It was an image of me standing in a field of wildflowers barefoot while rubbing my belly. When I looked up, Gabe stared down at me with a gigantic, proud smile on his face.
“Oh shit,” I blurted out when I snapped out of my daze, realizing I’d dropped half of my taco onto Jodi’s cream carpet. “I’m so sorry.”
“Welp, we’ll have to get that cleaned this week.”
“Dammit, I started daydreaming,” I explained. “Do you have any spray to clean this up?” I managed to pick up the food and toss it in the bag before rubbing out what I could with a few napkins.
“Let me see if we have some stain remover somewhere,” Jodi said and started to rise.
“No, I can get it. Let me know where you keep the cleaning supplies.”
She pointed toward the hallway. “Check the closet. It’s right out there on your right.”
I went and opened the closet, grateful to see that there was some carpet cleaner spray front and center.
A few minutes later, as I dabbed at the stain, I heard Jodi chuckle. “What?”
She shrugged and shook her head. “Nothing, it’s just that I never would’ve pictured you in my house, cleaning up the carpet.”
“I dropped food on your floor.”
She waved a hand in the air. “I know. And honestly, it’s no big deal. I’ve been meaning to have this carpet cleaned for some time anyway. Hell, I’m trying to convince Micah that we need to change it. We’re about to have a baby. All of this light-colored furniture is not going to work with a kid around.”
I wiped at the stain on the carpet.
“Anyway, it’s not a big deal. Finish eating.” She took the napkin and spray from my hands and set them aside.
“But what did you mean about me not cleaning up?” I asked, curious. Her tone indicated that it was far beyond her ideal of me.
“I don’t know.” She paused and thought about it. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I sort of got the impression that you were spoiled. I mean, all the demands that you would put on the venues. I got to see them. Your hotel room had to be on the top floor, had to be a suite, the water temperature had to be set at an exact number. The champagne needed to be chilled.” She shook her head.
“That wasn’t me.” My voice was low, airy as I thought about all of those requests. “They never came from me. Not exactly.”
“It was Nate,” Jodi said.
I nodded. “He was my manager and said I needed the perfect conditions to bring out the best performance in me.” On some accounts, he was right, but I never needed top-shelf alcohol or thousands of dollars worth of caviar to perform at my best.
“Anyway …” I shook my head. “I’m happy for you, Jodi. You look content here.”
She gave me a look. “I am. Truthfully, I never saw myself moving to Texas permanently, but obviously, it’s all working out. I love my job, I love my husband and his family, and I love this baby in my belly already.”
She leaned her back against the couch and kicked her feet up on the coffee table. A whimper from the side of the sofa sounded. Jodi giggled.
“I love you, too, Hound.”
He barked at that. Even I laughed at that one.
“What about you, Lena? Are you happy?”
Sighing, I sat back against the couch also. “Sometimes, I don’t know if I even remember what it feels like to be happy.”
She turned to me, bracing her head against her hand.
“That’s not completely true,” I said, almost whispering. “I’ve had moments of happiness since I moved here.”
“That smile on your lips is telling on you.”
I dipped my head.
