Page 10 of Choosing a Forever
“Hannah’s prefrontal cortex was fully developed when she married Morgan,andshe’d been married before. She wasn’t fresh out of college.”
“Please, Talmage? One date.” Mom’s bottom lip wobbles, and I know what she’s going to say before she says it. “I just don’t want you to be alone anymore.”
Aw, crud.
“Fine. I’ll go on one date. Send me her number.”
Maybe it won’t be so bad. Maybe she’s the one.
But even as I think it, I don’t believe it because she’s not a certain redhead from my past.
Chapter 4
Talmage
14 years old…
My hands are trembling as I sit next to Mack, trying to figure out how to be smooth about this.
She didn’t hesitate to sit next to me on the couch, scooting over until our thighs were smooshed together. She said it was to make room for our friends, but I don’t believe her.
She looks cute in her red skinny jeans and black and white shirt with a heart on it.
It’s fitting, since I’m pretty sure she’s stolen mine.
I put my arm down by my side, trying to nonchalantly move my hand closer to where hers is resting palm up, like she’s waiting for me to make a move.
Taking a deep breath, I hover my hand over the top of hers.
She shocks me by meeting me halfway.
Our fingers intertwine, and my pulse picks up as sparks sizzle between us.
It feels so right.
Tayleigh isnotthe one. Just as I suspected.
But I didtry, and I’m giving my all on this date. Tayleigh deserves my effort at least.
She’s cute, I’ll give her that. Long, blonde hair curled to perfection and blue eyes. She’s got a bright white smile and perfectly manicured fingernails.
Honestly, if I didn’t know better, I’d think we were related. Who knows, we might be somewhere down the line.
I decided to take her to a casual burger place for our date because I wanted to be able to talk and get to know her, and this place is really good. I thought it would be cute to maybe share a milkshake, but she told me she was “still recovering from the holiday fifteen” and didn’t want to bloat from the dairy.
I can respect someone who wants to look after their health, but this feels like diet culture and not a health thing. What is the “holiday fifteen” anyway?
To further my suspicions she’s under diet culture’s grip, she ordered a salad with no dressing and refused to share an order of cheese fries—and the cheese fries here are thebest.I assured her I wouldn’t judge her if she wanted to eat something other than a salad, and she just brushed me off.
More cheese fries for me, I guess.
We’re halfway through our meal, and so far, I’m not vibing with her. She’s smart and knows a lot aboutcurrent social media trends and how to get more engagement, but she still has so much life to live. I feel like we’re at two very different places in our lives, which is blatantly obvious by the phrases she uses and her goals.
She talks about parties she’s been to, the latest makeup trends, and her new job. All great things, but I’m not interested in parties. I’m interested in settling down and starting a family.
I’m determined to make the most of this date, even if I already know there won’t be another one. I’m in the middle of telling her one of my stories from my brief stint as a hotshot when the bell above the door rings, and a flash of red hair catches my attention.
In walk Mack and her sisters. The three of them are talking quietly as they make their way to a table diagonal from where I’m sitting. As Mack sets her stuff down, she looks around the small restaurant, and her eyes snag on me. She does a double take, and I lift my fingers in a small wave. She hesitantly waves back, then turns and walks to the counter to order.
