Jerry: Well . . .
Reed: Fuck.
Reed: I blame alcohol. And I demand a rematch.
Jerry: Any time.
Reed: Thank you. I might take you up on that.
Jerry: There’s no time limit on that offer. Same as the offer to talk. Whenever you’re ready.
Reed: I’ll keep that in mind. And at the risk of repeating myself, thank you for reaching out. I’ll do better about keeping in touch.
Jerry: No pressure.
Reed: I know. But I think you’re right. I could use someone to talk to. Someone who’s not here, and isn’t Sean.
Reed: Soon, ok?
Jerry: Ok. Night, Reed.
Reed: Night.
REED
“I’m goingout to pick up lunch, you coming?”
Paul’s voice startles me enough that it makes him laugh.
“Lunch?” I glance at the clock in the corner of my screen. Fuck me, where’s the morning gone?
“Yes, because I’m starving and I know you didn’t bring anything in with you.”
I haven’t.
I used to be good at making mine and Karl’s lunch—nope. Not doing that today. “Yeah, sure. I could eat.”
Paul’s eyes soften, his gaze sweeping over me in a way I’ve noticed a few of my friends and colleagues doing lately.
Assessing.
That’s what it feels like.
I’ve lost a bit of weight over the last couple of months. Not loads or anything, but enough to be noticeable.
Thankfully Paul doesn’t mention it, just stands and grabs his wallet. “Come on then. We’ve got that meeting at two and I need to finish off a couple of things first.”
I follow him out, smiling at a couple of people on the way. Pre-COVID, our whole team would’ve been in the office andI’d have eaten my homemade lunch at my desk, chatting with whoever was around, probably followed by a walk.
Now though, our job involves two or three days working from home. The whole team only meeting on a Friday. I’ve got used to it over the last couple of years, but it’s not the same. The atmosphere’s... muted.
Thank god me and Paul come into the office on the same days, although that’s been a little awkward lately given he’s also friends with Karl. But that could just be me, because Paul’s gone out of his way to be there for me.
Maybe that’s why Jerry’s offer to talk the other night was so appealing.
Someone who isn’t caught in the middle and isn’t one of my ex-boyfriends either. As much as I love Sean as a friend, I don’t want to talk to him about Karl. Not more than I already have, anyway.
But Jerry’s practically a stranger.
