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deep breath. Don’t let it get you down. Plenty of other women out there. Maybe this was too soon for me, too.
    He opened his eyes when the phone rang, then looked at the caller ID with narrowed eyes when he read “Jessica Mays.” He let the answering machine pick it up. If I answer that I’ll probably say something I’ll regret.
    When the machine beeped, he listened to the message. “Tom, this is Jessica. Look, I’m really sorry for what I said. I—I don’t know what came over me and I hope you can forgive me.” She paused. “I meant what I said about having a great time with you tonight. Call me when you get a minute? Bye.”
    He reached over and replayed the message, listening to her voice tone. I’ll give her one thing—she sounds sincere. Maybe I overreacted.
    Tom stood up and paced the length of the room. Times like this I wish I hadn’t quit smoking. That was another of my ex’s conditions for happy living. “The body is a temple and we shouldn’t defile it.” Didn’t stop her from swilling wine and Daiquiris whenever we went out.
    He downed the last of his drink, then went to the kitchen for a refill. The way I see it I have two choices—I can drown my sorrows or I can get busy finding someone else, someone who isn’t in mourning.

Chapter Five
     
     
    Jessica worked in the nurses’ station the following morning, but had trouble concentrating on the charts in front of her. Since awakening, her mind kept replaying the disastrous events of the previous evening.
    She wasn’t aware that Peggy had approached until she gently poked her in the ribs. “Hey, you’ve been in a fog all morning. What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Come on, what’s up? Did you have a terrible time on your date?”
    She shook her head. “No, it was nice. Tom’s a great guy.”
    “So why are you acting like you just found out that he’s Hannibal Lecter’s twin brother?”
    Jessica was silent for a moment. “Everything was going great until I did something really stupid.”
    “What?”
    She looked at Peggy. “We were necking on the couch, really getting into it, then I lost my senses and called him Brad.”
    Peggy groaned and rolled her eyes. “No, you didn’t! What were you thinking?”
    She smirked. “I asked myself that same question all night. Maybe this was too soon for me to start dating again.”
    “Have you talked to him, tried to apologize?”
    “I called and left him a voicemail last night. He didn’t call me back.”
    Peggy perched on a stool. “Wow. That’s a problem.”
    Jessica dropped her pen on the counter. “I thought I was ready to move on, but maybe not. The hell of it is, Tom’s a nice guy and I really enjoyed myself. He’s funny, charming, laidback and knows how to show a woman a good time without expecting something in return.”
    “Sounds positively terrible. I can see why you sabotaged everything.”
    Jessica looked at her. “I didn’t mean to, Peg. It’s just that when we were kissing and holding each other, it reminded me of things. It’s been a long time since someone held me like that. It was nice.”
    Peggy placed her hand on Jessica’s arm. “Then don’t lose that. If you really like Tom, don’t give up on him.” She paused. “I shouldn’t tell you this, but I know he likes you. At least, he said he did.”
    “When did he say that?”
    “Last week, to Doug, after you two had your first coffee date. He said he liked you and wanted to get to know you better.”
    She was silent for a moment. “And I’d like to get to know him better, too.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Tom ran on the treadmill at the gym, his heart pounding while he breathed deeply and steadily. He looked at the speed, then increased it, pushing himself harder. His pulsed increased and he breathed heavier. Sweat poured off his face and soaked his t-shirt. Has to be some way to work her out of my system. Maybe having a massive coronary is it. My luck I’d wind up at her hospital and she’d be my