Where The Heart Stayed

why he didn't just dump me after I canceled plans on him the first time, because he kept trying to find that g

e went on. "I can't reme

ree months. It's a littl

u know,

s. "Then I gues

ret, I hung up the phone, then texted him that it was over. I'd mail his toothbrush ba

relationship right now. I want to concentrate on my career-I don't have time to mess with guys I might end up dumping in a

shaking his head. "Look

ry over any guy," Nanc

seldom cried, anyway, and over some guy? Absolutely not. Nancy always said it was because all my re

n in love," she once said

had said. I didn't even know wh

who is kicking ass at work and owns an apartment on the Upper East Side," she went on, and then that s

ick the habit. I shrugged. I could tell them the truth-that every time I walked through the door, I expected t

eat," I

same glance, as if they didn't believe m

et's find this famous chef of yours and woo him to the dark s

king around to see if he could catch anyone's eye, but he was much too p

ly about building his author list, but sometimes I wondered if these outings; the concert on Governors Island, the op

convince someone after they've seen you blackout drunk, sobbing on you

st person to love, and their loyalty meant more than I could ever admit. These "fi

from another table. I wasn't sure if that's how you were supposed to do it at a fancy res

"The manicured

lso could we perhaps t

he server as I added, "Please tell him we're from Strauss and Adde

put in the dessert order. Dave clapped quietly to himself once the server had gone. "Here we go! Ooh, do you feel that thrill? It never gets old." His excitement was infectious, even though I

ow about we set Lola up with that new guy

te," Dav

. "I'm not ready to jump into a

over him! And it'

ded as I finished skimming the message, and popp

something wrong? We haven't

ne of my authors on tour just got stranded in Denver, and Juliette's not answering her emails. Put lunch on that and I'll see you at

il. I hugged them both and stole one last fried goat cheese b

Dave cried.

nd he went to the other. I shot my hand out to grab it as he went to grab me, and

e," he sa

handed him back the dessert and stepped away. "I am so sorry!" A blush rose too quickly on my cheeks.

h I guess?"

the restaurant. Two calls to Southwest Airlines and four city blocks later, I had the author on the next flight to their final tour stop. I descended into the subway to make my way back to M

hings?-out