When will I have this opportunity again?
Sadie’s POV
The moment I saw the message on the dating app with the words, “Dear Stella, we apologize…” I instinctively closed it without reading any further. I immediately knew something had gone terribly wrong. Those weren’t the words they’d used in the first message they sent me. Then, it had been, “Dear Stella, congratulations…”
Changing “congratulations” to “apologies” was a drastic shift from what I had been expecting, and it sent a wave of panic through me. My mind was instantly flooded with anxious thoughts. Had they rejected my application? What had gone wrong? Did they ignore my preferences and match me with someone older, even though I had been so specific about the serial number of the man I had already met? Why did they decide to break my heart like this? Did this mean I wouldn’t be able to travel anymore, and all my plans were ruined?
I wanted to retreat to my room, away from everyone, to check the message in private, but I couldn’t leave the dining table while Daisy and Justin were sitting there with me. I didn’t want to read it in front of them, not knowing how I would react to the news. The message from the dating app felt personal, almost as if it were from a lover, and I knew it would affect me emotionally and even physically. Despite trying my best to appear calm, it didn’t take long—no more than three minutes—for Justin to notice that something was off with me.
“Sadie, are you alright? What’s wrong?” he asked, his gaze sharp and concerned.
“Me?” I touched my chest as if startled that anyone had noticed, trying to put on my best cheerful face. “Oh, nothing! I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine,” Justin persisted, clearly not convinced by my response.
“Maybe it’s because she’s getting ready to leave soon, right? Or is it tomorrow?” Daisy added with a teasing grin, trying to change the subject.
I didn’t want to talk about my return, especially not now, when I had so much going through my head. “Please, let’s not talk about me leaving. Let’s just eat. There’s still so much to do before I travel,” I said, dismissing the topic in an attempt to avoid going down that emotional road. Daisy nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with my redirection of the conversation.
“You’re right. There’s plenty to do before you leave,” she said, picking up her fork and knife again to continue eating. Justin, though, kept glancing between Daisy and me, sensing there was something we weren’t saying. But after a few moments of silence, he didn’t press any further, and the only sounds at the table were the clinking of utensils on plates.
“I feel like I’m the only one being left out of the conversation,” Justin suddenly said, looking slightly amused. “Can’t I be involved too?”
Daisy laughed softly, glancing at me as she winked. It was a signal not to say anything to her dad about what we were planning. “Nope!” I replied with a smile.
“It’s a ladies’ thing,” Daisy added. “Sorry, Dad.”
I thought that would be the end of it, but then I felt something unexpected—a light touch on my right thigh under the dining table. I was startled for a second but tried not to show it. I knew it was Justin, making contact with his foot. I didn’t want to seem surprised, so I slowly raised my eyes to meet his gaze. He arched his eyebrows at me, as if daring me to react. I cautiously moved my legs back, though my body betrayed me as I felt a rush of excitement from his touch. It was a secret between us, a quiet moment that no one else noticed.
Why was Justin so curious about our plans for the day? What did he really want to know? Surely, he wasn’t just interested in where Daisy and I were going later. The last time he had whispered in my ear when Daisy wasn’t around, his low, soothing voice had captivated me. I hadn’t even realized how much I’d twisted my body at the sound of his voice, as if he had touched me somewhere far more intimate. My thoughts snapped back to the message from the dating app, and I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to push those feelings aside.
“Are you falling asleep?” Justin’s voice broke into my thoughts, and Daisy looked over at me with concern.
“No,” I quickly opened my eyes and resumed eating, though I felt flustered. After a few more quiet moments, Justin spoke again, this time addressing Daisy.
“Sweetheart, could you please make me a cup of coffee? Just a small favour,” he said, raising his voice slightly as he saw that Daisy was about to protest.
“Can’t I finish eating first?” Daisy complained, her hands resting on the table in frustration.
“Please,” Justin insisted, sounding almost pleading. “The water’s already in the kettle. It won’t take much time.”
Daisy sighed dramatically, stomping her foot on the floor as she got up to make the coffee. I almost offered to help her, but Justin quickly shut that down. “No, no, let her do it. She knows exactly how I like it.”
As soon as Daisy left the table, I felt a warm hand slip over mine. It was Justin. He leaned in slightly, his voice lowering to that familiar, tempting tone that always made my heart skip a beat.
“Where are you two going this evening? This is my only chance to ask.”
His touch sent a wave of warmth through my body, easing the tension I had been feeling since seeing the message from the app. I found myself blurting out, “Royal Evidence Bar!” It was a reflex, and as soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could take them back. But Justin only smiled, and when he finally pulled his hand away, I felt the sudden absence of his touch like a loss. I almost wanted to hold onto him, to keep that connection for just a little longer.
But before I could say anything more, Daisy came back, carrying the coffee cup. Justin’s smile vanished, and he quickly turned his attention back to her. “Thank you, darling,” he said, taking the cup from her hands.
“Thanks again,” he added, softly caressing her hand in gratitude.
I wondered why Justin cared so much about the name of the bar. He wasn’t likely to follow us—Daisy would never allow that. We had a secret plan, after all. We were on a mission to find a hot guy for me, something I knew Justin didn’t need to know. Or maybe he was just being a concerned father. Either way, I kept quiet about it.
Three minutes later, my curiosity about the dating app message had reached its peak. I was the first to finish eating, and I stood up from the table, eager to check it out in the privacy of my room.
“Thanks, Mr. Justin. I never knew you were such a good cook,” I said, smiling at him.
Daisy, with her usual sarcastic humour, added, “I can’t believe it was actually my dad who made this meal!”
I turned to Daisy and whispered, “I’m going to my room for a bit. I need to use the restroom.” For some reason, I didn’t feel like saying it aloud. When both Daisy and I looked at Justin, it seemed like we were excluding him from some secret.
“What have I done to deserve being kept in the dark?” Justin asked in a playful tone, though there was a hint of genuine curiosity in his voice.
“We’re not hiding anything,” I reassured him, giving a small shrug. “I just told Daisy I need to use the restroom.”
“Why didn’t you say it out loud?” Justin pressed, a sly smile on his face.
“I thought it might irritate you since you were still eating,” I answered quickly.
“Hmmm…” he hummed, giving a knowing glance as Daisy giggled.
I left the dining table and hurried to my room, already feeling the weight of disappointment pressing on me. Nothing good ever came from a message that started with an apology.
Once in my room, I immediately opened my phone and tapped on the message. It read, “Dear Stella, we apologize for the temporary suspension of the dating app’s activities. Due to new government requirements, we are currently working to comply with the regulations. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, and we are confident that as soon as this process is complete, your request will be granted.”
Holy hell! Why hadn’t they processed the requests of those who had already applied before these stupid regulations came into play? I didn’t care about their legal problems. I needed to meet this man! I felt like the universe was cheating me out of a chance at love, and now even my plans to reconnect with someone who could soothe my heart were slipping away. This wasn’t fair. What would I even tell Daisy? That I wasn’t going for the interview anymore? That there was no point in travelling at all now?
Leaning against the wall, I took a deep breath, but instead of finding clarity, my mind wandered to Justin. How I wished he felt the same way I did. Would my romantic future really depend on this app resuming its services?
I stood there, lost in my thoughts for so long that I didn’t even notice how much time had passed until I heard Daisy calling my name.
“Sadie, are you still in the restroom? What’s going on with you?” But I didn’t respond. I simply stepped out, and what I heard from her was,
“You’ve started overthinking again. How will you manage when you go back home? Why did your interview come up so soon? Is it possible for you to cancel the interview, and I can ask my mom to hire you in her company?”
I couldn’t utter a word, and when my appearance seemed unusual, Daisy embraced me. She thought I was still upset about my breakup with Leo. She didn’t know that it was a fresh heartbreak from a dating app.
“Can I lie down? I want to be alone,” I murmured weakly, and she didn’t hesitate. She led me to the bed, and I collapsed onto it. Soon enough, I drifted off to sleep.
I slept for so long that it took the unexpected effort of someone to come and wake me up in the late afternoon. Perhaps my heart was tired of opening my eyes due to all the heartbreaks.
“You’ve been sleeping for a while. Won’t you wake up?” Justin placed the back of his palm on my face and neck. I opened my eyes slightly and quickly scanned the room to see if he was the only one there, and indeed he was. With my drowsy eyes, I became emotional, longing for more of his touch.
“What’s happening to you?” he asked, and I was grateful that he inquired. At that moment, I wanted to say, “I’m feeling pain between my breasts,” hoping he would be moved to comfort me and try to touch where I was in pain. But just as I was about to open my mouth, the door to my room opened at once.
“Sadie! Are you still sleeping?” Daisy asked, almost at the same time she opened the door. Why did she come in at this significant moment in my life? When would I have this opportunity again?
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