Mine to Steal (Mine to Love) by T.K. Rapp Read Free Book Online Page B

what you need to do , and come home. But my sister gets on my case when I approach it in such an insensitive manner. It’s not my intention, but I don’t have any kids, so I don’t understand that connection.
    “What’s your daughter’s name?”
    “Faith,” she says with a proud smile I imagine any mother would display when talking about her kid.
    The woman who came home with me - her friend said something about faith. Could that have been her name?
    “Faith,” I mutter quietly to myself. “That’s a great name.”
    “Thanks. I named her after my grandmother.” She looks at me and cocks her head to the side. “What about you? Married?”
    “No,” I drag out with a laugh.
    “Dating?”
    Shaking my head, I give her a lopsided grin. “Not really, no.”
    “What, exactly, does that mean?”
    “Nothing really,” I offer uncomfortably, unsure how I became the topic of discussion.
    “You realize you have to tell me now, right?” She laughs a nervous laugh, and I realize she needs a distraction.
    “I had a friend,” I admit, though I’m not sure why I continue.
    “And by ‘friend,’ you mean girlfriend. And by ‘had,’ you mean broke up.”
    “Perceptive,” is all I manage t o say, stunned by her diagnosis, though it’s not quite accurate.
    “So, did she dump you?” She’s a little too pleased by the prospect , and I stir in my seat, trying to decide how much I want to share with a complete stranger. But, as it is, we are still climbing in the air, and she’s been so busy talking about her daughter that she’s not paying attention to our ascent.
    What the hell? I’ll go with it, it’s not like I’ll ever see her again.
    “Dumped? No.”
    “Well, what is it then? You obviously have a story to tell; don’t leave me hanging.” She leans over, eager for my story.
    “Well, Kris, there’s not much to tell. It’s an embarrassing story.”
    She looks around and then to her watch before responding. “ Seems to me like we have nothing but time.”
    She tucks one leg up under her body and positions herself so she is facing me. Well, as best as she can in an airplane seat. I give in and spend the next two hours telling her about the women I’ve dated and how I met Em and everything between.
    “So you haven’t been with anyone since Em?” she asks with a hint of disapproval.
    “No,” I lie. I leave out the details of last night because I’m not sure what to make to it either.
    “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but what’s wrong with you?”
    “What’re you talking about? Nothing’s wrong with me ,” I respond with a scoff.
    “Trey, you’re a good-looking guy, and I assume that finding someone isn’t really you r problem. Nor is this Em-girl. You need to move on. She was never yours.”
    “Trust me, I know,” I argue. “Work is keeping me busy -”
    “You need to stop hiding behind your work,” she warns. “My husband did the same thing for a while, and we almost missed our chance. All I’m trying to say is that if you keep distancing yourself from anything that is accessible and can possibly be something worth having, you’re never going to be happy.”
    I feel like I’ve been verbally slapped across the face, but when she starts to apologize I stop her.
    “No, you’re right. I don’t know what to do about it, but you’re right.”
    The flight from Denver to Chicago feels like it takes an eternity. Kris had no idea what she was in for when she asked me to spill the details of my psuedo-relationship with Emogen. It’s not like I mope around, and being with the sexy brunette, Em was the furthest thing from my mind.
    As the plane touches down, Kris reaches over and pats my arm. “You’re going to find what you’re searching for, if you open yourself up to the possibility of more.”
    I laugh and shake my head . “I’m not looking for much.”
    She assesses me in question and leans back to stare at me like I’ve lost my mind. “You should be, otherwise