A Simple Wish About love - Karice Bolton Page 0,61

habit of being easily distracted, but I never got distracted. I was just never interested.

“I say we look back into history, our history, and figure out what in the world we’re doing wrong. Maybe that pact from all those years ago jinxed us.” Samantha reached for her purse.

The mere mention of the pact made me cringe.

“It’s pointless,” I assured her. “I don’t even remember what I wrote. I didn’t even remember we had a pact until you brought it up.”

And I didn’t. Kind of. Well, I remembered it, but I didn’t build my entire failed-dating career due to those tiny vows. Only part of my dating career could be attributed to those, and I would never admit it to my best friends.

“Well, I remember my part of the pact clearly.” Samantha cleared her throat and took a sip of her drink that the bartender dropped off. “Too clearly, and I think that I need to finally acknowledge that I might have been wrong.”

I gasped. “Samantha Beau wrong? That’s ridiculous.” I giggled and looked lovingly at her.

Samantha had the sweetest heart, and I cursed the men who trampled it. Repeatedly.

Again.

And again.

“You’re saying your sixteen-year-old self might have been wrong about lifelong love and relationships?” Arie laughed. “Can’t imagine that.”

“Don’t be a know-it-all,” Winter joked, and Arie laughed some more. “And for your information, we were smart enough to know that we’d need to revisit things by now if relationships hadn’t worked out for us, so here we are.”

“And you’re giving me a week? My thirtieth is so close, I can taste it.” I glared at her.

“I’m just glad I didn’t participate in your hocus-pocus of a pact.” Arie beamed, sitting proudly with a wine glass in hand.

“Because not participating in the pact has clearly helped your love life,” I said sarcastically.

“Clearly.” She grinned, scowled playfully, and let out a sigh. “I’m divorced. Yes. But I’m sure that Mr. Right is just around the corner.”

“The only thing I saw around the corner was an alley full of homeless people and a bold assortment of brightly colored tents.” I grimaced. “So sad. Although you do like camping.”

Arie scowled. “I’m not into finding an urban camper as my Mr. Right, but thanks.”

Winter shook her head. “No. That’s exactly what I’m saying. What if we’re wrong? What if we’ve had dating and men wrong this entire time? We’re not getting any younger, ladies. What if Mr. Right doesn’t exist?”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about. I’m happy with my life, and I don’t need a man to make me complete.”

“Close your eyes,” Winter began, “and imagine waking up in the morning, rolling over, smelling coffee wafting through the air, and opening your eyes to see Mr. Wrong staring right back at you.”

I shuddered, blinking my eyes open. “Sounds like a nightmare.”

Winter laughed. “Yeah. It came out wrong.” She glanced at Samantha. “You try.”

“I think instead of searching for Mr. Right, we need to start looking for Mr. Wrong.” Samantha pulled out yellowed papers from her purse and slapped the pages on the table, and every nerve in my body tingled with worry.

“Still not buying it.” I smiled.

“Here’s yours, Tessa. And yours, Winter, and… mine.” Samantha slipped us all the crinkled pages, but I refused to look down.

“Go ahead, look at it,” Samantha prompted, and Winter’s eyes fell to her sheet.

“What I can’t believe is that you still had all these.” I laughed, still refusing to look down at the pact.

I knew what was on it. An ode to a crush I knew I’d never get, promised myself I never wanted, and had the wherewithal to show I could stick to my guns.

Samantha shrugged. “I thought I might need them for a scandalous bribe or something someday.” She grinned mischievously. “You know, in case I needed someone to babysit my imaginary kids at a moment’s notice.”

“Sounds about right.” I laughed.

“What does yours say? What type of man did you vow you’d never marry?” Winter asked, staring at me with wide eyes.

Even when she was annoying, she looked frustratingly cute, which was why I always got into trouble with these ladies. Each friend was so different, yet we’d all bonded over life events, goals, dreams, changing dreams, and heartaches. Winter was the Bohemian of us all, enjoying pottery and somehow managing to turn that into a business. Samantha was goal-oriented and enjoyed working in the corporate world. Last but not least, Arie went to vet school and worked in a local animal