“So you promised me you wouldn’t run back home at the first sign of trouble.”
“I promised I wouldn’t move back. I didn’t promise I wouldn’t look. I’m letting destiny steer the way. If my dream job is in Wyoming, I’ll know where I’m supposed to be.” I scrolled past an administrative assistant position at a hospital in Cheyenne. “Besides, what else am I going to do? I can’t work at Cupid’s Arrow anymore. And with my limited resume, I can’t compete with the hundreds of other applicants that are going to be vying for the same job.”
A listing for an office manager position in Jackson caught my eye. It offered a decent salary by Wyoming standards. Benefits. Normal hours. No billionaire bosses who needed algorithms to validate their feelings.
I clicked to save it and felt tears start falling again.
“Oh, honey.” Abby pulled me into a hug. “You know you don’t want to leave.”
I sobbed. “No.”
“You really love him.”
“I really do. And I hate that I do. I hate that I can’t just turn it off. I hate that every time I close my eyes I see him and I remember what it felt like to think he loved me back.”
She nudged me with her elbow. “Maybe he does love you back.”
“Not the way I need him to.”
I felt tears running down my face. I wondered how many times a person could cry over the same thing before they ran out of tears. Apparently, I hadn’t reached that limit yet.
My phone rang, giving me the distraction I needed. I pulled back to check the screen. Unknown number.
“Don’t answer it,” Abby said. “It could be Dane. He might be getting smarter and blocking his number. Or he could be using a burner.”
I answered anyway, if only to have something to do other than cry. “Hello?”
“Ina, it’s Norma. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”
My stomach dropped. “Um, maybe Mr. Kavanagh didn’t tell you, but I quit.”
I had zero desire to hear the findings of her little investigation. Shame on Dane for not telling her and making her waste her time.
“Dane did tell me. Can we meet? There’s a coffee shop near the office. I can be there in twenty minutes if you’re free.”
“Norma, if this is about what happened with Dane, I’d rather just move on.”
“It’s not. Well, not exactly. Please, Ina. Twenty minutes.”
She hung up before I could argue.
I looked at Abby. “Norma wants to meet.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. But I didn’t say no.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No. I should handle this myself. It’s not like she can fire me. I already quit, so ha ha. Joke’s on her.” I stood up and looked down at my sweatpants and oversized T-shirt. “I should probably change into something a little more dignified first.”
“Probably.”
Twenty-five minutes later, I walked into the coffee shop to find Norma already there, two coffees on the table in front of her.
“I got you a latte,” she said when I sat down. “Oat milk, right?”
“Right. Thank you.” I eyed her warily. “What is this about? I’m not going to sue you, if that’s why you’re being so nice.”
