Arms Wide Open: a Novella by Caldwell Juli

Author:Caldwell, Juli [Caldwell, Juli]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Julianne Hiatt Caldwell
Published: 2013-09-03T18:30:00+00:00

The One

I’m close to tears. Why does pushing myself out of my comfort zone have to be so hard? It’s physically painful. My chest hurts and my head pounds, and it’s hard to breathe. I’m feeling close to where I was at the end of round one, with another panic attack knocking at the back door.

It’s not worth it. Finding someone just isn’t worth the effort and sacrifices we make to find each other. Why am I even here looking? I don’t need someone just for the sake of being with someone....anyone! Dating is like dumpster diving—there may be something good somewhere, but you have to sift through a ridiculous amount of disgusting things to get there. The payback doesn’t seem worth getting covered in figurative coffee grounds, half-eaten donuts, and banana peels.

I look at the card in my hand and look at my table number for Round 4. If the next one gives off anything like a creeper vibe, I’m out of here. I don’t care if I spend the rest of my life living alone on my smelly sofa. I will find personal fulfillment in becoming one with the furniture.

A guy walks up to the table I’m watching and sits down. His back is to me, and I can’t get a good look at his face. It’s up by the front window and he’s looking out at the street, away from me, while others in the shop work their way to their own tables to get started. They’re blocking my view so I can’t get a good read on him. From the back he looks a lot like Grant, and my heart does that crazy, irrational thud it always does when I think of him.

And then he turns around to scan the crowd. My heart starts beating so hard it feels like it’s trying to pound its way out of my rib cage.

It is Grant!

As the eyeball guy would say, he was the one. I spent three years of my life believing that with all my soul. Grant and I were so alike, so perfectly complementary, that no one else would ever come close. Even great guys like Jeremy will never compare. When we were together, I believed in soul mates. I believed in forever.

I stare hard at the table number, staying hidden in the shadows at the back of the shop while he turns back around and waits. I take a closer look at my card just to make sure he’s my next date. Yes, he’s sitting there at my table, waiting patiently for me to show up.

He looks amazing. I haven’t seen him in five years now, not since the night he took me to the emergency room, dropped me off, and walked away. As I think back to what I put him through those last few months we were together, I guess I can’t blame him for not coming back.

His hair is shorter now, cut close to the back of his head, with some crazy sexy sideburns and a little lift on top.

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