Page 124 of Back in the Saddle

I really needed to click into a man’s vibe.

And his schedule.

Because I’d just talked about the guy last night, and it didn’t occur to me a visit was imminent.

In other words, Braydon was there.

He also was gorgeous, but he wasn’t anywhere near the ballpark where Eric’s gorgeous resided.

“Hey, Braydon,” I replied, and felt Luna’s attention, Dream’s, Raye’s, and now Harlow had found something to do close by.

Yeah.

They’d sensed his mission.

And I totally missed the vibe.

He slid on a stool in front of me. “How’s things?”

Right, except for my boyfriend who moved to Michigan (and that was easy, I just had to say, “No, I don’t want to go with you”), I’d never had to let a guy down.

Either my edginess, darkness, or lack of ambition (huh) sent them packing. Or if I wasn’t feeling it, I ghosted them.

How did a chick do this?

I moved to stand across from him at the bar. “Things are good, Braydon.”

He smiled widely at me.

“I thought she was with Eric,” Daisy whispered loudly.

“Shush!” Shirleen shushed her.

But Braydon heard them.

“Are they talking about you?” he asked.

Why was this hard?

This shouldn’t be hard.

He broke my heart.

No, he put me downwhilebreaking my heart.

I hadn’t given him that first indication I was considering reconciliation. I’d been friendly, in the way an employee was friendly to any customer, but in no way could he construe I was pining for him.

Because I wasn’t.

With that in mind, I asked, “What can I get you?”

“Are you seeing someone?” he asked.

“Sorry?”

“Are. You.Seeing. Someone?” he enunciated very clearly.

“Not to be rude, Bray, but that really isn’t your business.”

---