Day 45: Tales Of Party Invitations And Possible Ex Run-Ins
Day 45 Of How To Move On From A Man — 1LD
It was the first time I had ever refused an invitation from GG to dinner.
Especially one hosted at her boyfriend’s penthouse in South Yarra. He lived a five-minute walk from Chapel Street.
The twenty-three-story building I’ve always suspected he owned was in the trendy part of South Yarra. In the part without being full of disrespectful yuppies.
He was near the restaurants but not close enough to suffer when they were exploding with tourists. And the clubs? I’ve always felt surprised he never built one in the building.
But of course, he didn’t have to. He had all the ins, and they were at arms reach at any time.
The odd time I would see his Maserati parked in GG’s driveway, I wondered why he would slum it by staying at Lovelock Drive. Even though it wasn’t exactly cheap to live in Camberwell, either.
I often wondered the same thing about Douglas. I guess I don’t understand the mindset of the rich men of Melbourne.
It’s probably why I didn’t survive as a girlfriend of one.
I had no idea if Taylor had asked his brother to this party. The last time he put together any event, Douglas had escaped to Singapore without telling me.
We were together at the time, too.
I couldn’t rely on history repeating itself. I couldn’t rely on blind luck, a chance fortune that he would stay away. Or that he would have something else on.
I imagined the PR guru Christopher standing beside me, advising me on my next move.
‘Don’t risk it,’ he would say. ‘You’re not ready yet, it isn’t your time.’
I obeyed him, deciding then and there I had to draw a line. If I wanted to get over this breakup, I had to sacrifice.
I wouldn’t go to the party.
I couldn’t go to the party.
And she would have to understand. Everyone would have to understand. This was something I had to do.
The moment the group message landed in my Whatsapp inbox, I called GG.
“Babe, you got a moment.” GG was at work, I could hear the hum of her office in the background. “Sure. Is this about the party?”
“Yeah. I’m not going to be able to make it. But have fun without me.” I waited for her to ask me why, but she didn’t. Her tone barely faltered. “No worries, love. Next time, huh?”
“Mm, hmm. Next time.”
The call ended, not by me, the cold ending issuing a pang of regret in my stomach.
What had I done?!
Was GG’s stoic attitude an indication that I had completely screwed this up? Or was it really just ok and I was making something out of nothing?
Lately, it always felt like the latter.
It felt like I was the one losing my mind and my friends didn’t quite understand what was wrong with me.
I missed the old me. I missed everything that existed before Douglas arrived in my life.
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
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