“I apologized. He accepted. I’m not sure what else there is for me to do.” I took a sip of my coffee, saying another silent thanks for great assistants. “At least now I know what I want. I want someone who loves me for who I am, not what I look like or what I make him look like. Someone who can see me at my worst and still want to be with me. I know it sounds basic, but I’m not sure I would have figured it out if I hadn’t had it—even briefly—with Jake.”
“There’s nothing wrong with basic. You’ve hit on one of the core needs. A desire to be seen and accepted for who you are, not who you project, and to see and accept your partner in return.”
I smiled to myself, picturing my friend sliding into therapist mode.
“I just wish I didn’t have to lose Jake to figure it out,” I said, inhaling to help redirect my thoughts. “How did you manage to turn this around to me again? We were solving your problems this time.”
“Professional hazard, and we’ve got room for both. If you can find me a place to work, you’ll be saving me and my clients.”
“I’ll do my best. I’ll call you by the end of the day with what I find.”
We said goodbye, and I made a note to pass on the information for the restoration company when I called her back. I dug into work stuff, skipping over my normal admin and diving into the finishes for the Essex project. I’d sunk so deep into imagining the finished space and visualizing different finishes and fabric choices that I didn’t immediately jump when my phone signaled a new text. Nothing like the almost Pavlovian response I’d had for days when I’d low key longed for a text from Jake.
I glanced at the screen, expecting Kindra with more information on her office requirements or Charlotte with photos of sandy beaches and fruity drinks. But it was Jake’s name filling the screen.
I sucked in a breath not sure what I hoped for, and opened the text. An image of three young boys surrounding a very happy dog stared back at me. The photo had a slightly out of focus quality. Like it had been snapped mid-action as the four of them raced on to the next adventure.
JAKE
Guess what I’m doing?
ME
Plotting world domination with minions?
I smiled, imagining what Jake would be like with a bunch of kids. I had no doubt he’d be a hit.
JAKE
That’s better but just marginally. Brick and I are hanging with my nephews while their parents catch their breath. Big plans. We’re going to build a robot.
JAKE
Which come to think of it, might lead to world domination.
ME
That sounds fantastic.
I had butterflies in my stomach from a simple text. I rested my hand on my solar plexus as if I could somehow hold my racing heart in place.
ME
Brick looks like a contented member of the team. You guys seem to be spending a lot of time together.
I paused for a moment, uncertain if the text made it sound like I was jealous of a dog, and for an even longer moment to decide if I was.
JAKE
I adopted him. I forgot I hadn’t told you that.
If I needed a clear indication of what we were to each other, I guess that was as good as any. People in a relationship—even a casual one—shared things like pet adoption with each other. I felt the fragile shell of possibility I’d been holding start to crack. The one that meant we had a chance to build a real relationship together.
ME
Lucky pup.
I stared at the phone, waiting for a response. When I’d almost given up, he texted.
