I thought my mother’s 70th-year-old wedding would be a simple and pleasant affair until she grabbed the microphone and announced a shocking rule for whoever caught her bouquet. I stepped back to avoid it, but it landed… right in my hands.
I stood in the kitchen, watching my mother flit around the table, rearranging place cards, adjusting napkins, and muttering about color combinations as if the fate of the universe depended on it.
She was radiant, glowing. Meanwhile, I was still trying to understand how this could have happened.
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“Mom, are you serious? You’re seventy-nine and you’re getting married?”
She looked up, completely uninhibited and sporting a mischievous smile.
“Oh, don’t look so sad, darling. It’s not the end of the world. It’s the beginning of a whole new life!”
She looked exactly as she had in her twenties, with that same twinkle in her eyes, that same carefree enthusiasm that made any discussion with her absolutely pointless.
“Mom, why? You live just fine on your own!”
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“And who said I wanted to live alone?”
My mother had always done exactly what she wanted.
“I know that after the disaster of your marriage, you stopped believing in love, but that’s not the case for me. Harold is perfect for me. He makes me laugh. And I feel alive again.”
I sighed as I looked at her. She had an iron will, was fearless, and was desperately stubborn. Once she makes a decision, it’s impossible to change her mind.
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“So, is the wedding already planned?”
“The guests are invited, the dress is chosen, the menu is finalized.”
“This is crazy!”
“That’s life, sweetheart,” she said, smiling slyly. “And you should start living your life again instead of hiding behind your cynicism.”
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I clenched my jaw. My mother had an infuriating way of bringing up my divorce at the worst possible times.
I thought back to the day my husband left. That day, I came home expecting nothing unusual, only to find suitcases lined up by the door. He then announced he was in love with someone younger. Someone fun.
After that, love seemed like nothing more than a priceless scam, a fairy tale sold to naive women who didn’t realize that the prince would eventually get bored and find someone else.
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I spent years rebuilding myself, brick by brick, convincing myself that I was better off. That I didn’t need love.
“You know,” my mother’s voice brought me back to reality, “I have something fun planned for my favorite girls at the wedding.”
“Girls?”
“You, my dear, and my adorable granddaughters.”
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She smiled at me. There was a glint in her eyes that I didn’t like.
“Mom.”
“Trust me,” she said, waving her hand. “You’ll love it.”
I doubt it very much!
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***
On the wedding day, on the way to the grand estate where the ceremony was taking place, life decided to remind me that I had no control over anything.
My tire got a flat in the middle of nowhere. No gas station. No cars passing. Just me, a nonexistent phone signal, and my own bad luck.
I got out of the car, muttered a few curse words, and was about to call roadside assistance when a brand new pickup truck pulled up next to me.
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“Do you have a problem, madam?”
I rolled my eyes before I even turned around.
The man standing next to the truck was tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, and wore a smile that immediately irritated me.
“My tire is flat,” I said sharply.
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“Oh, it’s easy to fix. Give me five minutes and you can go again.”
“Are you a mechanic?”
“No, but you’re not going to ask for my credentials while I’m fixing your tire, are you?”
I glared at him. “Listen, sir…”
“Nick.”
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“Listen, Nick, I’m not in the mood for jokes.”
“Looks like you could use some jokes,” he smiled, kneeling down by my car.
I let out a long sigh and turned away, only to hear the car door creak open.
“Are you serious, Nick?” said a high-pitched, annoyed female voice.
I turned around to see a tall, blonde woman, visibly annoyed, leaning out from the passenger seat.
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“Just a minute, Julie,” he said over his shoulder.
She glanced at me, her expression instantly changing from irritated to downright hostile. Then, with a stifled sigh, she sat back down in the car.
I pursed my lips. A typical man. With his typical love story. What the hell did I care? I just wanted to go to the wedding and get the day over with.
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***
The wedding was extravagant. My mother looked thrilled. Harold was thrilled. The guests were laughing, dancing, and having a blast. That’s when my mother approached the microphone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to throw the bouquet!”
The crowd cheered. My nieces moved closer, already preparing to fight for it.
“And whoever catches it will receive my expensive sapphire ring!”
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Another murmur of excitement.
“But there’s one condition,” she continued, holding up a finger. “The winner will have to go out with someone of my choice!”
“Oh, no,” I mumbled, taking a step back.
My mother then turned around, and just before throwing the bouquet, I swear she winked at me. She adjusted her position, aimed…
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And threw it. Directly. At. Me. I couldn’t move in time. The bouquet landed directly in my hands. Silence. Then… applause exploded around me.
I stood there frozen as my mother beamed. “Congratulations!”
“Just kidding,” I whispered.
“A deal is a deal, darling,” she smiled.
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“Who… is my date exactly?”
Her smile widened. “Nick, my dear, come up!”
I turned my head. That same damn Nick was striding forward, looking way too amused. He raised an eyebrow at me. “Well, well. Looks like fate wants us to have dinner together.”
Behind him, Julie let out a loud cry of indignation.
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I turned to my mother. “Absolutely not.”
She placed a hand on my arm and whispered, “Please, sweetheart. Just this once. Do it for me. As a wedding present.”
Before I could refuse, she waved to Nick and disappeared into the dancing crowd. Nick smiled and leaned toward me.
“So, when is our big date?”
“Let’s get this over with. I will, but only so I don’t ruin my mother’s wedding. Just one date. That’s all.”
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“Perfect. Name the time and place, and I’ll be there.”
“Saturday. 7 p.m. That Italian restaurant downtown. Vincenzo’s.”
“Chic,” he said jokingly. “I’m honored.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to pretend nothing happened for the rest of the evening.”
As I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of Nick out of the corner of my eye. He had already turned around and was heading straight for Julie.
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She was furious, but Nick smiled at her, said something quietly enough that I couldn’t hear it, and then, to my dismay, took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor.
I had seen enough.
I didn’t even wait for the wedding cake. Without another word, I grabbed my purse and left, heading straight for home with only one thought running through my head…
Why does my mother do this to me?
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***
The night of the date arrived. I was sitting in a quiet cafe, drumming my fingers against the table. I’d arrived ten minutes early because I wanted to get it over with.
And then, right on time, Nick walked in.
Dressed in a crisp shirt and dark jeans, he looked… boringly neat. He spotted me immediately and smiled.
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“Wow,” he said, sliding into the seat opposite me. “You actually came. I half expected you to leave me a little note and disappear.”
“Believe me, I’ve thought about it.”
“So, let’s do this right. How was your day?”
I studied him. “Do you mean before or after I regretted agreeing to the date?”
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Nick let out a laugh.
“Okay, see? That’s exactly why I like you. You’re brutally honest. It’s refreshing.”
I sighed, taking a sip of my coffee. “Look, I agreed because of my mom. One date. No expectations. No illusions.”
“I understand. No illusions.”
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For a few moments, it wasn’t so bad. The conversation was light, he cracked some wedding jokes, and managed to make me smile more than once. I hated to admit it, but he was… charming. In a maddening way.
And then his phone rang. He barely glanced at the screen before hitting “decline.” A minute later, it rang again.
This time he sighed, checked the caller ID, and muttered, “Give me a second.”
He stood up and walked a few meters away to answer. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but…
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“Hey, Julie, it’s okay… yeah, I know. Just… calm down, okay?”
A pause. Then another sigh.
“Yes, I’ll be there soon. Don’t move.”
He hung up, ran a hand through his hair, and returned to the table, looking more tense than before.
“Sorry about that,” he said, slipping his phone back into his pocket. “I have to go.”
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“Something important?”
“Yeah, just… something I need to take care of.”
“Let me guess,” I said flatly. “Julie?”
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
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He stood up, throwing some bills on the table. “Look, I’m sorry. I know this is…”
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s just say we’re done. No need to put it off.”
“Come on, are you going to leave me like this?”
I gave him a dry smile. “Nick, if you’re going to run off with another woman in the middle of our first date, at least try to be subtle.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but retracted. Instead, he sighed and shook his head.
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“I’ll explain later.”
Then, with one last glance, he turned and walked out. I stared at my untouched coffee for a long moment before looking at my reflection in the dark liquid.
Nick. Julie. Of course.
I knew my mother’s attempt at a matchmaking scheme would be a disaster, but even I didn’t expect her to set me up with a womanizer. A man who couldn’t even go on a single date without leaving me for someone else.
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It didn’t matter. It wasn’t my problem anymore. Or so I thought, having no idea I’d see him again sooner than expected.
***
The flowers started arriving the next morning.
At first, I thought it was a mistake. A gigantic bouquet of red roses sat on my desk. The card bore a message:
“I hope you’re not allergic. Nick.”
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I moaned out loud, throwing the flowers into the trash.
“Of course, it was him.”
“A secret admirer?” one of my colleagues teased me when the next bouquet was delivered the next day.
“More like a persistent mistake,” I muttered, tossing another bouquet into the break room for anyone to take.
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I had managed to ignore Nick for a whole week when my mother called me, her voice still cheerful.
“Dinner, darling. At my place. Tonight.”
“Mom, I…”
“No excuses. I barely got to see you after the wedding. You left so early. Even before the cake! You owe me dinner.”
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“Okay,” I relented. “I’ll be there.”
I should have known she was up to something.
***
As soon as I stepped onto my mother’s patio, the smell of grilling overwhelmed me. For a brief moment, I relaxed. Okay. Just a family dinner. Nothing suspicious.
Then I saw Nick. Standing by the grill. Flipping burgers.
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And then… as if the universe wasn’t already cruel enough, Julie walked in, right behind him.
My blood started boiling instantly. It was incredible. Before I could storm off, my mother grabbed my arm and smiled.
“Oh, darling! You did it!”
“Mom. What is he doing here?”
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She feigned innocence. “Oh, did I forget to tell you? I invited Nick.”
“For what ?”
“Because, darling, I think you both got off on the wrong foot. And I wanted to give you two another chance to get to know each other.”
“Oh, no. I’ve gotten to know him very well. Trust me.”
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“Ah, well, then you won’t mind staying for dinner,” she said kindly, practically pushing me towards the table.
Before I could argue, Nick turned around and spotted me. “Well, look who finally decided to stop avoiding me.”
I clenched my jaw.
Julie, who had remained silent until now, finally laughed. “Can we eat?”
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My mother clapped her hands together. “Sure! But first, Nick has something to say.”
Nick let out a dramatic sigh, putting down the spatula. “I need to introduce you to someone.”
“Oh, I know Julie,” I said coldly. “I saw her a lot at the wedding, hanging on your arm while you…”
Nick cut me off. “It’s not like that. It’s not what you think.”
He turned to Julie and placed a hand on her shoulder. “That’s my daughter.”
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“…What ?”
Julie huffed, rolling her eyes.
“Yes, yes. I know I look too old to be his child, but believe me, I had to live with him for eighteen very long years.”
My mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. Nick scratched the back of his neck.
“Yes, so… My wife died when Julie was six. Since then, it’s just the two of us. Well…”
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He glanced at his daughter. “Someone doesn’t like sharing me.”
“You’re boring.”
“It’s genetic, kiddo.”
“So you weren’t…” I gestured vaguely. “You weren’t…”
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“Dating?” Nick finished for me, laughing. “Of course not. That would be weird.”
Julie made a sound of disgust. “Disgusting.”
Then she let out a dramatic sigh and slid into the seat opposite me.
“Look, you’re not as bad as I thought,” she admitted. “And honestly, my dad has to move on already. Whatever it is. If you can tolerate it, you should go on another date.”
I glanced at Nick, who was looking at me smugly.
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“See? Even my daughter thinks I’m a good choice.”
Surprisingly, I smiled. Just a little. “Maybe. But first, dinner. I’m starving.”
“That’s the best thing you’ve said all night.”
The conversation then flowed smoothly. We talked, laughed, and somehow, against all odds, the tension melted away. I was finally ready to open my heart to a man.
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