After the Storm {Book 2}

Chapter 22: Paula

"So you really don't like spaghetti?"

"I absolutely hate it! It gives me the creeps. I always think it's some kind of worms!" Paula said with a subtle laugh.

"That's crazy. I've never met anyone who doesn't like it," I admitted, still surprised.

After I had escaped from the disastrous news station, I called up Paula to see if she'd like to go with me to the local pasta place. As I knew she would, she agreed.

I decided not to slip up this time by picking her up at her house. Instead, she took her own car to the restaurant and we met up.

"I'm just glad they have pizza here. Otherwise, I would have been starving!"

I watched as a beautiful smile formed on her face as she looked over the menu. Her freshly manicured nails ran through her hair as she gazed around the restaurant. Her eyes caught mine and the smile widened.

"What?"

"Nothing," I said, even though it was everything.

"Come on, you were staring pretty hard. Is there something in my teeth? I could've sworn I brushed this morning.."

"No, no. It's not that. You're teeth..are- are beautiful. You're just one of the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen."

"Awww." She rested her hand on mine, that was laying on the table. My heart fluttered. "That's such a sweet thing to say."

I grinned and shrugged a little. "It's true."

She smiled again. "So where are you from?"

"I'm from here actually. Well, a few miles from here where my mom lives."

"That's cool. I'm from New Jersey."

"Oh, wow. That's really far from here."

"Yeah, it was tough to move," She said nodding her head, reminiscing. "But it was for my job, so it's okay."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a wedding planner."

Coincidence?

"Oh wow, I heard that's a stressful job."

"It is. But it's not really work for me. I enjoy doing it, so it's more like a hobby that I get paid to do."

I chuckled. "That's a good way to look at it. My mom always said if you find something you enjoy doing, you'll never work a day in your life."

She sipped on her water and nodded. "Mhm. That's the motto I go by."

"Are you working on any weddings right now?" I asked, leaning back in the booth.

"Yes, I'm finishing up on one currently and I'll be starting on another one next week," She said with a sigh. "Busy, busy."

"Would you ever change your job?"

She took this into consideration and after much thought she replied saying, "Nope. Never. I enjoy it too much to leave it. I meet a lot of nice and interestingpeople."

"That's great. You seem like a people person."

She grinned and rolled her eyes sheepishly. "You could say that."

A moment of silence passed over our table and the sound of clattering dishes nearby consumed the restaurant.

I noticed her looking at my hand, more specifically my ring finger. My ring was still on.

"You're married," She said disappointingly.

She even looked cute when she frowned.

"Well, sort of, I guess."