by Ysa Arcangel
“Last time I checked, you were a picture of a happy family. So, what are you doing in this speed dating event again?” he asked softly, not taking his eyes off her lips.
“A futile and useless attempt to move on. Instead, I found myself reminiscing about the good old days. The night we met.” Her eyes glistened and she blinked back the tears. “I’m sorry. I just can’t believe you’re really here.”
He brought his hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I asked for Mina and Connie’s help to set up this event,” he admitted.
The bell rang, and the participants watched people get up to switch tables. Roxanne and Wish stayed put.
“You did?” Tears sprang from Roxanne’s eyes.
Wish nodded.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to explain how sorry I am. I was overwhelmed with joy, love, and yearning when I saw Chris again. He kissed me, but when I closed my eyes... I saw you.” Her voice cracked.
Wish stood from his seat. “What’s that supposed to mean, buddy?” he whispered.
Now was the time. Now she could let it out. She could hold him and tell him everything she wanted to, without worries, guilt or regrets.
Roxanne stood in front of him. “We had closure when we went to Bacolod. He’s married, Wish. His wife has a baby on the way. I told him to go back to his wife, to his unborn child and to not make the same mistake again.”
“Why?” Wish challenged her. “Say it.”
She could feel the warmth of his breath. She looked up to him. “Because I love you. I am in love with you. I think I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone before.”
She stood before him, teary-eyed and real, and said the words he thought he’d never get to hear. But Wish wasn’t surprised. He was meant to hear it ages ago. They knew they loved each other, and they knew they were meant to be together.
Wish closed the remaining distance between them. “I only want what’s best for your kids. I can’t replace their father, and I’m not even sure I’m the best role model. I thought I was doing the right thing by staying away from you. I stayed offline and ignored all your messages. But then curiosity got the best of me and I read one of your emails. And I was a goner.”
He hadn’t realized he’d been crying. The bell rang again but the room stood still and all eyes were on them.
“I just wanted you to be happy, even if it wasn’t with me.”
Roxanne shook her head. “I only want you. Good or bad, flawed or perfect. I love you, Aloysius Gregorio.”
“I love you too, Roxanne Virginia Mabini.” His thumb moved up her cheek, wiping a tear from her eyes. “The first time I saw you bored out of your mind at this speed dating event, I knew it was love at first sit.”
He gave her one of those panty-dropping dimpled smiles. He started to lean in and Roxanne reached up a little so her lips could meet his. He slid both his arms to the middle of her back and her arms snaked around his neck. She fit perfectly against him. He kissed her with so much passion and need, she nearly stopped breathing.
Joyful whoops erupted from the room.
Amidst the excitement, however, Wish and Roxanne did not move from their spot. It was too precious of a moment to interrupt.
- THE END -
Other books of Ysa Arcangel you might enjoy. Look for them on Amazon
Acknowledgements
To Mina V. Esguerra, our fairy book mother. I will always be grateful to her for her support and kindness. She have been an inspiration. As an author, her achievements are #goals. I have no idea how she managed to do all the ‘things’. All I know is that she rocks.
To my colleagues Christine, Gina and Jadymed, who helped me figure out what to do with Roxanne and Wish. Thank you guys! You helped me make this book come to life!
To C.K Brooke, my editor who helped polished my manuscript. With her proofread and editing, my book shine in a new light. She is such a blessing!
To Lucy Rhodes, my designer who not only helped me bring some specific ideas for my cover to life but improved upon them in ways I could not possibly imagine. I could not be happier with her brilliant work!
To the #romanceclasss community for the continuous supply of feels!
To my readers and supporters who eventually became my friends, thank you for always believing in me. Please don’t get tired of my words.
Thank you for reading Love at First Sit! I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until the next book!
About The Author
Ysa Arcangel is the author of Forever Night Stand and Underneath It All. She has also written an urban fantasy novella, “Nexus Series Book 1: Anathema”, which was initially part of a compilation called Incredible Truths under #StrangeLit and was released as a stand-alone.
She is a Filipino author based in Manila.A loving partner to a very talented chef, and mom to three amazing kids. She works as a Spanish GDS Helpdesk by day and a writer by night, but if given a chance, she would exchange her job to become a Nat Geo explorer and a TMZ reporter!
She is fueled by coffee, is a tattoo fan, giant dog lover and an extreme sports enthusiast. She writes contemporary fantasy and romance fics with lots of laughs, tears and sighs showcasing sweet, funny and badass female leads with raunchy and hot male love interests, whether human or supernatural.
When she’s not writing, you can find her spending time with her family, reading, or watching her favorite TV series.
Contents
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Acknowledgements
About The Author
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[1] Jollijeep - A food stall located in the streets of Makati
[2] Ate - A term of respect for older sister or even just a girl older than you but not relative.
[3] Jeepney - The most popular form of mass transportation in the Philippines.
[4] Pare - Filipino slang for dude, pal or friend
[5] Manong - Filipino term reserved usually for a person older than you (male).
[6] Aux - is a call center agent setting (when logged into a system) used to make an agent unavailable for incoming calls. Some call centers use Aux 2 for coaching (providing feedback based on the agent’s performance).
[7] Taho - Fresh soft/silken tofu with arnibal, and sago pearl.
[8] Magtataho – Taho vendor
[9] Balikbayan - refers to a Filipino returning to the Philippines, especially after having lived overseas for an extended period of time
[10] Po at Opo - These are the words that Filipinos use to show their respect when talking to elders and/or to someone that they respect.
[11] Anak – Child. A term of endearment when a parent uses it.
[12] VTO or Voluntary Time Off is call center jargon for under-time as a cost saving measure for agents.
[13] Ensaymada - a soft, sweet bread smothered with a mixture of sugar and butter icing and generously topped with shredded cheese.
[14] Naimbag a bigat - (Ilocano dialect) Good morning.
[15] Putang Ina - A swear word sometimes uttered when surprised. (Son of a bitch in English)
[16] In the Philippines “Tupe” is a nick for ChrisTOPHER out of ‘TOPHER’. Just like Roxanne’s nick “Ging” from VirGINIA.
[17] Balikatan is the name for the annual military exercises between the Philippines and the United States. It is a Tagalog word mean
ing "shoulder-to-shoulder".