Page 53 of It's Not PMS, It's You

While Barney bragged about the bagel recipes in detail and how he would take them with him to the grave, I used the opportunity to sneak out the front door and dart down the sidewalk.

“There she goes again!” Barney called out from behind me. “She’s a runner and a tough nut to crack. You forgot your free bagel again!”

I ignored him and raced around the corner, slipping inside the front door of a restaurant.

I didn’t even know which restaurant it was, but it didn’t matter.

I was starving and would have eaten cardboard at that point.

I would just have to have lunch with Dee in the office, and then get back to my massive to-do list. I placed my order for Italian food. As I waited for the food, I sent a text to Dee.

Ruth: Another bust.

Dee: What? How is that possible? The date started ten minutes ago. You already left?

Ruth: I left skid marks in the driveway, which is not easy since I was on foot. Maybe I should wear my running shoes to the next date, just to be prepared.

Dee: What happened this time?

Ruth: Barney happened.

Dee: Barney? I don’t get it. You were supposed to meet Max.

Ruth: I did and then we ran into Barney.

Dee: Sounds like fate.

Ruth: More like a nightmare. But hey, Barney is going to buy solar panels for his house from Max and Max received a dozen free bagels and a new bowling partner. Sounds like they were meant to be.

Dee: And what do you get out of the deal?

Ruth: Freedom from not seeing either one of them again. The only thing I want at this point is some food in my system before I kill somebody. I already ordered and will be there shortly to eat with you. And by the way, this online dating thing is not working at all.

Dee: Don’t worry because Dr. Dee is here to prescribe just what you need. Another 25 men who want you! You’re in demand! And I have you scheduled for another lunch date tomorrow. And yes, I’m still pretending to be you. Sue me.

Ruth: Do you secretly want to be me when you grow up?

Dee: Who said I was ever going to grow up?

I laughed and tucked the phone back in my purse. Even with two bad dates in a row, I was still adamant about finding my soulmate. I didn’t know what I had to do, but I did know that I wasn’t going to give up.

I was going to find love, even if it killed me.

Chapter Twelve

NICK

I had to admit that I was a little nervous, waiting for Ruth to come back home after that debacle this morning. She told me not to touch anything, to leave everything the way it was, but the guilt I had carried in my shoulders and neck wouldn’t let me leave it like that. Ruth had made her thoughts very clear to me and that’s why I needed to make it right. Actually, I made it better.

Yes, I was stubborn sometimes, but I also wanted to always make things right. I’d spent all day with Brandon making sure Ruth’s backyard was in better shape than when she had left it and gone to work this morning. I’d even brought in a couple of extra guys for a few hours to help.

Ten hours working, nonstop, no breaks except for the bathroom, and no food.

The only time I left the backyard was to take Karma down the street for a quick pee.

Brandon had gone to buy dog food, a leash, and poop bags for me since I still hadn’t been able to get a hold of Karma’s owners. The dog had been a good girl all day long, like she knew she had gotten in trouble this morning and was trying to make up for it.

I was dead-tired and starving, but I wasn’t looking for sympathy from Ruth or anyone else because I was the one who had gotten myself into this mess, along with the help of a beautiful dog who was just being a dog.