Day Thirty - I Started Seeing Him Differently

Now I was seeing this guy everywhere.

At the gas station while I was pumping gas. Out walking my dog. I kept thinking, How is he always around?

The next morning, I stopped for my coffee, and there was another one of his business cards at the bagel shop. This time, for whatever reason, I picked it up and took it to my office.

Then the phone rang.

It was a call about one of the New York Public Library branches. A tree had come down and was blocking access. Nobody could get in, and they needed help.

“Let me call you right back,” I said.

I looked down, and there was his card. Tree removal.

I thought, Let me give this guy a call. What’s the worst that could happen?

“Do you do tree removal? I have an emergency job.”

“Yeah. Where is it?”

And that was how we finally connected—through work.

I started sending him so much business. We spent hours at job sites, and then at night, we could spend hours on the phone talking about work. We had so much to talk about, and over time, we became really good friends.

Then one evening, I passed Santino’s and noticed the lights were on.

Vince had given him the keys so he could surprise me. There he was with his men, remodeling my bagel shop.

I sat in my car across the street, watching. Here was someone doing something for me that I hadn’t even asked for.

I thought it was so thoughtful. Those little surprises made me feel excited and cared for.

And somewhere along the way, I started looking at him differently.

I hadn’t expected that. I was still living with someone, and I didn’t want to hurt him. But things at home weren’t getting better. I wanted marriage and a commitment, and we weren’t moving toward that together.

Now I had feelings I needed to be honest with myself about.

Before making any decisions, I needed some distance from it all.

So I decided to take a break and go to Florida with my four sons—to spend time with my boys and clear my head.

I needed to understand what I wanted, and what that would mean for the life we had built.

To be continued…