RUNNING FROM MY HUSBAND

Unspoken Truth.

I had spent almost a minute listening to Casey laugh after I told her about the date I had with that guy.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be laughing," she said as she snickered, "but you can't blame me. You did see the same picture I saw, right? Who would have thought he was lying?"

I sighed. "There is some truth to that. Plus, I did agree to go on that date, so I can't blame you entirely—but you should have done some further research."

We were setting up tables in the diner.

"But it wasn't all bad," Casey said, eyeing me suspiciously. "Considering the smile you can't wipe off your face... what are you not telling me?"

I looked at her. "Nothing," I said quickly, walking away.

"Love, don't you dare lie to me. What happened? Did you meet some cute guy or something? Or maybe some rich guy?" She pestered me as she followed me outside to set up more tables.

"It's nothing, really. Just some cute guy I met—no big deal," I said, keeping my tone casual.

"And?" Casey asked, clearly wanting more.

"And nothing. He asked me out on a date and gave me his number. Told me to call him if I wanted to go out."

"And did you?" she asked.

"Not yet. I didn't want to seem too eager."

"But you do want to go out with him, right?"

"Yes, I do. And... I was kind of hoping you'd help me with that," I said, glancing at her hopefully.

"Do you even have to ask? Of course, I'm going to help! And you need my help choosing what to wear. Your wardrobe's tragic, honestly."

"I don't have time to shop, and I'm saving up for college," I said defensively.

She pulled out a chair and gestured for me to sit. Then she pulled her phone from her apron pocket. "What's the guy's name? Let's see if we can dig up anything useful. That way, I'll know how to prep you for the date."

"Quin McDaniel. How do you expect to—"

"Found him!" she said excitedly. "Whoa, Love, you hit the jackpot. This man is so pretty—wavy brown hair, hazel eyes, tall, muscular, handsome, and rich. It's like he walked out of a magazine. I'd let him take me out any day."

"Whoa, Casey, keep it in your pants," I said as I leaned over to look at her phone. It was definitely him. The article said he owned a shipping company and had been ranked as one of the most eligible bachelors. It all seemed too good to be true. What were the odds that a girl like me would be asked out by someone like him?

"How accurate is this information, though?" I asked.

"It's the internet—you should question everything. But I doubt all of it is fake. Now stop overthinking and just call him already."

"Okay, okay. I'll call him," I said, finally giving in. I had been planning to anyway.

"And put it on speaker! I want to hear if his voice matches his face," Casey said.

I rolled my eyes but put the phone on speaker.

"Hello," came his voice—low, smooth, and confident. Casey raised her brows and nodded like it was doing things to her.

"Hey. It's Love... I don't know if you remember me from last night," I said nervously.

He chuckled. "Of course, I remember you. With a face like yours, how could I forget? So I take it you've decided to go on that date with me?"

"Yes. I do want to go out with you," I said.

"Perfect. How about tonight? Does that work for you?"

I glanced at Casey, who was nodding vigorously.

"Umm... yes, that works."

"I'll pick you up at your place. Seven o'clock."

"Okay, see you then," I said, then ended the call.

Casey clapped and pulled me into a hug. "Oh my gosh, I'm jealous. If I had gone on that date, maybe I'd be seeing Mr. Handsome tonight."

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet," I said. "We still have to see how tonight plays out."

Deep down, I was jittery. What if I messed up? What if he thought I wasn't good enough?

"Don't worry," Casey said, as if reading my thoughts. "With my magic hands and a little wardrobe upgrade, you'll look like a goddess in no time."

I hoped so.

Later, I was at home staring at my wardrobe, trying to figure out which dress—if any—would be acceptable for tonight. It was already quarter past six and Casey still hadn't shown up. What was taking her so long?

Moments later, there was a knock on the door.

"Love, open up! We don't have time to waste!" Casey yelled from the hallway.

"And whose fault is that?" I muttered as I opened the door.

"I was picking out the best dresses that would fit you, plus shoes and makeup," she said, marching straight to my bedroom and dumping a large bag onto the bed. "Now, sit. We're on a timer."

"You've got less than an hour, so don't make me look bad," I warned.

She shoved me into a worn-out chair in front of the mirror. "Shush. Let me transform you into a beautiful swan."

"Are you calling me an ugly duckling?" I asked with a raised brow.

"What did I say about talking?" she said with her hands on her hips.

I kept quiet and closed my eyes as instructed. She said she worked best in silence and didn't like complaints. I sat still while she asked for the curling iron, mascara, and who-knows-what-else. Brushes swept across my face, heat curled my hair, and time ticked on.

Finally, she told me to open my eyes. I gasped.

The makeup was subtle and natural, enhancing my features instead of covering them. My short black hair had been curled into soft waves, and the light pink lipstick matched my lips perfectly.

"This is amazing," I said. "I honestly didn't think you could pull it off, but... wow."

Casey smirked. "I know I'm amazing. Now, let's pick a dress before he gets here."

She opened the bag and began listing options. "We've got a red party dress with a side slit—though now that I look at it, maybe not the vibe. An elegant short gold A-line... a black off-shoulder floral... a beige satin mermaid dress with a low back..."

"That one," I said, pointing to the satin dress. The color and fabric were beautiful.

"Excellent choice." Casey smiled. "Now go change while I get your shoes and purse ready. And do not ruin the hair or makeup."

I changed carefully in the bathroom, then came out to find a small black purse and matching ankle-strap heels laid out. I slipped into the heels just as my phone rang—Quin was outside.

Casey had already stocked the purse with essentials. I hugged her tightly. "Thanks so much for helping me."

"You're welcome! Now go—so I can peek through the window and check him out."

I chuckled as I left the apartment.

Outside, Quin stood by a bluish-black Tesla. When he saw me, he stepped forward and opened the passenger door.

"You look beautiful as usual," he said with a warm smile.

"Thank you," I replied as I slid into the car. The interior was sleek and modern—nothing like my beat-up 2007 Subaru, which I'd forgotten to pick up from the repair shop. I'd handle that tomorrow. Tonight, I was going to enjoy this.

"I can't believe you brought a car like this into my neighborhood," I said with a laugh.

"I like to go out in style," he replied. "And we won't be here for long anyway."

"Where are we going? You never told me."

"You'll see when we get there," he said with a teasing smirk as the engine purred to life.