Page 7 of The Love Interest

“Hello?”

“Still here.”

“I just want you to be happy.”

“I know.”

“You’re allowed to move on. No one will blame you. It’s not your fault she got sick, and it’s not your fault she died, and it’s not your fault you’re a man who needs a woman. Loving someone else doesn’t mean you didn’t loveher.”

Jesus.

When she talks, shereallytalks.

“Emmett? Still there?”

I start walking toward the diner again. It feels true, what she said. It would hurt if I actually let it in. Or maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe it would feel good to accept it.

I’m never lonely because I’ve never let Sophie go.

That is one true sentence.

Here’s another:I’ll never meet anyone I could fall in love with until it feels like I’m not betraying Sophie.

I’m not going to write those sentences into my story yet.

But I can’t ignore that they’re there, waiting for me to finally write that chapter.

“You should get back into law, sis. That was quite a closing statement.”

“Sorry. I’ve been wanting to say that for a long time. Except I’m not sorry. Are you okay?”

“Course I am.”

“Right. Course you are. Well, I have to go explain to my daughter why it’s important to sleep at night, so…”

“I have no doubt you will convince her.”

“Did I convinceyou? About what I said?”

“No. But thanks for saying it.”

“Yeah. Nighty night, kid.”

“Nighty night.”

I slide my phone back into my pocket and consider turning back to go home because how the fuck am I supposed to eat while I’m digesting everything my sister just said?

But I’m hungry.

And I still need inspiration.

And I still need to find a woman for Jack.

So, to the diner I go.

WILLIAM DEXTER

Put Down Your Dukes by Fiona Walker – Prologue