Read Happily Ever Afterlife for Free Online

join the others on the floor. Beside him sat one solitary can, the plastic ring of a six pack wilted at its neck. Michael yanked it free and popped the top, his attention returning to her photo once more.
    “Baby steps,” Saylor said. “Maybe Lia just wasn’t the one , but at least we know he’s open to the idea, now.”
    “Yeah, maybe.” She reached out to sift her fingers through Michael’s hair, but Saylor slapped her hand away.
    “Don’t.”
    Finishing the last beer and closing the laptop, Michael sat in silence, staring at his hands. The apartment grew dark, but he didn’t move.
    “This is depressing as hell,” Saylor said, snapping his fingers.
    Morning light flooded the room, but still Michael sat on the couch, his clothes unchanged from the day before.
    “Come on, Michael,” Tessa pleaded. “Get up. Take a shower. Do something!”
    Michael sighed, his eyes blinking rapidly as though fighting tears.
    “Tell him to call Lia,” Saylor suggested.
    Leaning over the back of the couch, Tessa came as close as she dared to his ear. She gathered herself and in a strong voice, she said, “Michael, call Lia. Do it right now. Call her.”
    He didn’t. Instead he fell into a mini-coma right on the couch. It was hours before he got up and stumbled into the shower. Tessa’s hopes bloomed when he finally picked up the phone, but it was only to order take-out.
    The next day, he did call, though. He waited until he was at work and asked her to meet him for dinner and it sounded like she agreed. But Tessa had no doubt she would – a girl didn’t do all that with a guy on a date only to refuse date number two.
    Michael spent almost no time at all getting ready for this date. He merely changed from his work clothes into jeans and a t-shirt and headed out the door. Lia was already waiting for him at a restaurant not far from his apartment. The smile on her face when she saw Michael told Tessa that she’d probably been anxious for his call.
    As though on cue, Lia said, “I’m so glad you called,” when Michael scooted into his seat at the busy restaurant.
    A waiter approached and asked for their drink orders. Lia ordered a glass of wine, but her smile slipped a bit when Michael said, “Just water for me.”
    “Oh, sweetie, what are you doing?” Tessa groaned.
    Saylor cocked his head. “What do you mean? What’s he going to do?”
    “You don’t ask for water unless you’re planning to ditch out.”
    “Maybe he just wants water.”
    Tessa shook her head. “This is not good.”
    “I had a lot of fun the other night.” Lia blushed and looked down at her hands resting on the table. Michael reached across the table and took them in his own.
    “I did too. Thank you for that.”
    Pursing her lips, Lia looked away and took a deep breath before turning back. “But…?”
    “See? Even she knows it’s coming,” Tessa said, elbowing Saylor in the ribs.
    “But – I think it’s too soon for me. You’re so amazing, and you deserve someone who can love you back.” He squeezed her hands as her eyes grew moist. “Not some guy who’s still in love with a ghost.”
    Tessa’s heart tripped. Yes, she loved Michael with every inch of her being, but he needed to let go. “Damn it, Michael, give it a chance.”
    Lia pursed her lips even tighter and nodded quickly, obviously fighting tears.
    “Looks like she maybe got her hopes up a little too high,” Saylor said dryly, but Tessa felt bad for her. She’d gotten her own hopes up, too.
    Michael caressed Lia’s fingers, but wouldn’t look at her. “I’d like it if we could still be friends, and maybe after some time has passed, if someone doesn’t sweep you off your feet,” they both smiled, “we can try again. But right now, we’d just end up –”
    “You don’t have to explain. I understand. Though, after the way we ended the other night, I’d hoped you’d already moved on.”
    Michael chuckled. “Yeah, I think I got ahead of myself by a few hundred