Page 58 of Actually Yours

Bella turns to me and my stomach drops at the look on her face. It’s like all her stars have aligned and every one of our problems has been solved. Right here and now. At this gala dinner.

“That’s right, heisa firefighter. And we just so happen to be up to the letter…F!”

I guzzle down the rest of the champagne in my glass and grab another one from a tray that’s floating by me. “I told you, Bella. No more dating plan.”

“But that’s the beauty of this. It’s not in the plan, it’s just…meant to be.”

I scoff at her dreamy expression and shake my head. “Not going to happen.”

“But…”

“No, Bella. No more set ups.”

“What if it’s not a set up?” Daniel asks. “What if you are both just at the same place at the same time? And he just was walking up right as we speak?”

The two of them have their attention glued to something behind me, and I search frantically for a way to get out of this. I simply cannot deal with another random set up that is bound to go horribly wrong.

“Daniel.”

I turn slightly at the gruff voice from directly behind me…to find a very attractive man in a tuxedo, smiling brightly at the three of us.

“Joe!” Daniel thumps his friend on the back. A manly greeting. “Good to see you. You remember my wife, Bella? And this is her friend, Amelia.”

Joe smiles at Bella before turning his dark brown eyes on me. Objectively speaking, this Joe character is hot. Like stupid hot. A man-mountain, stacked with muscles and wavey hair and a charming grin. And it’s making me feel…nothing.

“Hi.” I give him a small wave, earning a wide grin in response.

“Nice to meet you.”

From the corner of my eye, I see Bella nudging Daniel away and I vow to kill her at the next available opportunity. She’s so determined to play matchmaker; she’s forgotten her role as best friend. As in, don’t leave me to deal with another strange man who will inevitably end up a dud, best friend.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Joe tells me, swirling the ice around in the glass he’s holding.

That can’t be good.

“You have?”

“Daniel has mentioned you a few times. I’d been hoping to meet you one day.”

The bashful look on his face has me melting, just a little, and I stop looking for a way out of this conversation. “What’s he been saying?” I’m suspicious.

“Only good things,” he hastens to reassure me. “And just that he thought we should meet one day…” He trails off, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

“Well, that’s nice.” I’m stumped as to what to say next. This gorgeous man is looking at me like I’m a slice of bread and he’s been starving, and yet I’m struggling to find any enthusiasm for this conversation.

“Amelia? Is that you?”

Hoorah, someone to get me out of this!

I turn swiftly to see which one of my friends is calling my name and is ultimately going to be my new favourite friend when I see it.Him.The owner of the voice.

“Mike?” It’s Mike the electrician. Otherwise known as the perfectly nice man I’d gone on a perfectly fine date with a week ago and then never called back.

“Itisyou!” He beams, like he’s struck gold and I can do nothing except flounder.

“Uh, hi?”

“I didn’t know you’d be here.” He kisses me on the cheek, taking my hand and squeezing it in his.

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