Nick didn’t have to wait for Veronica to show this time, she was already sitting at a table waiting for him. She waved her fingers at him when she saw him enter and he quickly made his way over to her.  He saw the disappointment in her eyes when he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek before sitting down across from her. 

“I’ve missed you.” Veronica started.

“It’s only been a couple of days,” Nick responded.

Veronica shrugged.  “We’ve been communicating in one form or another for almost a year, I missed you.”  She reached out to touch her hand and acted a bit surprised when he did not pull away.  “What’s been bothering you?”

Now it was Nick’s turn to shrug.  “Things have been going through my mind is all.”

“I know something is bothering you and I want you to know that I am here when you feel ready to talk.” She smiled though it looked like the same twinkle she normally had was gone.

“Right,” he said then sighed.  He had come here to clear the air with Veronica.  She had met him after he said he didn’t feel like he loved her that there was someone else.  The least he could do is explain what was going on in his life.  “I don’t know what came over me, you and I fit. We have so much in common and when we met it was like I was meeting my other half.” He admitted.

“I felt the same,” Veronica added. 

“Things seem to be too perfect,” he continued.  He noticed the empty plate in front of Veronica and the check sitting towards his side of the table.  Had she ever paid for a meal when they were together, Nick didn’t think so, it hadn’t bothered him much.  He knew she didn’t make a lot of money and Kevin always told him that the man should pick up the bill on a date, it was just the gentleman thing to do.    

“Can I get you anything else?” A server appeared at that exact moment, Nick saw his eyes fall on the check. How long had it been sitting there?  The server hadn’t even offered to get anything for Nick, how long had Veronica been there.

Veronica shook her head and the server walked away.

“How long have you been here?” Nick asked. 

“I was excited to meet you, I got here a couple of hours ago and had dinner.” She blinked her eyes at him innocently.  “I didn’t think you’d mind you.”

They were supposed to meet for dinner and now he found out that she’d already eaten and by the way the waiter had acted she hadn’t paid yet.  “You haven’t paid?” He asked.

“Not yet, I didn’t want them to try to push me off of the table.  I thought that if I paid they would hound me sooner.” Veronica smiled and pulled out her wallet throwing some cash on top of the check.  “Did you think I was going to make you pay for my food when you didn’t eat?” She asked with a hint of laughter in her voice.

Nick joined in laughing with her, it did seem a bit crazy that she would do that.  “I don’t know what’s gotten into me.” He smiled and pulled her hand close to his mouth and kissed it lightly. 

“I need to use the ladies room, please order something, I will sit with you and talk to you while you eat.” She smiled at him and stood to leave. 

Nick shook his head and picked up a menu. The server came back and took the bill, Nick’s hand covered the top of it.  “We aren’t finished.” He told the man and then picked up the cash.  He picked up Veronica’s phone so that he could put the cash under it.  He nearly jumped when her phone vibrated at that very moment. 

He didn’t mean to, but his eyes glanced down at the text message that was revealing itself on the screen in front of him.

‘this better work out, he’s rich he can afford it.’ The message read.  Nick didn’t know who the text was from but it didn’t matter.  His fears about Veronica were proving true.   Nick stood and left, leaving Veronica to pay her bill and to pay for the food he just ordered as well.

“Follow the money,” he muttered to himself. The option to avoid love and go after the fame and fortune was sounding better every time. Hell, it turned out that even someone who he thought loved him was probably only in it for the money.

Nick stopped for the stop sign in front of him.  He glanced around in all directions and started to drive through the intersection.   He knew he looked in every direction, so where did the car from that slammed into the side of his car?