Chapter 4
Mike took a sip of his coffee the next morning and checked his watch. She was twenty minutes late.
He’d arrived at The Friendly Bean fifteen minutes early to secure a table, which meant he’d now been sitting there for thirty-five minutes. I could’ve been working on the Hunter project instead of wasting my time here, he thought.
He set his cup down and turned his attention to the door just as a woman with deep auburn hair and far too much makeup pushed her way into the shop. She paused inside, scanning the room. The woman resembled the photo from the dating app closely enough that Mike stood and raised a hand.
She spotted him, nodded once, and made her way to his table.
Mike extended his hand. “I’m Mike.”
She took it, their handshake brief and perfunctory. He pulled out the chair across from him, and she sat down. Mike opened his mouth to ask if she’d like something to drink.
“You wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through in the last twenty-four hours,” she said, cutting him off.
Mike sank into his chair.
Without waiting for a response, she launched into a detailed account of her Thanksgiving, including backstories, grievances, and perceived slights involving every family member. She spoke rapidly, barely pausing for breath.
At first, Mike listened politely, nodding in the appropriate places. Five minutes in, he was bored. By twenty minutes, his thoughts had drifted to the Hunters’ addition and how he might rework the design to accommodate their request for an additional powder room.
He shifted his chair slightly to let a pretty brunette and her small dog—one that looked like a living teddy bear—squeeze past their table.
The woman across from him didn’t notice.
Her focus had moved seamlessly from family complaints to a lengthy critique of her boss and coworkers at the accounting firm where she worked.
Mike glanced at his watch again.
The dating app had advised giving a first meeting at least an hour—enough time, they claimed, for nerves to settle and real conversation to emerge. He had fifteen minutes left. I can survive fifteen more minutes, he told himself. Then he’d wrap this up and head back to the office.
“Mike. Mike.”
He blinked and refocused on her.
“I’ve got to get going,” she said brightly. “But this has been a great conversation.” She stood and unhooked her purse from the back of her chair.
Mike rose automatically. They shook hands again.
“I hope we do this again,” she said, already turning toward the door.
“Take care,” Mike replied.
She disappeared into the crowd, and Mike dropped back into his chair, shaking his head. He wondered if she realized “a great conversation” involved at least two people talking. He drained the last of his cold coffee and typed a text to his mother.
Date a firm no.
Are you sure you gave her a chance?
Positive.
Well … don’t be discouraged. I hate thinking of you living alone.
Maybe I should get a dog.
You know that’s not what I mean. We’ll talk when you’re home.
Mike slid the phone into his pocket and took out two five-dollar bills, tucking them under his empty cup.
As he stood, a familiar heaviness settled in his chest—not relief this time, but something closer to resignation.
He’d shown up. He’d tried. Again. And still, he was no closer to finding someone who felt right.
Mike left the shop and stepped back into the afternoon, grateful that a long day of work awaited him—grateful for anything that might distract him from the quiet, sinking fear that he might never find a woman to share his life with.
Lauren threaded her way through the customers waiting to place their orders at The Friendly Bean.
Pumpkin strutted at her side, weaving around boots and tote bags like she owned the place.
The popular coffee shop was two blocks from the offices of K + L Interiors.
Lauren and Pumpkin stopped there every morning on their way to work.
As they squeezed through the doorway, the rich smell of espresso and steamed milk wrapped around them, warm and familiar.
Lauren caught the eye of her favorite barista, who was behind the counter tamping espresso. He grinned when he recognized the popular pair and mouthed, Regular?
She gave him a thumbs-up. He nodded and turned back to the machine.
They made their way to the pickup counter, where a large oat-milk latte and a pupcake were already waiting. “It’s good to be a regular, and to have a credit card on file,” Lauren murmured to Pumpkin. She scanned the interior of the shop, searching for Kathy.
Pumpkin spotted her first. She let out a muffled woof and tugged toward her second-favorite person in the world.
“Are we late?” Lauren asked as she slid into the chair opposite Kathy and set the pupcake on the floor beneath the table. Pumpkin got to work on her treat.
“Right on time, as usual,” Kathy said. “I was a little early. I can’t wait to hear how your Thanksgiving went.
” She studied Lauren’s face more closely.
“Those bags under your eyes look like they could hold enough clothes for an around-the-world cruise. I hope that means you had a very good day and night.”
Lauren brushed a loose hank of hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. “I didn’t get much sleep, that’s for sure.”
Kathy raised an eyebrow.
“But not for the reason you’re thinking,” Lauren said. “Yesterday turned out way differently than I had planned—or wanted.”
“Oh, honey.” Kathy leaned forward, her expression softening. “When you walked up, I thought you looked sad-tired. Not happy-tired.”
Lauren nodded and took a sip of her coffee, the heat steadying her.
“I’m sorry. Do you want to talk about it?”
Lauren took a longer swallow, then set her cup down and launched into the story of her Thanksgiving.
Kathy listened without interrupting as Lauren poured out every detail. When she finished, Kathy blew out a breath. “Girl,” she said, “that is some story. What a complete jerk! I know I only met him once, but I honestly thought Darren was a terrific guy. I never saw this coming.”
Both women lifted their cups and drank. Pumpkin, who had long since finished her pupcake, curled into a tight ball at Lauren’s feet.
“I was gobsmacked,” Lauren said quietly. “I stayed awake most of the night replaying every conversation and every moment, looking for clues I missed.”
“Don’t do that to yourself,” Kathy replied. “Plenty of people get fooled by someone they trusted. Look at Bernie Madoff and all the other famous con artists throughout history. Their victims always say they had no idea, until the money was gone.”
“I guess.” Lauren sighed. “And here I thought I was lucky meeting the perfect guy on my first match.”
“I know you felt like you’d hit the jackpot with Darren,” Kathy said. “But you didn’t. You’ll just have to keep trying, like everyone else.”
“I don’t know.” Lauren stared into her cup. “I don’t trust my judgment anymore. I don’t want to put myself out there and get hurt again.”
“So that’s it?” Kathy leaned across the table. “You’re giving up on the idea of a happy life with someone?”
Lauren looked away and shrugged. “Travis was a wonderful husband. Many people never find what we had, even once. Maybe I’m being selfish for wanting it again.”
“Travis was a gem,” Kathy said softly. “But you’re a ‘we’ person, Lauren. You thrive in a partnership.”
Lauren lifted her cup to her trembling lips.
“You know it’s true,” Kathy continued. “And Travis knew it, too. I’ll reiterate his words from his last days, facing that awful cancer. He told you he wanted you to fall deeply in love again, and to have the family you so desperately wanted.”
Lauren nodded.
“He insisted that you shouldn’t give up on that dream.”
“I know,” Lauren whispered.
Kathy rested a reassuring hand on Lauren’s arm. They sat in silence, ignoring the steady hum of conversation around them.
“I don’t know how to find someone,” Lauren finally said. “This disaster with Darren shook my confidence. I’m not going back on a dating app.”
“Give it time,” Kathy said. “You might feel differently in a few months. And there are plenty of other ways to meet someone.”
“The only places I go are home, the office, and the dog park,” Lauren said. “People say dog parks are great places to find a partner, but I don’t see it.”
“I’ll bet you’re not expecting to meet anyone when you’re there,” Kathy said. “The perfect guy could be right in front of you, and you don’t notice him.”
Lauren shrugged. “Like when you suddenly see red cars everywhere once you decide you want to buy a red car?”
“Exactly,” Kathy said. “And there’s one additional place you go almost every single day—this coffee shop.”
“I’ve never seen anyone interesting here,” Lauren retorted. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t know how to talk to him.”
“Marrying your high school sweetheart clearly didn’t equip you with flirting skills.” Kathy chuckled. “You’d strike up a casual conversation. It’d be easy if Pumpkin’s with you. She’d insist on saying hello, and you’d be chatting in no time.”
Lauren shrugged.
“You know I’m right,” Kathy said.
“That assumes there’s anyone I’d want to talk to.”
“Have you looked around here this morning?”
“No,” Lauren said. “I was a little distracted. And most of them are probably married, anyway.”
“Then you check for a ring and move on if they’re wearing one,” Kathy said. “There’s a really tall, handsome guy two tables behind you. He was here when I sat down, and I’ve been watching him out of the corner of my eye.”
Lauren frowned. “You have?”
“He was sitting alone, watching the door. A woman came in, and he stood to greet her. They shook hands. I’d bet my bottom dollar it was a first meeting from a match on a dating app.”
“Uh huh. And then what?”
“Based on his body language? I’d say he was hoping the meeting would end quickly.
She just left. The goodbye handshake was even stiffer.
” As Kathy watched, the man stood, tucked folded bills under his coffee mug, and headed toward the door.
“He’s leaving,” Kathy said. “Quick—turn around. Take a look.”
Lauren shot Kathy a look but swiveled in her chair in time to see the back of a tall, lean man with dark hair exiting the shop. She swung back to Kathy.
“See? For the entire morning, an eligible guy sat less than twenty feet away.”
“You can’t know that,” Lauren said, amused.
“And you can’t know he’s not,” Kathy replied. She leaned across the table. “The point is, I don’t want this awful experience with the dreadful Darren to make you give up on your dream.” She took Lauren’s hand and squeezed it. “It’s time. And your next Mr. Right might be around the next corner.”