“Me, too. I felt betrayed in a way, if that makes sense.”

“It does. He changed the rules.”

She smiled. “We’re probably getting a little too serious for the second date. Let’s change the subject. The Seahawks are looking good for the season.”

“You’re a fan?”

“I am.” She ducked her head, then looked at him from under her lashes. “I have season tickets and I go to every home game. One of the goals of my business is to make enough money so that I can afford a suite there. I’d love to have friends and family with me for the games. What a great experience for everyone. Like the perfect party.”

“You’re a football fan, then.”

“I’m a Seahawks fan. There’s a difference.” She had a zest for life he liked. She smiled easily, had a great sense of humor and seemed ready to be in a relationship. In a word—perfect.

It was as if the Universe had closed a door and opened the proverbial window. He should be dancing for joy, or at least humming with excitement. Instead he found himself thinking about Unity and wondering what she was doing right now. Did he ever cross her mind?

He’d been unable to let her go. At night, when he was alone, he imagined her with him. Sometimes he dreamed about her. She was—

“Thaddeus?”

He looked at Serena. “Yes?”

She smiled. “You got a little lost there for a second.”

“Sorry. I was just...”

He looked around the restaurant. It was nice enough and the dinner was good. Later, he could drive Serena home and kiss her, maybe more. She was everything he should be looking for and there was not a single part of him that wanted to take this to the next level.

“I was in a relationship recently,” he said abruptly. “It was serious and as much as I like you and think you’re beautiful and smart and sexy, I can’t do this right now. You probably won’t get the irony of what I’m about to say, but I’m not ready to be with someone else.”

Disappointment tugged at her mouth. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I am, too.”

“We should go,” she said, looking for the server.

“Don’t you want to finish your dinner?”

Tears glistened in her eyes. “There isn’t any point, is there?”

Guilt kicked him in the gut, followed by a wave of regret. Not just for screwing up things with Serena but for the fact that he was in an impossible situation. He wanted a woman he couldn’t have and he didn’t want the one that wanted him.

twenty-seven

Three days of not sleeping made for a difficult morning. She was a mess in every way possible. She missed Cooper and worried constantly that she hadn’t heard from him. He was still posting on social media, which made things both better and worse. While she knew he was having a great time, she also knew he was having a great time. As in why would you come back to some ridiculously tiny little town when you could drive around Santa Monica in a convertible and meet girls on the beach?