The Reunion: Emma's Vacation (The Starting Over Series) Read Free

ago. Turns out, he was still living with his mother. Yikes …” Ashley said rolling her eyes.
     
    “ Sadly, it ’ s the thing I want most in the world …” Emma said without thinking.
     
    “ What do you want? ” Ashley asked looking at her.
     
    Emma fidgeted around in her seat, nervous to open herself up to their questions and possible judgment.
     
    “ What, Em? ” Shelby prodded.
     
    “ I want a man. A real man who loves me and my son. Who wants to carry part of this heavy load we call life. I want a true love, a soul mate. ”
     
    “ You always had a way with words, ” Claire said smiling.
     
    “ It hurts my heart to think that I might spend the rest of my life alone. What if I never find the right man for me? ” Emma asked searching each woman ’ s eyes for answers.
     
    “ Don ’ t be silly, Emma. You are stunningly gorgeous. You will find someone, ” Shelby said.
     
    “ I don ’ t want just someone. I want HIM. Ya know? ” Emma asked.
     
    “ I know what you mean. I ’ ve been alone for several years now, and it never gets any easier. I cry when I crawl into bed some nights. I have no husband, no boyfriend, no kids. It can get very lonely, ” Ashley admitted.
     
    “ Why don ’ t you date more? ” Claire asked.
     
    “ I try, but I am getting tired of meeting losers. What I want is a partner. I want a family. I ’ m forty years old, and my eggs are not getting any younger. ”
     
    “ It ’ s tough. I mean, I was with my childhood sweetheart all of those years. I don ’ t know another man like I know him. I ’ ve never been with another man …” Shelby said.
     
    “ Never? ” Ashley was amazed that any woman in the twenty first century would have only slept with one man.
     
    “ Never. And I am terrified of trying out anyone new. I thought Kenny would always be my one and only. It has rocked my entire world to think that I have to start all over again, ” Shelby said.
     
    “ I ’ m a little gun shy too, Shelby. My story was all over the news, my husband was famous and I suffered from abuse for years. Looking for a new man has not been high on my list of priorities lately …” Claire admitted.
     
    The women sat quietly for a moment before Ashley giggled and held up her finger like she had an idea.
     
    “ This is pathetic, ladies. So, in an effort to improve our lives and add more light into this dark world, I have a plan, ” she said.
     
    It was no surprise that Ashley would come up with a plan. She was always the one leading their little pack of four. She had always been the spunky one who wasn ’ t afraid of a little adventure, but what did she have planned for them?
     
    “ Oh, goodness, what is it, Ashley? ” Emma asked biting her bottom lip.
     
    “ Let ’ s set a goal to find our soul mates. We will have a time limit and meet back here at this hotel to compare notes. ”
     
    “ Are you kidding me? You can ’ t rush love, Ash. We don ’ t want to hurry and find some random man who isn ’ t the right one. This is a crazy idea, ” Claire said rolling her eyes.
     
    “ No, it really isn ’ t. Listen, I don ’ t want any of us to rush. I just want us to focus on it. Are any of you actually focusing on finding love right now? ” Ashley asked looking around.
     
    “ Well, no, but that is because I am focusing on my kids, ” Shelby said.
     
    “ Is it really, Shelby? Or is it fear or laziness or complacency? ” Ashley challenged.
     
    For a moment, the table was quiet as the women sat and looked at each other.
     
    “ Could we really do this? ” Claire asked, breaking the silence.
     
    “ Sure, we could. We just need a plan, ” Ashley said.
     
    “ Alright, let ’ s plan then, ” Emma said surprising herself. She dug a piece of paper and a pen out of her evening bag. “ Let ’ s write down the rules, and we will all sign it. ”
     
    “ Well this is very official …” Shelby said with a chuckle. “ Shall I get a notary too? ”
     
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