Dear Diary, Karen and I have decided it’s time fun was on the menu. The divorce was two years ago and Karen even thinks I should start dating. Given my history, I’m uncertain dating is the best thing to do. What if I make a bad choice again and I end up stuck in a situation that’s hard to get out of?
Karen says that won’t happen because I’ve learned valuable things from what I went through with Jem. She isn’t wrong. I did some terrible things to myself-and to Jem, really. Yes, he pressured me and I got caught up in the excitement. But I never should have ignored my intuition. As soon as I had doubts, I should have been honest with myself and put the brakes on our out-of-control car. Instead, I couldn’t admit I’d made mistakes, and our car had crashed hard.
When Karen and I talked about it, I’d mentioned I wondered what Jem had learned. She is so blunt sometimes. She flat out told me it wasn’t any of my business and to keep my focus on my own life.
Again, she’s right. It’s just that Jem and I used to be so close and I can’t help but wonder about him. Is that abnormal?
To get my mind off of my man troubles, Karen suggested (again) we go out. The thing is, Karen has champagne tastes, and she wasn’t talking about pub crawls or clubbing. She is a member of the country club the locals simply call “The Garden.” Determined to nab a wealthy doctor or lawyer, she insisted we have drinks there after work.
I’d only gone home to change my dress, so Karen had arrived ahead of me. Now, I couldn’t find her.
Everywhere my eyes fell, there were beautiful people laughing and talking with one another. They seemed to have complete confidence in themselves and I supposed maybe they’d never made huge, life-altering mistakes like I had.
Found her! Karen was sitting at one end of the bar, half-listening to the man gabbing on and on.
He wasn’t bad looking but I could tell from the way he dressed he would never be her type. I was curious to see how she would get rid of him.
Until my eyes were drawn to a super cute guy. Yes, he was talking to a woman, but he was F.I.N.E.
Just as I was debating whether to sit near them and hope he’d notice me, I tripped over some stranger’s feet! If the stranger hadn’t grabbed my arm, I’m sure I would have fallen flat on my face. As he straightened his frame, he made sure I was steady again, then let go of me.
I wished I could sink into the floor and glanced around to see if anyone else noticed. The red heat of embarrassment was creeping into my cheeks as I looked at the man I’d tripped over.
He was smiling. At me.
“I apologize,” he said. “I have the biggest feet! Are you all right?”
Glancing away, then back at him again, the heat still in my face, I said, “I’m so clumsy! And, yes, thank you, I’m fine. It’s lucky you caught me or I might be on the floor, my skirt over my head.” Why in the world had I said that?
This brought a good-natured laugh out of him. “I’m glad I could save you from such an awful fate. Oh, you don’t have a drink.” He held his finger up to the bartender who nodded, popped the lid off a beer bottle and slid it to him.
“Oh, I couldn’t… uh, Mr…”
“Wright.”
“Right?” My pulse quickened and even my ears felt hot now. Had I literally bumped into a guy named Mr. Right?
He smirked a little. “It’s W-r-i-g-h-t. Perry Wright.”
“Oh.” My face turned crimson all over again as I realized how silly I must seem. I took the drink he handed me, sipping it. There was a nicety or something I was supposed to say now, right?
His bemused smile never left his face as he regarded me.
Then it hit me. He was waiting for me to tell him my name. It took everything I had not to slap myself in the forehead.
“I’m Bea Sp-Poe, I mean. Beatrice Poe.”
“That’s an interesting last name.”
“You have no idea,” I blurted, then bit my lower lip before swallowing more beer.
“Why don’t you have a seat? I’d love to get to know you.”
“Oh-no… I couldn’t. I’m looking for my friend.”
He frowned as his chin tilted downward. “I’m sorry for keeping you. If I may say, he’s a lucky guy.”
I stared at him stupidly for a minute, my jaw dropping a little, my embarrassment from tripping finally ebbing away. Maybe I’d stop reacting so stupidly now.
“Oh, no, I came with my friend and I see now she’s talking to someone.”
He smiled again as I settled onto the adjacent bar stool.
“What do you do?”
At least that was an easy question. “I’m a realtor over in Highminster.”
I saw recognition in his eyes. “Oh, yes! That office on Main Street?”
“The one and only. What is it you do?”
“I’m a land developer.”
I couldn’t believe how similar our careers were. As it turned out, we had many things in common.
I lost all track of time after we moved to a couch by the fire to continue our conversation. Perry went on about the things he enjoyed with land development and asked me several questions about being a realtor.
The more we spoke, the less dumb I felt. He’d been amused before, but I never got the sense he was making fun of me. He was kind and seemed thoughtful, too.
“Are you hungry?” he asked. “The kitchen’s still open.”
I was. “Are you?”
“I’m always hungry,” he said with a laugh.
As we stood, Perry took my hand. I dared to peek over my shoulder and saw Karen give me a thumb’s up.
Perry was wrong. The kitchen was closed, but the server was generous enough to make us salads.
“It’s too bad she has to wait on us this late. We shouldn’t do this to her.”
Perry smiled at me and said, “Don’t worry. It will be fine.”
As we leisured over our small meal, we chatted some more.
“You haven’t said much about what brought you to Highminster,” he said.
My fork stopped in midair. “Oh, uh, well, I got divorced. And you should know my ex-husband lives next door so we can co-parent our little girl.”
There’s nothing like letting it all hang out at once.
He raised an eyebrow as he listened and ate. “How does that work for you? Your ex-husband next door, I mean?”
Shrugging, I said, “It was awkward at first but it’s not so bad. Jem and I get along all right and we take turns watching Kara. She’s with him tonight.”
“It’s good you get along. My parents are divorced and spent most of my childhood telling me what they hated about each other.” In a voice I assumed was his dad’s, he said, “Is your mom still fat?” Then his voice changed again. “Is your dad still lying around in his underwear yelling at everybody?”
“Oh, my.”
He laughed and waved his hand at me. “It used to drive me crazy, but it doesn’t anymore. There came a point where I had to decide they were too toxic to be a part of my life. I call on their birthdays, send Christmas gifts, that sort of thing. Otherwise, I try not to worry about it anymore.”
“I can’t imagine what that must be like for you. I mean, there are hangups in my family, sure, but at the end of the day, we all love each other.”
His smile was genuine. “That’s good. And I’m glad your daughter will know both her parents love her, too.”
We finished our meal in silence and I wondered what would happen next. Would he ask me to go home with him? I’d already given him my number, but that didn’t mean he’d call.
After our late supper, I told him I should go home since I worked the next day. He paid the bill and I noticed he left a hundred percent tip for the server. Nice.
Perry walked me to the parking lot and we stopped beside my car. Before I got in, he told me he enjoyed meeting me and hoped we’d see each other again.
During the drive home, I replayed the night in my head. And I said his name out loud a few times.
“Perry Wright. Perry Wright.”
Then, I remembered what an idiot I’d been when I’d tripped over him and didn’t even introduce myself right away.
Finally, I was back in Highminster and I’d be home in a few minutes. Would he call me?
With a hopeful smile, I crossed my fingers and held them over my heart.
As usual, Jem brought Kara over early so he could get to work at the restaurant. I’d been debating whether to get her a toddler bed as she began climbing out of the crib at an early age. Now she was older, maybe a regular twin bed would be fine. I’d have to see what Jem thought since he’d probably want to make the same changes at his place.
I heard Karen coming up the stairs and opened Kara’s bedroom door for her.
“Okay, spill the tea! All of it!”
“About what?” I asked.
“This is no time to be coy. What’s his name and did you go home with him?”
“Perry Wright, and, no, he walked me to my car, and I drove home. Alone.”
“Bummer.”
“Well, who was that guy talking to you when I got there?”
“Oh, him. You will not believe it, but I’m going out with him tonight.”
“What?” I shrieked. “Who are you and what have you done with my friend?”
This earned me a laugh. “He’s kind of… likable. I don’t know. I’ll see what I think after our date. He’s taking me to a new restaurant in St. Claire.”
“Sounds fancy.”
“Oh, it is,” she assured me. “Do you think I’d even look at a guy if he couldn’t afford to take me to nice places? After that hell of a marriage I went through, I deserve some pampering.”
“I’m afraid you’re heading for trouble, is all. You’re only going out with him because he has money. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I thought she’d blow her top when I said that, but to her credit, she only smiled and said, “I know it looks that way. I know I’ve even said as much in the past. But I think I really like him. Anyway, I’ll tell you how it all went later.”
“Okay.” I only hoped she knew what she was doing.
I showed a few houses and then went back to the office to set up more appointments with my clients. The afternoon felt like it was dragging on so, I took several little breaks. When it was finally time to leave, I ran into Perry on the sidewalk.
“Oh!” I exclaimed.
“Hello, Bea,” he said, his eyes bright and a smile on his face.
“What a nice surprise,” I said. “What brings you to Highminster?”
His eyes softened as he regarded me. “Isn’t it obvious? You do.”
My pulse quickened at the thought he’d come all the way from St. Claire to see me.
“Really?”
“I could’t wait to see you, Bea.”
“Really? You don’t know me that well. And-and I don’t know you either.”
“I’m a land developer, I’ve never been married, don’t have kids, I live in St. Claire, I like good food, sappy movies, nice cars, and you.”
The way he spoke made my head spin. All at once, I realized I might be getting caught up in something I wasn’t ready for.
“Perry, I… like you, too. But this already feels too fast for me. I made some pretty bad choices that led to a whirlwind wedding and divorce. I think-well, I’m not sure how I should say this.”
He took a step back as if he was concerned he was crowding me. “You don’t get into the business I’m in without being confident in what you want. But I want you to understand that I get it. I’ve made my intentions known, but I think you’re wise to take things slow. I respect that.”
I felt relief coursing through my veins. “So you don’t mind a slower pace?”
“On the contrary. I think it will be delightful,” he said.
“I don’t see your car. Can I give you a lift home?”
I started laughing at the prospect and pointed to the townhouses across the street. “I walked because I live just there.”
He laughed, too, then something caught his eye over my right shoulder.
I turned to see he was looking at the theater.
“Does taking it slow mean we can’t catch a show?”
A small smile played at my lips. “Not at all. I’d love to see a movie.”
His grin was from ear to ear as he said, “Good.”
Side by side, we walked down the street to the theater.
Author’s Note: I would like to thank Bee (Poses by Bee, Stories by Bee) for making the lovely poses for my bar scenes. I also used one of her toddler poses for Kara. Thank you, Bee! You can find the poses I used on her site here: Happy Toddler, and Meeting at the Bar.
As always, thank you for reading, liking, lurking, and commenting,
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Mr. Right! I love it! Hahaha. I like him. He seems really nice, and I think this relationship could have real potential. I really hope this works out for her and be a much better situation. Let’s hope Jem doesn’t cause any problems, but I have a bad feeling he will. He’s not going to take this lying down for sure.
Hahaha I’m glad you loved that. 😀 His last name was originally Weksner, but then, I thought he should be Mr. W”right.” lol 😀
Perry is super nice, it’s true. I have no hidden intentions here. lol That’s a good thought about Jem. Let’s hope he doesn’t mess this up because you’re right, he won’t take this lying down.
Weksner is cool too, but W*Right is awesome and totally fits 🙂 Just curious – did you create Perry yourself or do you sometimes raid other Simmers’ studios? 🙂 For myself, I sometimes create my own love interests/other characters, but I’m definitely not past going on a raid or two…or three. LOL!
LOL That’s a good question! I made Perry myself. Ellie is the first sim I didn’t make myself that’s in my story. In Generation 7, I’ll be using a couple sims I didn’t make. 😀
Perry seems like a precious soul. She could do much worse than him.
Hi, Violincat! 🙂 Thank you! I’m sorry I couldn’t respond right away; I have flu. Blech!
Anyway, Perry is definitely a good soul.
Haha mr. Wright. I’m glad she decided not to fall for him too quickly though.
Honestly thought it’s a little creepy for him to show up at her workplace after only meeting her once. I’m glad he responded well to her setting up boundaries. And maybe she gave the wrong impression by telling him her whole backstory? Maybe that made him think she wanted their relationship to happen quickly.
Can’t wait to see how Jem will react. 🤣
Thank you, Heather 🙂 It’s good seeing Bea put up some boundaries. I guess she learned something after her marriage fiasco. lol That’s a good point about possibly having given him the wrong impression because he did show up quickly after they met. Hopefully, he’ll respect the rules she’s laid down. 😀
As for Jem. Wait till you see. 😀
I wish I could write as good as you Kymber, your always so good at it and so natural 🙂
great chapter as always 🙂 🙂 🙂
Awwww you’re so sweet, Darren. 🙂 Thank you for the kind words and encouragement. I think you are a fine writer and I enjoy your story very much. xo
Haha Mr. Wright, how perfect 🙂 I’m glad Bea didn’t let herself get swept away this time and told him she wants to take things slow. Definitely the right decision in my opinion. Can’t wait to see where their relationship takes them!
Thank you, Raymond 😀 It seems Bea may have learned her lesson there. lol I can’t wait to see what comes of this, too.
I love his name! He is quite forward, though, isn’t he? Just like Karen, I hope Bea knows what she’s doing! It looks like Karen was right though and she’s learned her lessons. Taking it slow will be good for all involved!
Thank you 🙂 I agree that he’s forward. I think it’s a good sign he doesn’t mind taking it slow. And you’re right, too, that Bea may have learned her lesson about leaping before thinking.
I’m not sure what changed, but now I can like and comment from my phone! Yay! The last few chapters were so fascinating I was itching to comment anyway. That reveal from Jem….. it was heartbreaking. I’m glad they’ve both moved on amicably. Kara is adorable! As for this new man, well, he has made a great first impression. I am all for this new relationship, though I hope Bea isn’t hurt again. Awesome posts as always, I can’t wait for more!
YAY! I’m so glad you can like and comment through your phone now. Whew! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the chapters. 🙂 I was so sad for Jem; he’s really been through a lot. I don’t want Bea to be hurt again either… but, you know… LOLOL I can say, though, that Perry Wright is genuinely a nice guy with very little baggage. It would be nice for Bea if it worked out between them. Thank you so much for your lovely comment. 🙂
Awe, I am in love with Mr Right, I mean Mr. Wright. <3 <3 Hopefully this guy is drama free. And I am proud of her for wanting to take things slow.
For as happy as I am for Bea, I don't think Jem like like this new development (pun intended).
Thank you so much ❤ I’m so glad you like Mr. Wright. haha He really is a nice guy and it would be great if he wasn’t loaded with a bunch of baggage to sort through.
LOLOL I like your pun ❤ And I think you might be right about Jem!
Great move Bea! Take it slow this time and maybe you’ll ward yourself from lots of drama this time hehe!
Thank you so much 🙂 Yes, can we take this one a little (or a lot) slower, please? hahaha
Man, that Bea has me rolling all the time! 😂😂 Her first encounter with Mr (W)right was hilarious! (Does she have the clumsy trait by the way? – I don’t remember if you’ve mentioned this!) He seems very nice by the way, I hope everything works out for them..! As I hope everything works out with Karen and her date! 😉 He seemed… less trustworthy, but I hope that’s not tbe case!
I’m a bit worried about Jem though… he may be polite and all right now, but what if he still hopes that staying close to Bea might make her change her mind? He might not take this new development very well..! 😬
Aaaand I’m all caught up!! That’s too bad though, cause I’m dying to know what will happen next, hehe! 🤗 <3
Thank you 🙂 I’m really stoked that you find Bea so funny. 😀 Yes! She has the clumsy trait. haha I can confirm that Perry Wright is genuinely nice. It might rankle Jem a bit, so we’ll have to see how he reacts to Bea dating. Karen’s date… lol More on that later.
You’re right to be worried about Jem’s reaction. I guess we’ll find out soon.
I’m so glad you’re back! You’ve been missed! ❤
Goodness! She looks like an old maid in her “business” attire. But, she is more mature now “30-ish” ( lol?) and she did dress up for the evening… with her hair down. Yeah, the fact that there’s no indication that Jem has moved on could be an issue. The fact that she still longs for their close friendship could be a problem.
I remember being jealous of the women realtors who were married to developers. Ready made properties right there even though I’m sure they still had to work hard, but teamwork makes the dream work. I observe that “teams” in real estate are the most successful.
Thank you, Jolie! 😀 I’d say late 20s but I’ll have to consult a friend on that. I am horrible at trying to figure out their ages. LOL I think it’s good to be wary of Jem and how he might react. And I think you’re right about her longing for their close friendship; it definitely might cause problems.
I think teams in realty are more successful, too. That’s my perception anyway.
That one guy sure was fine, but the second I saw Perry leaning against the bar I was like. Yep, THAT guy. He’s Mr. Right- I mean Wright. 😉 I bet they have lots in common with Bea being a realtor and him a land developer. So far he seems really genuine. I love watching new romances blossom. And taking things slow is a good decision! Sounds like Bea has learned her lesson lol.
I hope that Jem will meet someone soon too. He deserves to move on just as much as Bea does. I’d really hate for him to be the jealous type and try to cause problems with Perry.
Thank you so much. 🙂 You liked Perry right away? Cool! They do have a lot in common, you’re right about that. I like watching romances bloom, too. There’s something so sweet about seeing that. I think you’re right that Bea learned her lesson about jumping into things.
That’s a good thought about Jem. It would be great if he met someone, he deserves happiness, too, for sure. Let’s hope he doesn’t get jealous or anything.
Mr.”Wright” aren’t you a clever girl!!! Will he or won’t he be Mr. Right……….. In looking at the pics, Mr. F.I.N.E. is just a younger, thinner version of Perry! I like him already I must say, but I don’t want her to just fall for the next guy and make the same mistake as she fears as well. If Perry is it, I will be happy with that. But perhaps she should check out the field a bit more before deciding?
Thank you for using my bar poses in your chapter. You made them look so good!
Thank you, Bee 🙂 Will he be Mr. “Right?” hehe I think you’re right that she should check out the field a bit more before committing to anything long term with anyone. I looked at Mr. F.I.N.E. again and you’re right! hahaha
You’re so welcome. I was so excited to use the poses. Thank you for making them. 🙂
Oh wow, look at our little Bea, setting boundaries and communicating them. <3 I'm so proud of her. 🙂 For a second there alarm bells went off in my head, but I'm so glad to see that she's stepping up, and that Mr. Wright respects that. 😀 I'm still a little wary of him, but honestly it's because I just adore Bea and she deserves to find someone who's just right for her. 🙂
Wonderful chapter, as per usual, Kym. <3 I'm excited to see where this potential romance goes… oh, and hopefully Jem doesn't go all cuckoo. I know he seems to have chilled, but I still don't trust him entirely…
Thank you, Louise. She’s growing up, isn’t she? 😀 I was thinking red flags might pop up at first but luckily, Bea put those boundaries down. I can see why you’d be wary of Mr. Wright and I’m glad you love Bea so much. ❤ I like how you put that: Hopefully, Jem won’t go all cuckoo! hahaha If we judge by his past, there is reason to wonder how he’ll react.
Bea really has a great style!
Thank you, CT! 😀
I love Bea’s dress!
“Yes, he was talking to a woman, but he was F.I.N.E.”
LOL Ok Bea! Yes, he was cute.
Mr. Wright. What a name LOL. I like that name, Perry.
Ha! Realtor and a developer. Nice lol.
There’s nothing like letting it all hang out at once.
Ain’t that the truth!
Heh, Perry is an extremely generous tipper! Niiiice. I’m glad she told him her concerns and that he respects them. In a way, I think he might be relieved to go slower. I can’t wait for Jem to find out about him! he he he
Thank you, Jess! 🙂 That’s an EA top and skirt that I “turned” into a dress. haha I’ve been excluding clothing from my CC so I’m trying to be creative with the EA clothes.
Yeah, calm down, Bea, he’s just cute. haha
Their careers seems pretty compatible, don’t they?
Bea definitely knows how to let it all hang out. hahaha
I think you’re right about Perry and taking it slow. It might be a nice change of pace for him.
Ah, I love his name. I think Ron would see no difference between right and wright. He spells it either way, lol.
Well, I like him and I think he and Bea could be good for one another. May I just say I also love that he’s not that slim. It’s quite refreshing to see various body types in simlit when we usually make our Sims have perfect bodies – partly so that they don’t clip using poses! I wish Bea best of luck. And of course Karen, too!
Thank you, Jowita 🙂 I’m so glad you like his name. And I think you’re right about Ron seeing no difference in the spelling. lol I think Perry would totally let that slide. 😀
I’m so glad you like him. We’ll eventually see if he’s endgame or not. I’m glad you mentioned his body shape. I was tired of all the same types of sims and decided to change it up a bit. But you’re definitely right about clipping.
Awww. He seems nice. I loved his name. Mr. Right! Lol…. Their careers are compatible. And they can probably help each other out. I hope this works out for her and Jem doesn’t wind up doing something horrible because he gets jealous.
Thank you, Audrey 🙂 I can definitely confirm that Perry is nice. 😀 No hidden drama there… so far. haha Anyway, I’m glad you hope this will work out. We shall see. And, yeah, Jem could be a problem.