Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
He took a deep breath. “What?”
“So, I should forgive you and say fine, you made a mistake and you didn’t mean to say the things you did? You’re not after forever, are you?” Lisa asked. “You’re only after your kind of fun until you get bored.”
There was no good way to get out of this.
Lisa shook her head. “I want forever, Shadow. That is all I ever wanted. I want to find a man, fall in love, have children, build a life with him. I’m not after a couple of weeks or months of a good time. Now that I know what you’re after, I know this is never going to work. So, please, if you had any respect for me at all, leave me alone.”
He watched her leave.
Chapter Three
One Month Later
The flowers were lovely, and Lisa couldn’t bring herself to throw them out. She couldn’t grow flowers, so the very least she could do was watch them flourish before they died. When it came to the chocolates, she took them to the coffee shop for anyone who wanted a sweet treat.
The jewelry was sent back. All nonperishable goods were returned to the sender. She would make the courier wait, or whoever he got delivering the items, to wait. Once she opened it, she didn’t even hesitate. They went back.
She wasn’t kidding with Shadow. He wanted a good time. She was looking for forever.
Walking to the coffee shop, Adele was already waiting for her. It was her turn to open.
“You look like shit,” Adele said.
“Thanks, that is what every single woman wants to hear, just how crappy she looks.” She opened the coffee shop, and while she went through to the register to start opening, Adele began to open the blinds, put the chairs back on the floor, and under the tables.
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” Lisa said.
“No chocolates today?”
“None. This time I got flowers. A bunch of wild ones,” Lisa said.
“That’s nice.” Adele knew she didn’t accept any of the gifts. Also, whenever Shadow came into the shop, Adele made sure to serve him.
Pam was different. Over the past month, she had gotten close to the other woman. Pam wasn’t trying to get her to make things right with Shadow. She agreed with her. If Shadow wasn’t looking for forever, then it was over.
“Yeah, they were pretty.”
“I’m just throwing this out there, but have you ever thought about … forgiving him?” Adele asked.
This made her pause and look toward her friend.
Adele held her hands up. “For a guy who only wants you for sex, don’t you think he is putting in a little too much effort? Not that you’re not worth it, but come on, it has to make you think.”
Lisa smiled. “You’d think so, but I was clear with him. I told him what I wanted, and he didn’t feel the same way. We both want different things, and I’m not going to give in to him. I want forever, not just a good time.”
Her friend sighed. “Although a good time sounds pretty nice.”
She laughed. “What is going on with you? Since when do you take Shadow’s side?”
“I’m not taking his side. I just … don’t you think it is kind of romantic that he’s getting you all these gifts, and I know he’s talked bad things about you and stuff like that. I don’t know. Ignore me. I don’t have a clue what I’m talking about.”
Lisa smiled at her friend. “You want to believe in romance?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s the fact we’re heading to fall, and I’m going to be watching all my favorite movies and shows, and living here, it kind of sucks.”
“You think living here sucks?”
“Living with men and women that are just after a good time. You know, the romantic in me is dying.”
Lisa pushed some of her hair out of the way. “It’s not always like that. There are married couples here. Then there is Eloise and Beau. They’ve made it work.”
“Yeah, but if you believe the rumor, she had to get pregnant for him to see reason.” Adele sighed. “You know what, ignore me. I was watching a romance movie last night, and I know I shouldn’t because it just makes me sad.”
“Stop it,” Lisa said, rounding the counter and going to her friend. “I get it. Sometimes we watch movies and it only reminds us of what we wanted to be, and somehow we’ve ended up as something else.”
“You get that?”
Lisa nodded. She hugged her friend. “Yeah, I get it. For the longest time, I wanted to meet the man of my dreams, fall in love, get married, have children. I wanted to be the stay-at-home wife, baking pies and cookies, decorating the house for Halloween and Christmas. Being the one they can depend on. You know, it’s kind of silly.”
“It’s not silly,” Adele said. “I’m sorry Shadow is not the guy you thought he might be.”