Page 67 of Committed to You

“Sounds good. Do whatever you want.”

“You’re a natural beauty. Loose curls?”

“Sure.”

“Why aren’t you taking a date?” Amy asks me, and I groan.

Megan laughs. “Bad topic?”

“Why should I take a date if it isn’t someone special? All that does is create more work for me when I get there,” I say so convincingly, I almost believe it myself.

“You need date. Work too hard.” My mama points at me and gives me her unapproving look.

I need Megan to help me out. She’s done my hair for a long time and knows me fairly well. I’m thankful when she says, “What’s going on in the real estate market?”

I spend the remainder of the appointment focusing on real estate, my hair, makeup, and avoiding the topic of anything to do with men.

Before my mama and I part ways, she pulls back from the hug and says, “Why no date, Vivian?”

Sighing, I realize I’m not going to get out of this. I’ve never gone to an event alone before, and my mama knows it. “The man I want to be with isn’t here.”

“Boyfriend?” My mama eyes me suspiciously.

“No. He won’t be, either.”

My mama recoils. “No? He lucky with you.”

I change the conversation to Greek, even though we are in public, and she usually would disapprove. “We aren’t together.”

“Why not?”

I shrug. “It’s complicated.”

My mama focuses on me. “Vivian, he’s not married, is he?”

I jerk back. “No!”

She nods in relief. “Then what is the problem?”

I can’t tell her the truth. So I lie. “He lives in New York.”

She scans my eyes. “You met when Charlotte got into her accident?”

“Yes, we met then.”

“That was a long time ago.”

“A while, yes.”

“You’re in love with him?”

I look away.

She grabs my hands. “Vivian?”

“Yes.”

“Then why isn’t he here?”

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