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So mine.

And they don’t even realize how much more I’m about to give them.

Because soon?

They’ll have a new best friend.

And I?

I’ll have a sir.

I follow Elliot Sterling as soon as he leaves work.

He doesn’t rush.

There’s something calm about the way he moves. Unbothered. Certain. Effortless.

A man who commands rooms without even trying.

I don’t let myself daydream too much.

Not yet. Not before I know if he’s worth it.

Some men are beautiful disasters.

They look perfect from a distance, then you get too close and they ruin it.

Sloppy. Rude. Clueless.

I will not be wasting my time on a disappointment.

So I drive carefully. Keep two cars between us. Watch as he pulls into a nice little bistro.

Oh.

I love that.

No shitty fast food.

A real meal.

Maybe wine.

Maybe something expensive.

I park down the street, fixing my lipstick in the mirror before stepping out.

And as I approach, I peek through the window.

Damn it.

His table is too far back.

I can’t see what he ordered.

That won’t do.

So I walk inside, smile sweetly at the hostess, and ask for a table in the back.