Page 116 of Finding New Dreams

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“I absolutely love to travel. Especially with my dog, Kaya. Do you travel much?”

I swallowed a bite of my perfect summer salad and smiled at ApPaulIngPuns33. “Not as much as I used to. Or want to. My gallery takes up a lot of my time nowadays, but I’d love to go on a trip soon.”

Paul smiled, a perfect representation of his picture on the dating app. “Taking a break once in a while is good for the soul, I’ve found. But tell me more about your gallery! Exquisite Moments, right? I’d love to visit it sometime.”

I talked for a few minutes about how I’d opened it in a small town and the kind of work I did there. He was very interested and asked all the right questions. He’d suggested this restaurant in Minneapolis with a heavily vegetarian menu. He was handsome, athletic, and kind. Seemed like the romantic gentleman type.

But was that my type? He ticked off all the boxes.

But I felt nothing. No spark. No zing. No desperate desire for one look, one touch. No deep curiosity to learn more about him and how he thought and felt about everything.

It’d only been a few days since Flynn had left. But I’d opened up my dating app—half out of a sad need to read through my chats with ArtsyHotGuy3234 and half wanting to distract myself.

And lo and behold, there was Paul, still waiting for me. Available. Ready. Uncomplicated. Like a sandwich-delivery service. No foot-long-sub pun intended. Although Paul would’ve loved that one. He did have a tendency to make lame jokes. But they were endearing…mostly.

Yet Flynn’s face wouldn’t leave my mind. His voice, his touch, his smirk. The way his energy lit everyone up when he was excited about something.

I missed him.

“Um, Rose?”

I blinked and focused on Paul again. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“No worries, I just asked if you wanted any dessert. I think you mentioned in your bio that you like chocolate raspberry desserts. They have a great chocolate cheesecake here with fruit compote.”

Guilt gnawing at belly, I shook my head. “Actually, can I be totally honest with you?”

He folded his hands on the table, his blue eyes serious. “Of course.”

“You’re an amazing guy. Seriously, that’s not a line. But I firmly believe in following feelings, and I’m just not sure I have the right feelings for you. And I don’t want to waste your time.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Wow, uh, yeah. I mean, it’s never easy to hear that a smart, beautiful woman isn’t interested. But hey, I get it. I just started putting myself out there after my divorce, and I promised myself that I’d be very careful this time,” he added with a short laugh. “So really, thank you for being honest. I wish it could be different, but I appreciate the chance.”

I released a heavy sigh as relief flooded me. “I’m glad. And I have no doubt that things will get better for you, Paul. You’re a rarity in the dating world. Any other circumstance and I think we’d be great friends.”

He smiled. “I was serious about visiting Tangled River. It sounds like a blast. I’ll be sure to stop in Exquisite Moments and say hello if I do.”

“I’d love that. Please let me pay for our dinner.”

We had a friendly argument that ended with us splitting the check. After I got into my car, I watched him walk away.

I’d finally found Mr. Perfect.

But I didn’t want him anymore.

What I wanted right now…was to get out of town.

28

FLYNN

Salty heat and crashing ocean waves no longer soothed my soul as they once had.

I sat on a tiled patio overlooking the beach, a neglected drink dripping over my hand. It was a beautiful afternoon. Yet I wanted to trade the salty heat for leafy humidity, ocean waves for a rippling river.

I’d felt this way before. Back when I’d first left Tangled River, and the homesickness would come in sudden storms. Then I’d gotten my tattoo and started to really live my life here.

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