Lacy woke the next morning feeling as though she’d been run over by a Mac truck. She turned over in bed and peered at the clock on her nightstand. It was after ten o’clock in the morning. She never slept so late but she had been awake nearly all night tossing and turning. Sleep eluded her and all she could think about was Lydia kissing Tyler. She couldn’t get the image out of her head. How had a beautiful night turned so ugly? Lacy may have been shy and unsophisticated but she was very much a realist. She knew that she had developed feelings for Tyler that went well beyond the realms of a business relationship and that of a casual affair. She had fallen in love with him. And last night she’d had the ridiculous notion that maybe he held the same sentiments for her. But Lydia had dashed her hopes with a cold bucket of water; promptly setting the record straight. Well, she guessed she should be happy that she hadn’t made a bigger fool of herself. It would have been extremely awkward having to work with Tyler after he’d let her down easy. She just had to find a way of getting over him; that was easier said than done. Then her phone rang. Now she wished she had upgraded the phone to a newer model with a viewer. She would then know who was calling. The ring was insistent. Whoever it was would not hang up. She answered it.
“Hello.”
“Lacy! I thought you wouldn’t answer,” Tyler said.
“I almost didn’t. What do you want?” she demanded.
“We need to talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Tyler. Things were perfectly clear last night,” she mumbled.
“No, Lacy. You have it wrong. You’re assuming something that isn’t true,” he said. “Let me come—
“No! Don’t come over here. I don’t want to see you. Please stay away,” she begged.
“Lacy, if you would just hear me out. I can—
She slammed the phone down and burst into tears. Hearing him lie just made it worse. Why couldn’t he just go back to Lydia and leave her alone. She cried for her lost hopes; for the dream that would never be a reality. She cried because her heart was broken and she knew it would never be whole again. She had done the stupidest thing of her entire life. She had fallen in love with Tyler Sinclair.
She got out of bed and went into the bathroom. She went through her morning ritual like a robot. Just as she dressed in a pair of grey sweats and a red T-shirt she heard her doorbell. She prayed it wasn’t Tyler as she padded to the door. She looked through the peephole and drew a deep sigh. She opened the door and then moved to sit on the window seat. Her was sleeping on the hearth and didn’t bother to join her. She looked at Puff disparagingly then stared out of the window.
“Hey! What’s wrong, Lacy? Did something happen at the party?” Penny exclaimed. She came to sit beside Lacy in the window and grasped her hand. She peered at Lacy and knew something had gone very wrong. “Lacy. What is it?”
“Last night had been so lovely. Tyler was such a gentleman. He was so attentive. He treated me like I was his girl,” Lacy mumbled. “I felt like Cinderella at the ball. And then….then—
“Then what?” Penny prompted.
“I found out that I could never be the belle of the ball and win the Prince. No prince would want someone like me,” Lacy said miserably. “I’m just not good enough.”
Penny inhaled sharply. Lacy was so down on herself. She had never seen her belittle herself so grievously.
“Lacy, stop berating yourself and tell me what happened,” Penny shook Lacy’s hand to get her attention.
Lacy stared out of the window and numbly related the events of the previous night.
“So, you see, Tyler has a girlfriend. A beautiful, sophisticated and refined woman who is the perfect eye-candy for his lifestyle,” Lacy muttered. “I was a fool to hope that he would fall in love with me.”

“Are you in love with him?” Penny asked quietly. Lacy didn’t answer. “Lacy. Are you?”
“Yes,” Lacy whispered. “I shouldn’t but I do”
“Oh, Lacy!” Penny exclaimed. “Are you sure that he doesn’t feel the same about you?”
Lacy shook her head negatively and looked at Penny.
“I know that he doesn’t. Tyler wants to talk to me only to soften the blow. But he doesn’t love me,” Lacy replied. “And I never should have fallen in love with him. I knew our date was only for show and meant nothing.”
“I’m not so sure about that. You may be underestimating the man,” Penny mused. “Considering how he was acting with you, I would guess that his feelings are involved as well.”
“He was only playacting. I was the idiot who read more into it than was there.”
“I don’t think so, Lacy. I think you should talk to him; hear him out. You’ve got nothing to lose. You may be surprised by what he has to say,” Penny encouraged.
“That’s just it, Penny. I don’t want to hear what he has to say. I don’t want to see the regret in his eyes or hear the pity in his voice. That would just make this situation that much more difficult,” Lacy exclaimed.
“Tyler strikes me as an upright guy. If he was involved with another woman he would say so,” Penny said thoughtfully. “He would devise this entire charade as a joke at your expense. I would bet hard cash that he’s not that kind of guy.”
“And you would lose. He did devise the ruse and the joke was on me. He just never expected Lydia to show up,” Lacy argued.
“You’re wrong, Lacy. My gut tells me you’re really wrong about him,” Penny warned. “And before you go spouting off your suspicions of him, you should let him talk.”
Lacy looked out of the window.
“No. He’s got nothing to say th—
Lacy inhaled sharply.
“What is it?’ Penny asked. She turned to look out of the window as well. “Isn’t that Tyler’s car down there?”
Tyler got out of the car and ran up the apartment steps.
“He’s here,” Lacy said numbly.
“I think that’s a good thing. You guys need to talk; and you need to listen,” Penny advised.
There was a loud knock on the door. Lacy panicked.
“I don’t want to see him. I can’t talk to him; not now. Maybe never,” Lacy wailed.
“Yes you can, Lacy. You have to have this conversation with him. You owe it to yourself to hear him out,” Penny said.
“Lacy! Open up!” he yelled as he pounded on the door.
Penny stood and moved to the door.
“No! Don’t open it,” Lacy cried out.