Page 144 of The Billionaire's Fake Fiancée

I down my third Hot Pink Barbie. “Worst birthday present ever!”

Vicky arrives wearing a giant coat.

“Tabitha! Happy birthday! Also, that dress! You are killing me! But it makes your boobs look amazing.” We kiss cheeks, and then the bulge in her coat starts squirming. “Crap. I didn’t think we were staying.” She pulls out a fluffy white dog.

“Oh my god, Smuckers has arrived!” I take him from her arms and pull his plump, warm body to my chest and push my face into his fur. Smuckers licks my arm, wiggling with excitement. I push my face into his fur, soaking in the pure love he has for people.

“I couldn’t believe it when Lizzie called!” Vicky says. “Rex O’Rourke stood you up? Knowing you had a childhood birthday trauma at this restaurant and he stands youup?”

Noelle shows up—shy, sweet Noelle. She gives me a huge hug. “We’re here for you,” she says. “We’re gonna make this your best birthday.”

“Men are dogs,” Jada puts in.

“Hey,” Vicky says. “Poor Smuckers doesn’t like that!”

“Losers,” Jada says.

“Yeah,” I agree half-heartedly.

They say people end up with guys like their fathers. Rex is very much like my father—a successful city guy who only cares about me when I’m useful to him. My dad enjoyed cute daughter Tabitha—the Tabitha that helped him get dates—but not the birthday girl who needed him to show up so badly.

Jacob was like that, too. He loved fun Tabitha. But hospital bed Tabitha? Not so much.

“It really is good to know these things up front,” Vicky says as Henry comes up next to her. “It’s good to have a warning.”

“Right?” I laugh. “Side effects include realizing he doesn’t give a shit and uncontrollable jaw-dropping shock when he ruins your birthday in the most stunning of ways, accompanied by severe self-recrimination for believing him!”

A server beelines over right then. “Dogs aren’t allowed in here,” she says to us. The server, however, doesn’t understand the power of Smuckers; this server only knows that she has the overwhelming urge to pet him. Suddenly the entire floor staff is petting Smuckers, having fallen under his spell. “We never saw him, okay?” the server whispers.

Smuckers is the center of gravity now. I take a moment to breathe, to be alone with my thoughts. I’m honestly relieved. The spotlight was too much. I settle into an empty barstool, away from the cluster of people.

Noelle comes over and quietly tucks into the barstool next to me.

“Let’s talk about something else besides me,” I say. “Tell me something fun and funny.”

She tells me about a crazy postal customer drama that would’ve never happened in her small hometown. Noelle is so shy and small-town-ish, it’s fun to hear her tell her tales of a postal carrier in Manhattan. What she says actually isn’t shocking if you’ve lived here—the entertaining part is how shocked she is. People say I’m brave, but she is, too.

And then she leans in. “Tabby, how are you doing?” she asks in her quiet way. “Tell me really.”

“I was excited to see him,” I confess. “In spite of the jerky way he made me come out, you know? When I was picking out my outfit, I felt happier than I did in a really long time. And I thought, maybe I can take a risk. Maybe he’s worth the risk.”

She nods, says nothing.

“I love him, Noelle, and I can’t stop. I wanted to try. To stick my neck out one more time. But that’s over.”

“Are you sure you can’t give him another chance?” she asks.

“Why should I? Give me one good reason.”

“Because he’s not Jacob. He’s not your dad. Because you just told me this feels real.”

“That’s three reasons,” I say quietly. Exactly the thing Rex would say. I wrap my arms around myself, wondering whether I’ll ever not miss him.

Noelle settles a hand on my shoulder. “You are so fun and great, and you know we love you, but the fact is, life can’t all be fun and sparkles. If it was worth risking a few hours ago, I think maybe it still is.”

“Blowing me off on my birthday feels like a bridge too far,” I say.

“What if he has an explanation?” she says.

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