“Okay.” He puts his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun and looks at me. “Everything all right?”
“Fine.”
He looks at me a little longer, and I feel like he can see into my soul. But he doesn’t say anything. He just gets up, and we part at the fifty-yard line.
* * *
For the rest of the afternoon, Lilla and I help Bill with anything he thinks needs tending to, which is just about everything. I’m returning from dropping some extra pamphlets off at his car when my phone rings.
I smile when I see who it is.
“Bella! How are you?”
“I’m in Maine.”
I laugh. “I know that, silly. But how are you doing, anyway?”
Bella used to work at Apex, and we would eat lunch together every day. We were just work friends mainly, like Lilla and me, but once she left L.A.—after the worst of breakups—we stayed in touch and actually grew closer. I always feel safer keeping a boundary between me and—well, everyone else—and chatting with Bella when she was three thousand miles away made it easier for me to get to know her.
“You know. I’m okay.”
She sounds sad and frustrated, but before I can ask further, she turns the subject to me.
“I wanted to see how you’re doing after Joel and all.”
“I’m good. Joel’s in the past. The long past.”
As I say it, I realize it’s the truth. I don’t hurt over the way we ended, and I don’t miss anything about being with him.
“He wasn’t right for you, Jase.”
“No. He wasn’t. You know, I kind of wish I’d broken things off sooner…”
She laughs. “Don’t we all?”
My heart hurts for her as I remember how her relationship blew up in her face.
“But that’s life.”
“I know.” I take a breath. “I met somebody on my business trip.”
She gasps. “He must be pretty perfect if you’re actually telling me about him.”
“He’s amazing. He’s gorgeous and talented, and also really kind and sweet. And we have fun together. But…”
“But what? So go for it.”
“You know me, Bella. I don’t go for guys. I usually take the bottom of the barrel and wait for the other shoe to drop. And it always does.”
“You’re such an optimist.” She chuckles. “You know, some day you’re going to have to drop the armor.”
“I guess so. But I’m not sure I can do that just yet. We agreed on a no strings thing.”
“Well, who is he? Did you meet him through work?”
“Sort of.” I laugh. “He’s kind of…a big deal to some.”
“Do not tell me you’re fucking an actor.”
