"I think he would say no because we were casual and I thought I wanted casual too, but during the time we dated, I ended up falling for him. The breakup was very sudden. I don't know what caused it and I probably never will. It still feels kind of open-ended to me but I’ve just got to deal with it."
"How long ago was it? You haven't dated at all since I've known you."
She should've anticipated this question because her friend was a bit nosy. If she said five years, she would automatically assume the man was her daughter's father. She didn't want to answer that question. "It was years ago, but it feels like yesterday." That part was true enough.
She didn't want to be smug or high-handed, but a human could never understand what it was like to be rejected by a mate. They formed bonds, true enough, and they loved each other, that was certain. But the bonds between a mated pair were indescribably strong in shifters.
In fact, she had a hard time believing that it was true until she had experienced it herself. Roman had made her a believer. At least it had given her some perspective when her clan talked about it nonstop. She understood the way they behaved in a much better way now.
"I've had those before. It stinks," Jenny said.
"Yes, it does. But when someone doesn't want to be with you, there's nothing you can do. You really just have to move on.
"Or not," Jenny said.
"What do you mean?"
"Well. Have you moved on? I don't mean to be too forward, but I like to think that we are good friends. And like I said, you haven't dated the whole time we’ve worked together. Are you still pining for this guy?"
"No. I won't say I’m over him, but I've mostly spent my time focusing on raising my daughter."
There. That wasn’t a lie at all.