Love Like Her (Against All Odds #3) - Claudia Y. Burgoa Page 0,51

my number. I had to change it… and sell my house.

“I have a restraining order against her.”

“That was Persy,” Nyx defends herself.

“It’s all the same.”

“We’re helping you find the love of your life. As far as I can tell, you’re still pining for Misty,” Persy states. “That’s unhealthy.”

They have no idea what unhealthy is. For years I’ve been enamored with a woman who might be a figment of my imagination. Liv. The blackhole her absence created sucks another piece of my soul.

What happened with her?

“It’s too early to have a conversation with you two.” I claim.

Now, Misty is a subject I don’t like to discuss. She’s been my friend since college. We’re close. In fact, when I moved from New York to Colorado, she decided to do the same.

Is she the person I’m meant to be with? I don’t know. The question came up when Richard fucking James Prince III came into the picture.

Yeah, he is as ridiculous as his name. He’s not a Prince, though his family is one of the richest in the state. That is, of course, if we don’t count my brothers-in-law’s wealth or mine. But that’s now, and not then. Back when they got engaged, I couldn’t offer her much.

I had just launched my business. How could I say, “Hey, be with me instead of that asshole,” when all I had was a house with an upside-down mortgage.

Then there’s Olivia and the millions of unanswered questions and conversations we never had. The silence we clawed to keep what we had alive. If we ever had anything.

Liv’s theory about soulmates doesn’t fit. I’m almost sure it’s not real. When you’re meant to be with someone, destiny assembles everything so that you can make things happen. Things with Live never worked; with Misty…the jury is deliberating.

Her wedding with prince got cancelled. Their relationship became a roller coaster. This could be the perfect moment for me to swoop in and say, “We make sense. Let’s give this a chance.”

My sisters are not on board with my plan. They have many different theories on why I’m so obsessed with Misty.

Persy says it’s because I’m lonely and maybe broken-hearted.

I’m not sure where she gets the broken-hearted part, and obsessed is not the right word. Fixated sounds like I’m a stalker too. There has to be a word that doesn’t sound eerie. Pining sounds like a teenager crushing on his hot teacher.

“Can I at least tell you my plan before you shut it down?” Nyx offers.

I sigh. While Nyx speaks, I mute the call. I place the phone on my nightstand. Knowing my sisters, I have enough time to pee, brush my teeth, and put on my workout clothes before they are done talking.

“What do you think?” Nyx asks when I pick up the phone.

That I’m glad I missed your plan.

This is the best moment to feign anger. “Remember when you were single, Nyx?”

“What’s your point?”

“You hated going on blind dates,” I remind her. “I do too.”

“At least I tried.”

Phew, I guessed right. She wants to set me up with some friend of hers.

“We don’t want you to end up alone,” Persy takes over the conversation. “It’s going to be a casual dinner among friends. Life is short. Misty is not the answer. She feels comfortable. You need—”

“I don’t need counseling, Persy,” I warn her.

This is a lost battle. Two against one isn’t fair. Nyx is a great litigator. Persy is a psychologist who specializes in couples counseling. People email her, listen to her podcast, and read her books, hoping that they’ll find love or fix their broken relationships.

I’m just one tired as fuck without ammunition to battle against them.

“It’s okay to be happy,” she continues. “How many times do I have to tell you to go to counseling? Grieve, and let it go.”

And now we’re going to fixate that I refuse to be happy because Callie died. They swear something happened to me after her death that makes me not want to date anyone.

Nothing happened.

I went to counseling.

I’m fine.

“I have a busy schedule. Why don’t we reschedule this intervention for when hell freezes over?”

“Eros.” Persy’s annoyed voice is the last word I hear before hanging up the phone.

If only they knew that today I’m having a long overdue conversation with Misty after her appointment. We’re discussing our future. She has to end her on, off, on again relationship with Prince. I should’ve asked her what this appointment is all about that she’s dragging me to. I hope it’s not another