A Valentine Surprise Read Free Page B

or twice myself as you've heard.”
    “ Not really much to talk about. The last time I was serious with someone was my senior year of college. I was playing basketball and having a great year, all set to go pro when I graduated. I had a serious girlfriend, everything seemed to be falling in place for me. And then I got injured. Really bad-three surgeries, no more ball for me. Then my girlfriend-who it turns out was most likely only with  me because she wanted to be the girlfriend of a professional athlete-dumped me. I'm not going to lie, it really hurt and was a hard way to finish what started as such a stellar year. So, that's why I haven't really jumped into anything serious since then. I want to make sure I found someone genuine...like you, for example.”
    Kendra laughed. “Me? Having you pretend to be my boyfriend to make my ex jealous doesn't really sound very genuine.”
    “Oh, that, yeah, I guess...but I can see why you would do it. You had your heart broken and want to show him that you can be happy without him, I understand that. I'd do the same thing with my ex if I had the chance. But I'm talking about how you are kind to everyone, not for what they can do for you, but selflessly, just because that's how you are. Kids love you, adults love you, you're just a great girl.”
    Kendra felt herself blush. And made a mental note to herself to skip the talk about making up a fake job for him. That wasn't something that a 'great girl' would do. She was feeling warm under his stare which lasted long enough to start making her uncomfortable.
    “Can I get you something to drink? A soda, some wine?” She needed a drink to cool herself down. How did it get so hot in there?
    “ I'm not much of a wine guy, but I'll take a beer if you have one.”
    “ Actually, I do. I'll be back in a minute.”
    She opened her fridge, saw the six pack of beer in the back and gulped. She wondered if she should have just told Josh that she didn't have any beer. It was a pack of some fancy microbrew that Mark had loved. She bought that the same day that he broke up with her and it had been in her fridge ever since. She wasn't much of a beer drinker so it just sat there, waiting for someone to claim it. She could have given it away to a friend or neighbor just to get rid of it but instead, it just sat there like all of the other reminders she'd kept around, hoping maybe he'd come by and she'd have it waiting for him.
    Kendra Hart , she scolded herself, he used you and he would use you again. He isn't fit to drink the sour milk out of your fridge! Every once in awhile her head was able to overpower her heart and nuggets of wisdom were able to ring true inside of her head. She grabbed a bottle of beer and opened it before her heart took back over and she changed her mind.
    She carried the beer and her wine back into the living room where she found Josh holding the picture of her and Mark at the wedding.
    “So this is him, huh?” His words had a tinge of anger, maybe even a touch of jealousy?
    Kendra laughed. “You don't sound impressed. We did make a pretty cute couple, you know, we got that all the time.”
    Then she felt a little awkward that she had the picture of them still out in the first place. “I actually forgot that I had that there, I probably should take it down now.”
    “ He looks so, so... with that cheesy smile, he just looks so fake. I'm getting a distinct used car salesman vibe.”
    “ So then that makes me the schmuck who drove away with the lemon is basically what you're saying.”
    Kendra watched his cheeks flush with color as a sheepish grin spread across his face.
    “No, that's not what I meant at all. Sometimes it's hard to see what's so obvious to others. Love is blinding, that's for sure.”
    Kendra thought about that for a moment, feeling tears starting to well in her eyes. “I guess it wasn't love after all, was it? I was definitely blinded, though, you're right about that. Ok, shall we get to business? I was