She’d babbled some nonsense about how it was better that she and Torin not get involved because of all the people it could affect in a negative way.
Part of her little speech was legitimate concern, because if things grew tense between her and Torin, there was no way the rest of the restaurant staff wouldn’t feel it. But she and Torin were both reasonable adults and she doubted very much that he would throw a man-trum if things didn’t work out between them. He was too grounded.
Mostly, it was because of the words that Addie had spoken to her. The warning that she shouldn’t hurt Torin. That he wasn’t ‘like her.’
Addie was right, of course. Nova and Torin were very different people.
But different could be a good thing when it came to love.
Being with someone so different from yourself could open your eyes, give you a completely new and sometimes better perspective.
Now, Nova had no idea how to behave around Torin. She wanted to apologize to him, to tell him that she didn’t mean exactly what she said, but once again, she was scared.
Scared of her feelings for him and what it could mean for her future.
For as long as she’d been able to earn her own way, Nova had been on the move. She’d never put down roots or settled in any place longer than eighteen months.
She liked it that way.
But if she let things with Torin go in the direction she believed they would…
That would all be over.
She wouldn’t want to be away from him, and he was grounded here, in this city, in this restaurant. She couldn’t ask him to leave and she worried she wouldn’t be able to stay. It might take a few years, but that urge to wander, to see the world, would come upon her again. It always did.
Nova lay in bed and stared at the ceiling as all those thoughts ran through her mind. She’d never been much of a worrier. Anxiety rarely plagued her and she almost never had difficulty sleeping.
Last night, though…it had taken hours for her to fall asleep. Then, she was up with the sun this morning, but too tired to drag her ass out of bed.
Instead, she curled beneath the blankets and stared at the ceiling.
She was still doing this at ten-thirty when her cell phone rang.
Nova rolled over and saw the words on the screen.
Mystical Matchmakers.
Veronica had called regularly but Nova hadn’t been interested in meeting anyone else. Still, Nova liked her quite a bit. She seemed like an interesting woman.
Nova took a sharp breath before she answered the phone.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Ms. Eckhart. This is Veronica from Mystical Matchmakers. How are you this morning?”
“Contemplating all the reasons I should probably stay single forever.”
Veronica was silent for so long that Nova continued.
“Please, Veronica, call me Nova. I feel ridiculous using your first name when you won’t use mine.”
Veronica cleared her throat. “Of course. I will, Nova. May I, um, ask why you’re contemplating all of that?”
“Because, as much as I want a companion, I’ve realized I won’t ever be able to settle down completely.”
“You mean you want to keep dating other people?”
“No, I have wanderlust. I can’t stay in one place for too long. Even if I find someone I can love, I’m not sure I can stay put.”
