Smiling her thanks, she turned back to the view and tried to follow the order. Relax. How could she? She was basically deciding her future in the next half hour.
As another fifteen minutes passed, she had the first tendril of worry. She knew Peter’s job could be unpredictable. He wasburied in that missing person case here in Destin, and he was probably involved with the paperwork of closing it.
Maybe he was meeting with the PD chief to discuss the job. He hadn’t officially accepted the transfer yet, he’d made it clear—if Vivien was in, he was all in. He’d offered her stability. Love. A future.
Wasn’t that what she wanted?
She looked around the softly lit bar. The hum of conversation, the gentle clink of forks and the aroma of fried fish filled her with that same nostalgia. And yet, with every passing minute, Vivien felt a strange unease creeping in beneath her skin.
She tapped her phone again, stunned when she realized he was now an hour and ten minutes late. She texted him as a whisper of worry danced up her spine.
His jobwasdangerous. He joked about the fact that he always had a gun, but the fact was…healwayshad a gun.
Which meant he was safe and could defend himself. She hoped.
When it hit the hour and a half mark, she knew she had to order something or leave.
She opted for some fried shrimp and another glass of wine, and stared at her phone wondering why he hadn’t called or texted.
Could something horrible have happened? Just the possibility made her realize how much she treasured him and his friendship.
Whoops…she’d put him in the Friend Zone again.
Her gaze drifted to the sand and water, where the sun had nearly finished its slow descent, leaving the sky washed in pale purples and fading orange. Was he just a friend? Surely he was more than that.
The second wine must have hit because she was suddenly transported in time, sitting at the community pool with Kate and Tessa, promising they’d all be best friends forever. Promising to stay true to themselves. What would that girl think of the woman sitting here tonight?
She’d think…was Vivien being stood up by the most reliable man in the world? Maybe. Or maybe something happened to him.
She texted him another quick “Where are you?” and plucked at the shrimp, lost in thought.
Everything she knew about Peter assured her that he was safe, so she started to think seriously about another possibility. Maybeshewas the one getting a hard pass.
Maybe he thought she wanted Danny, that he’d read her ambivalence and mixed signals as a rejection, and decided to close his case and skip this date.
Was that possible? Of course it was. Possible and…wise. In fact, he might be doing them both a favor by not having to have a terribly uncomfortable conversation.
Because…Vivien wasn’t ready.
She sucked in a quiet breath as the thought landed.
Shewasn’tready.
At the realization, she sat up straighter, lifting, then dropping the fried shrimp as a new and completely different option landed on the table.
What if she said no to both men? What if she continued this journey of “life as a divorcee” completely and utterly…alone?
She wouldn’t be, of course—she had Lacey and now her mother, Eli and Kate and Tessa, too. She had a whole life full of beloved family and friends.
But she wouldn’t have a man in her life and that was…okay. No, it was…right. The way it should be. The only real answer to this dilemma.
Thathadto be her choice!
Good heavens, she’d barely been divorced for a month or so. What was she doing throwing herself into another relationship? She didn’t want that!
Yes, she loved Peter—as a friend and maybe more. But themorehad to wait. It wasn’t right now.
The decision gave her the first tendril of true peace she’d felt in a while, tempered only by the fact that Peter’s no-show was completely and utterly out of character. Maybe he was desperate to make a point.
