Up to Date (Better Date than Never Book 8) by Susan Hatler Page B

for me all week long. I mostly had her returning stuff, wide appeal items I’d no longer be using. If a client wanted neutral décor, then hiring Up to Date by Ginger Nielsen would not be the way to go.
    My muse still escaped me. The colorful painting I’d started for Greg’s living room rested against my easel, going nowhere fast. I took my evening run on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but could no longer get into my happy zone. I couldn’t clear my head. Thoughts of Greg circled my mind, as if the tiny cracks he’d caused in my protective wall had ripped wide open.
    It made no sense. I needed to focus on fulfilling my career dreams. I needed to amaze Jenna with this decorating project so that my life’s plan would fall into place. Even though that life plan couldn’t involve Greg.
    By Thursday evening, I’d purchased everything I needed to finish the decorating project, and the necessities were all stacked in Greg’s living room. Now the fun part—putting the new items where they belonged. Mary Ann had a third date with Liam tonight, so I would fly solo tonight. I met Liam in person when he picked her up, and he seemed to adore Mary Ann. I was proud of my little sis for breaking her rules and taking a chance with a guy. A big step for her.
    I hiked upstairs to decorate, put the key in the lock, and was surprised when the door jerked open. I stared at Greg, blinking. “H-Hi.”
    “Hi, yourself.” His smile was friendly, as always, but the sparkle in his eyes that used to greet me wasn’t there. I felt its absence like a knife to my chest, but tried to pretend I didn’t.
    I double-checked my watch. “I thought you would’ve left for work already.”
    He leaned against the doorjamb. “Mary Ann told me she had a hot date tonight. That makes me your only assistant. Where should I start?”
    “What are you talking about?” I eased inside, kicked off my shoes, then crossed my arms. “It’s Thursday. You work tonight.”
    He shut the door, then turned to face me. “This is your last night to pull everything together for the project. I know how much this means to you, so there’s no way I’d abandon you.”
    My dad had missed countless events that were important to me growing up. The emergency room always came first. Every single time. “H-How did you get the night off?”
    “I traded shifts with another person.” He shrugged. “Turns out she needed a different night off for her kid’s school play.” His gaze cut through me. “Bottom line, I’m here for you. I told you that before, and I meant it.”
    My throat tightened. “This is too much trouble for you to go through for something that is my problem. It feels like I’m taking advantage of your friendship.”
    “You’re still not hearing me.” He stepped forward then, and did something he hadn’t done since I’d called things off—he touched me. All he did was brush my shoulder briefly, but the zings that zipped through me were unstoppable. His eyes peered into mine. “You don’t have to do everything alone.”
    His words stormed through me, shaking me to my core. He’d knocked down so many of my beliefs. That the stress of an emergency room doctor was too much for a person to handle. That the demanding job would leave no time for family—or a thoroughly confused downstairs neighbor, as the case may be—and that there might be a man in this world who’d be there for me, who’d believe in me. . . .
    “Thank you.” I choked on my words. Partly because I was touched, but also because a wave of sadness washed over me. Even though Greg was here for me, he wasn’t mine , and I’d never felt more alone.
    ****
    The condo project was complete except for the unfinished living room painting that sat on my easel, mocking me. I’d picked up my paintbrush hundreds of times, unable to swipe so much as one stroke, because every idea felt wrong . The pressure mounted inside me. If I didn’t finish this painting, I’d have to use the country