Now or Never: A Last Chance Romance (Part 1) Read Online Free Page A

than sit around listening to dirty stories.”
    I turn red.  He’s wrong.  I don’t have anything better to do on a Thursday night.  Is he flirting with me?  Is he…interested?
    Regardless of why he’s hanging out with me, I don’t need him analyzing me.  And I certainly don’t owe him any explanation for why I’m at the YMCA.  I take a large gulp of coffee.  The bite of Bailey’s is satisfying, a familiar, slow burn.  Another reason I love pubs — the generous pour.
    “That’s funny,” I say.  “Because I pegged you as exactly the sort of guy who would troll AA looking for easy women.”
    “Ouch!  It sounds terrible when you put it that way.  I’m not some sort of sexual predator.”
    The front door swings open, bringing a gaggle of young women with uniformly long straight hair, skinny jeans, and clunky boots.  They bring the smell of cigarette smoke and beer.  I turn back to Justin watching them with palpable interest.
    Any thought that this is anything other than friendly conversation is out the door before it swings closed behind these lovelies.
    “You were saying something about not being a sexual predator?” I smile when he finally snaps back to our table.
    “What?  Oh yeah.  The AA thing.  It’s just that I enjoy sex, but I’m not looking for a relationship.  Women in AA know they shouldn’t get into relationships, but everyone needs to get laid once in a while.  It’s win-win.”
    “You never want a relationship?”
    He shakes his head.  “Been there, done that.  Not a good fit.  So what’s your deal?”
    “There’s no deal,” I say, pretending to look at the food menu.
    “Come on.  I told you mine.  And I’m not even complaining that you’re judging me over it.”
    I smile.  “I’m not judging you.”
    “You are.  Admit it.”  His smile is devastating.
    “Fine.  Maybe a little.”  I take a deep breath.  “Here’s my deal: I’m not married, I don’t have a boyfriend, and I don’t date.”
    “What does that mean, don’t date?”
    “I haven’t had a date in twelve years, okay?  I raised a son by myself, I work hard, I have great friends.  No time, no interest.  End of story.”
    “Wow.  How did you do that?  I mean, I find it hard to believe that men weren’t coming on to you all the time,” he says.  I’m startled by the comment — he says it so casually.  How does he not know that’s the biggest compliment I’ve had in as long as I can remember.  Maybe ever.  But his face is neutral, like he simply said I make a good pot of coffee.
    “Um, no.  Not exactly.  And even if they had been, I didn’t want to make more mistakes.  I tried dating a few times.  But then he’d inevitably meet my son, and then the relationship would do what relationships are wont to do — fizzle.  And then I had to explain to Max why so-and-so wasn’t going to be around anymore.  What kind of example was that for him?  It’s bad enough I found out things never last.  I didn’t need to teach him that lesson at age six.”
    “Makes sense,” he says, nodding.  “So what now?  Your son is out of the house.  No one to witness the way we adults tend to fuck up things.”
    “I guess somewhere along the way I lost interest in finding Happily Ever After,” I say.  “Or maybe it’s that I feel I don’t deserve happiness.  That’s what my therapist used to say.”
    “I don’t believe that therapy crap.”
    “Yeah, I stopped going.”
    “Well, we are officially like-minded individuals,” he says, raising his glass.  “To no relationships.”
    “To no relationships,” I say,
    “So…just one night stands?”
    “Nooo,” I say, as if I’m speaking to a learning-challenged person.  “No dating means no sex.”
    He slaps the table with his palm.  “Get the fuck out of here, Claire!  No sex in twelve years?  No wonder you have to listen to dirty stories.”
    The table of college girls look at him, and one giggles.  The