Well, Kitty, this is a tricky topic. It may be one of the trickiest in modern romance. You could have amazing chemistry with this guy you’ve been seeing—the kind where you spark every damn time you see him. The kind where you’ve met your match. But what if he doesn’t want the same things?
Deep breath.
Like I wrote in my planning notes—one, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You deserve love. And two, don’t be afraid to walk away if you’re not getting what you want.
And what if he does want the same things? What if he’s changed? What if he’s open to all the possibilities?
You won’t know unless you ask the question.
Chin up; lipstick on. Sometimes you have to talk to the frog no matter how much it scares you.
No matter how hard it feels.
Take heart, Kitty. You’re not alone, dear listener.
I’ll be right there with you, asking the question too.
I’d rather kiss this one frog than any others, but first, I have to use my mouth to tell him how I feel.
Wish me luck, just as I’ll be wishing you luck.
* * *
Your Most Devoted Guide to Romance
40
Trash or Treasure
Angeline steals me away as soon as she arrives at the fête. “Now, listen. I have my sights set on Max Walker.”
I’m aware she’s sweet on the art collector. She already told Coco, and me, and the rest of the team. “He assures me he’ll be here.”
She laughs, tugging on her rose-gold necklace. “I said that already, didn’t I?”
“You might have mentioned it,” I say with a smile, fighting to keep my focus on her.
But it’s hard with the piano mere feet away. Harder, too, with those fucking lights on the windows—those damn flickering lights.
The hardest part, though, is when I spot a blonde hostess introducing Bellamy to Kendrick Lawton. He runs a charity to promote literacy and has struggled to find a companion online. That’s why he turned to Carpe Diem. He’s old school, kind, smart, and completely open to love.
He’ll be perfect for Bellamy.
So damn perfect, she’ll fall in love tonight.
That can’t happen.
I drag my attention back to my corporate partner, but I’m only half present. I’m also hunting through my mental file on Kendrick. “It’s going to be great,” I say. “Max will be here soon. And we’ll make sure you talk to him. I know it’ll go well.” I’ve said similar words to many clients, many times, on many nights. But this time, they feel off.
Everything feels a little off tonight.
Angeline’s hand flutters around her necklace, tugging it again. “I’ll stay right here, by these pretty paintings and the champagne bar. It’s been a while since I even had a date. But here I am, because romance is my Achilles’ heel. I can’t resist trying again.”
That’s it! I need to find Kendrick’s Achilles’ heel, and I think I’ve got it. I know from my database that the dapper man loves Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
“Excuse me for just a moment,” I tell Angeline, then I leave her and head toward Bellamy at the bar. The brunette is chatting with the bespectacled guy and . . . no.
Just no.
If I’m not responding to app messages, she doesn’t get to talk to dudes.
Plastering on a smile, I stride right over to them. “Hello, Bellamy. Hello, Kendrick. How is everything tonight?”
The man flashes me a grin. “Fantastic, now that I’ve met Bellamy.”
“Bellamy makes everything better,” I agree pleasantly, but I’m a cat playing with a mouse.
“Thanks, Easton,” she says, then laughs. She sounds a touch nervous. Maybe about me coming over. But the three-second lull in the conversation that comes next is my opening, and I take it.
“I heard your podcast. So amazing how many times you’ve tried online dating,” I say, taking my time with the mouse.
“You heard my podcast today?” There’s a note of hope in her voice.
I didn’t have a chance to hear today’s podcast. But I know her schtick, and I nod. “How you’ve got to kiss a lot of frogs.”
“Okay,” she says tentatively, glancing at Kendrick and back at me. “And you want to talk about it now?”
I shrug, fueled by bravado and jealousy and other strange feelings brewing inside me. “Sure. Why not? We could talk about all the things you’re looking for in romance, like we discussed the other week. This’ll be fun.” I rub my palms together, getting ready to go for the kill.
“I’m not sure now is the moment,” Bellamy says, her eyes asking what the hell I’m doing.
I don’t know either but something has a hold of me as I turn to the man who thinks he can win her. “Kendrick, did you know Bellamy thinks Daisy Buchanan is a selfish twat?”
Kendrick jerks his gaze back to me, blinking in confusion. “Oh. Is that so?” He sounds flummoxed, and that’s excellent.