Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

Maja couldn't help but chuckle as she hooked her arm through his and they headed for the car.

As long as Abner and Shirley hit it off, her matchmaking wouldn't have been in vain.

Upstairs.

After lan's teasing remark, Abner had straightened up in his seat.

He glanced at the barely touched dishes in front of them and picked up a rib with the nearby cutlery, placing it onto Shirley's plate.

Shirley had planned to linger, but her phone chose that moment to buzz. It was her mother calling.

She pressed the answer button with a hint of resignation in her voice.

"Mom, I really got held up with work at school, I didn't stand him up on purpose. I know, okay, I'll meet him in an hour."

Ending the call, she stood up.

"Abner, how long do you plan to stick around Greenfield? I have a training out of town for the next few days. Next tyou're in

Greenfield, can we grab a meal together?"

Her mother had set her up on a blind date, and she couldn't bail on the arrangement.

Abner also got to his feet. "Letwalk you out."

"I drove here."

"So, can you givea lift?"

Shirley was speechless.

Eventually, they both climbed into the car.

Shirley took the driver's seat, punched in the hotel's address into the GPS, and realized that it was only a mile from her place.

Was he really so close and never thought to call her?

hiding the

several conversation topics in

them.

you

finishing his exams, and

had tried to find him, but that first

"In North America."

a year ago, right? Thought about

awkward boy, and she couldn't imagine the dangerous games he

scenes.

"Haven't thought about it."

smile lit up Shirley's face as she drove. "Remember when you found out I wanted to be a

too."

she had perhaps said too much about the distant past,

lan mentioned you've got

had a sudden

didn't respond, and Shirley wisely

to the hotel, and Abner didn't immediately exit.

phone on

had inadvertently provided him with the perfect

age, you were helpless without your

concerned. "Let's head back

a U-turn

a crossroads, Shirley suddenly

remember this place? It's where I took you for your first birthday with me. I cback from school late

you a cake. I freaked out when I couldn't find

you were standing in his

swallowed hard, his gaze drifting to the store, his lips pressed into

"Yeah, I remember."

were you thinking, standing there not saying

her eyes crinkling with

her from the corner of his eye, noting her hands on the steering wheel, bare of any

and she grew up pampered as an

was a tshe suffered, it was probably during those years with