasn't the same person that he was when he had proposed. When he had proposed he had meant what he said. But the city had changed him. His new life wasn't something that I fit into. And now it seemed more like it was because I never belonged in New York in the first place.

***

"Hey, are you almost done?" Kendra was standing by my desk holding the dress in her hands. There were only a few people in the office still. It was past 5 o'clock on a Friday. Most people had left exactly at five.

"No. But I should be done in a few hours."

"Is it something I could help with?"

"You're already letting me borrow your dress. You should go have fun at that bar."

"Look, Bee, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have looked at Patrick's Facebook page. I wasn't trying to rub it in your face..."

"I know. You're just trying to help. And I am ready to get over him. But what if I don't know how? I don't even remember how to go on a date."

Kendra laughed and pulled up a chair to my desk. "Of course you know how to date. It's like riding a bike."

"A bike doesn't try to have a conversation with you."

"But you ride both a date and a bike."

"Oh, God." I rolled my eyes.

"Just be yourself, Bee. Any guy would be lucky to have you. You should try that thing where you say yes to everything."

"So, like if he says let's go have sex in my car I should say yes without even thinking about it?"

"Absolutely."

"I thought you told me to be myself."

Kendra laughed. "Well be a sexy, flirtatious version of yourself. How about I call you at nine? That way if you need an escape you can pretend there's some emergency you need to attend to."

"Now you're talking."

"Okay. I'll call at nine. But if you're already home in bed alone, I'm never speaking to you again. Our friendship is over." Kendra stood up.

"That's a little harsh."

"Tough love, Bee. And don't you dare start talking about Patrick on your date. There's nothing less sexy than talking about an ex on a date."

"Okay. I didn't realize how many rules there were to blind dates."

"You'll be fine. I'll call you at nine. Have fun." She gave me a huge smile.

"When you smile like that you look like a psychopath."

"Thanks. Bye, Bee."

"Bye, Kendra."