Chapter 7
Chapter 7
“Angela, don’t you think it’s a bit rushed to meet up today?” I asked.
“Trust me, the best way to get over a guy is to jump right into another one. It’s a classic move!” Angela grinned.
“But-
Angela cut me off, her curiosity piqued. “Laurel, you’re not seriously thinking about fixing things with that loser, are you?”
“No.” I shot back without hesitation, took a deep breath, and added, “Alright. Let’s do this.”
“Awesome! I’ll text you the details in ten minutes. Make sure to check it, alright?”
After hanging up, I couldn’t help but crack a bittersweet smile.
Wise people wouldn’t fall in love easily, and six years were a long time to invest.
Yet, oddly, the idea of a complete breakup didn’t sting as much as I expected. Maybe all that disappointment had built up to this moment.
Surprisingly, I didn’t feel sad at all. Instead, there was just this strange emptiness in my heart.
Five minutes later, Angela shot me a message about my date being at a downtown restaurant. The name rang a bell—it was one of those trendy places on Yelp.
Autumn was here, and those maple leaves were turning red. A cool breeze swept over me, sending a little chill down my spine.
As I walked out of the hospital, I passed by a row of cozy little restaurants.
I grabbed a big bowl of spicy cheese dip – Austin never liked spicy foods, and I hadn’t even dared to touch a chili pepper in
ages.
He always said that spicy food was bad for the stomach, so I’d kept it off the table, and I was not allowed to eat it anymore.
Holding that steaming bowl of rich, creamy cheese dip, I grabbed a few roasted cloves of garlic to go with it.
Austin couldn’t stand the smell of garlic, so even when he wasn’t around, I’d avoid eating it just in case.
After a big bite, I felt this wave of sourness wash over me, and my eyes started to prick with tears.
It hit me then – there was no such thing as a fairytale ending in this six-year saga. He never really treated me special.
I was the one always scaling back, stepping down, while Austin simply took it all in stride, oblivious to what I was giving up.
And now, I was on the edge of a cliff.
After finishing my meal and settling the bill, I got a transfer from the agent. The moment I saw the money, my earlier reluctance seemed to lift.
Six years wasn’t exactly in vain. At least I saved up enough to pay full price for my house, which I sold for forty percent more. It was true-money felt way more reliable than men.
On my way back, I got a friend request on WhatsApp. I thought it might be the blind date set up by Angela.
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I clicked on the request, and all I found was a standard landscape avatar that looked a bit familiar. After I got through the Verification, Bonnie texted me.
My mom was still fuming. Bonnie told me to head home and rest first, and my suitcase was left in the security room. I frowned a bit, already bracing for this reaction.
It was only natural for a mom to struggle with something like this. If she knew Austin had someone else in mind, she’d be even more upset.
As I grabbed my suitcase and headed out of the hospital, Bonnie sent another message, asking who my secret lover was. I couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly. Why did my mom buy my story so easily that there was a third person?
After a moment of thought, I had to admit my mom wasn’t totally off-base. If there wasn’t someone else in the picture, I wouldn’t have broken up with Austin so close to the wedding and just rushed home.
Before I could respond to Bonnie, my phone started ringing-it was her again.
“Laurel, we should probably be honest,” Bonnie said, her voice a bit shaky.
“Aunt Bonnie, if Mom finds out Austin hit me and moved on, do you really think she’d just let the Herrera family off the hook?” I asked.
There was a pause on the other end as Bonnie considered my words. “So how are you planning to cover that up?”
I bit my lip, thinking it over. “Let me figure it out.”
“Alright, just remember, your mom’s condition is already tense, and I don’t want to see her lose it again. Just go home and get some rest.”
I hung up, hopped into a cab, and couldn’t shake the thought of that ridiculously handsome face-Alex.
When I finally got home, I crashed straight into bed and dozed off until it got dark outside. I was jolted awake by a call from Angela. “Hey, you’re not sleeping, are you?”
I rolled over, still half-asleep, and mumbled, “You’re done with work?”
“Well, it’s totally normal for a guy to wait for a girl, but don’t keep him waiting too long, okay? Once you’re done, hit me up, and let’s go get you drunk,” she replied.
I froze for a second, smacking my forehead as I remembered I’d totally spaced on my blind date. “I gotta go! I really need to get up.”
I scrambled into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and threw on some fresh clothes. It wasn’t until I hopped in the cab that I realized this date wasn’t even with Austin-who, let’s be real, had never bothered to give me the time of day.
As I gazed out at the neon lights streaming by, a bitter smile crept across my face. Austin used to love me. I could see it clearly when he didn’t anymore.
So, it hit me: he didn’t choose me, he was stuck with me. Deep down, I knew that all along but just chose to ignore it.
In the end, though, I decided it was time to let go.
I showed up at the restaurant a whole half hour early. This place was usually packed, but I was surprised to see just one other
customer.
I took a deep breath, starting to wonder if I had the wrong spot, when a waitress in a smock approached me. “Miss, are you
here to dine?”
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I nodded, feeling a bit awkward. “Yeah, I have a reservation for table nine. I might be a tad early.”
The waitress hesitated for a moment, her expression turning from neutral to surprisingly professional. “Miss, he is already waiting for you. Please, right this way.”
My heart raced-Angela wouldn’t have set me up with an old guy, would she?
Last time, I was just joking about wanting someone mature. But an old man? If he had kids my age, it’d be like living in a drama every day.
Still, I didn’t expect this guy to be so punctual, showing up a full half hour early.
As I walked toward the restaurant’s center, my footsteps softened a bit, and I glanced over at the pretty waitress next to me. “Why aren’t there any other customers here?” I asked curiously.
“He prefers to keep it private,” the waitress replied, her voice calm and measured.
I chose to stay quiet. Who exactly had Angela set me up with?
The guy was wearing a slick black suit, and with his back turned to me, it was hard to tell much about him.
But the way his clothes fit and his build suggested he wasn’t some old dude.
“Sir, your guest has arrived,” the waitress announced.
He gave a slight nod, his long, attractive fingers playfully adjusting his tie. As he turned around, a lazy smile spread across his lips. “Hey there, I’m Alex Herrera.”
