She followed him out of the restaurant and realized they were still holding hands. She pulled her hand away, unsure how she felt about it. About Brenden.
He was a doctor. But most importantly, he was a man.
Her last relationship had left her exhausted. The entire time, Steve cheated and they fought. She never knew the reason behind his discontent. She didn’t know he had someone who made him happier than she could—that he had checked out of the relationship and was too much of a coward to tell her.
She spent years committed and months drained. Now, she craved the freedom that came with being single. She liked the idea of going on dates and meeting new people. She wanted to do things without worrying about something getting jealous. Or worse, asking for their permission.
She had just sta
