Free Grounded for Love: A Reunion Romance Novella by Rebecca Talley Page A

reason whatsoever, I finally learned. She didn’t even trust me enough to talk to me. She thought I was cheating on her and didn’t even give me the chance to explain. She made me miserable for a long time. I don’t have any feelings for her now. That is for sure. All of my feelings are for Deena.”
    “Deena?”
    “I mean, Dana. You are stressing me out with all of this. You need to butt out, Annie. I didn’t ask for your opinion and, honestly, I don’t want it. Who I date is none of your business.” Graham stomped out of the room, grabbed his jacket, and went outside.
    The arctic air bit at his cheeks, but he didn’t care. He was over Serena. Yeah, it had been weird and unexpected to see her, but he didn’t have any feelings left for her. And she didn’t have any left for him. It was over and done.
    He kicked a small rock and watched it tumble down the walkway, landing in an old pile of snow. Suddenly, his mind darted back to when he and Serena were outside the hotel. For a moment—a slight, very tiny moment—he’d been tempted to kiss her, but that was simply old feelings trying to resurface. Now that he’d had time to think, he was sure he was better off without her.
    Annie’s words nagged at him. “You’ve never gotten over Serena, and now that you’ve seen her again all your feelings are back and you’re trying to figure out how to deal with them.”
    He had to admit that seeing Serena made him feel something he hadn’t since she’d left—something he didn’t even realize was missing until he saw her again.
    Maybe Annie was right. Maybe he still had feelings for Serena after all. Maybe he’d just buried them so deep he thought they didn’t exist anymore. But they did.
    Graham pushed out an exasperated breath. It’s too late to rekindle what Serena and I once had.
    Isn’t it?
    And what about Dana?
     

 
    Serena sat at the kitchen table.
    “How was your date last night?” her mom asked.
    “It was fun.” Serena grabbed a piece of cinnamon toast and took a bite of the spicy treat, reminding her of childhood breakfasts.
    “Are you going to see him again?”
    “Yeah. Tonight.”
    “Oh.” She hated when her mom said that word, because it meant so much more. “Would you like some apple juice?”
    “Mom, why shouldn’t I go out with Colby?”
    “You should.” Her mom poured juice into the glass in front of Serena then sat next to her. “He seemed like a nice young man.”
    “He is.”
    Her mom nodded.
    “Weren’t you the one telling me to go out with him?”
    “Yes.”
    “So what now?”
    “I just wonder where it can really go, since you live in California. Maybe if you moved back…”
    “Mom, I can’t move back here.” Serena took a bite of the toast. “And I’m not looking for a relationship, if that’s what you mean. Maybe a couple of fun dates while I’m here. That’s all.”
    “Because the one you really care about is—”
    “Nope. That’s not true.”
    “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
    “Yes, I do. You were going to say I still have feelings for Graham and that seeing him in the airport has made them all return and that I want to date him again and that I regret running out on him and I should make it up to him somehow, and, and, and.”
    “Something like that.” Her mom smoothed the tablecloth.
    “Well, first of all, none of that is even true. And secondly, he is involved with someone else.”
    “Are they married?”
    “No.”
    “Engaged?”
    “I don’t know. I didn’t ask.” The room began to feel hot and stifling.
    “It isn’t over until the fat lady sings.”
    “You know, I’ve never really understood what that means. You’ve always said it, but I’ve never understood it.”
    Her mom peered at her with a serious expression. “It’s only over if you give up.”
    “It is over. It was over the minute I didn’t trust him. I could never expect him to forgive me for thinking he was cheating and never talking to him again. I