Looking over her shoulder, she felt like she was leaving a part of herself behind with the man with those beautiful blue eyes.
February 4, 2025
-Sadie-
Sadie jolted awake, the relentless buzz of her phone pulling her from her slumber. She burrowed into the blanket, groaning as a spring from the pullout mattress dug into her side. Outside she could hear the familiar honking and rumble of early-morning traffic bleeding through the thin apartment windows.
“At least I’m not sleeping in a cardboard box,” she muttered when her phone buzzed again.
Forcing herself to sit up, she reached for the phone as it vibrated with a third text message. Her stomach churned as she saw the name on the screen. Her ex-fiancé, Nate, was nothing if not persistent. There were a half-dozen unread messages, and she had to fight the urge to toss her phone out the window.
She had ended things with Nate last month after nearly a decade. Their relationship had never been perfect, but in the last few years, any love she might have felt for him had shriveled and died as he started to reveal who he was beneath the fake charm. When he smashed her laptop in a fit of rage, she had packed her bags and sought refuge at her best friend’s apartment.
Preparing herself for the inevitable, she unlocked her phone and opened the messaging app. Her brows drew together while she read Nate’s latest barrage of texts.
I miss you, Sades. Too quiet here without your nagging.
Found some of those romance novels you love. Meet me later? Enzo’s? Back where it all began?
Even with the way things had ended, she still felt a smile tug faintly at her lips. Enzo’s had been the restaurant where he took her for their first date. Where he’d gushed about her writing and how perfectly they would complement each other with their styles.
That smile faded the moment she read the last two texts.
Ignoring me again?
Whatever, Sades, I’ll torch the fucking trashy books.
“Well, that escalated quickly,” she mumbled. Her tired, puffy eyes stung. This was her reality, and she wasn’t quite sure how she had managed to miss so many red flags over the years.
“I don’t need this first thing in the morning,” she muttered under her breath, putting the phone face down on the table.
Slumping back on the pillows, she covered her eyes with her arm. Jess had been a saint for taking her in. Of course, having a front row for the entirety of the relationship helped her best friend understand just how toxic it had become.
The shuffle of slippered feet snapped Sadie upright. Jess breezed in, chestnut waves teetering in a messy bun, twosteaming mugs of coffee in hand. The rich aroma cut through the room, and it felt like a lifeline Sadie couldn’t resist.
“Morning, sunshine,” Jess said, her voice carrying a forced cheeriness. There were dark circles under Jess’s eyes, too. Sadie knew she had been up half the night preparing for a board meeting. In addition to being her best friend, Jess was also Sadie’s boss, and the board of the publishing house was getting ready to hold their quarterly meeting.
Jess placed one mug on the cluttered side table, and added, “How’s my favorite houseguest doing?”
Sadie tried to muster a smile, her voice croaking when she replied, “Oh, you know, living the dream. Not that I’m not grateful. You ready for today?”
“As I can be with the board breathing down my neck,” Jess said, taking a sip of her coffee. The phone buzzed again, and Jess’s eyebrows knitted together as she perched on the edge of the couch. “Let me guess,” she said with a quirked eyebrow, “Captain Douchebag?”
Sadie shook her head in exasperation, looking at the phone on the table.
“Isn’t it always?” she whispered, hating how weak she sounded. “I didn’t answer him, so I’m sure he’s now in a full rage spiral.”
“That vile asshole doesn’t get to win.” Jess’s expression hardened. “Not after everything he’s put you through.”
Sadie’s stomach churned as she remembered the last time she had tried to share something she wrote with him.
Stick to editing, Sades,Nate had said,your little stories don’t exactly scream genius.After years of hearing the same message from him time and time again, she had started to honestly believe it.
“Ignore him,” Jess continued, gently turning Sadie’s chin so she would look at her. “I have something far more worthy of your time to discuss.”
Before Sadie could respond, Jess was in motion, disappearing into the living room. She returned with her sleek work laptop, unceremoniously plopping on the mattress next to Sadie.
“Right,” Jess announced, rubbing her hands together eagerly. “I think I have the perfect distraction for you, courtesy of my favorite literary hermit.”
