“I’m here.” I wasn’t sure why I still was. I wasn’t sure it was professional behavior to be talking to your boss about your love life on a Saturday night near midnight, and in particular, this boss. I took a deep breath and lost my head. “I dated Luke during grad school when he worked for his dad.”
“He used to work for Chandler?”
“Yep. His dad fired him not long after I started working there.”
“Did he do something to you?” The concern in his voice was apparent and confusing.
“No, his termination had nothing to do with me. He let alcohol and drugs consume his life, and his dad caught him stealing funds from the company.”
“Ouch.”
“That’s putting it mildly. His parents were devastated.”
“How about you?”
“If you’re asking if I was devastated by Luke, the answer is no. I was hurt, but by that point, I knew Luke and I didn’t belong together. But as you know from tonight, he disagreed, and he didn’t take it well.”
“I’m sorry, Kelli.”
I sat up in bed. “Why areyousorry?”
It was his turn to pause. I wasn’t sure why; it seemed like a straightforward question.
“You deserve better,” he finally answered.
“Something we agree on,” I replied.
“Do my ears deceive me?” I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Good night, Mr. Greyson.”
All I could hear him say as I went to hit the end button was, “Someday, Kelli.”
I set down the phone and rubbed my face. What a bizarre night, from the beginning to the end. There was a time when him calling me in the middle of the night was expected and even looked forward to, but now it was just plain unnerving. Mr. Greyson needed to quit acting like Ian.
I snuggled down under my blanket and let the sleep I needed take me over.
I woke up early on Sunday and got ready for church. When I left, I had a surprise taped to my door. It was an envelope. I recognized the handwriting immediately. I snatched it and opened it right away. In it I found instructions on how to properly dispose of used coffee filters. I couldn’t help it—I laughed. I didn’t remember him being playful like that, I wasn’t sure what had gotten into him. That note was definitely not written by Mr. Greyson, and where Ian had been thoughtful, he was never one to really joke.
I drove to church with the note in my passenger seat. I wasn’t sure why, but I kept looking over at it. It was like it held some mysterious power over me. Even in my head that sounded dumb, but it was true. I even folded it up and put it in my purse before I headed into church. Then I did something really dumb: I texted the fool who wrote it.Only you could have made up ten steps for such a simple task.
I was surprised he texted right back. I wondered if he was at the airport or already in Colorado.I could have added at least five more.
I had no doubt. I smiled at the phone as I walked into the chapel area. I looked up to find my sister and her family waving me over. I made my way over to sit in the pew we had been sitting in for at least the last twenty years. Before I sat down, I turned off my phone and threw it in my purse next to the note. I sat in-between my nieces, who both looked very pretty in pink today. The pastels were a sure sign that spring had arrived.
“What were you smiling about?” Amanda asked.
“Nothing.”
She eyed me warily.
I ignored her and turned my attention to Sam and Court, who were now fighting over who rightly owned the purple marker. Court had it in her hand. It was funny until they both started reaching over me and grabbing each other. The argument was short lived. All Zane had to do was look their way and they ceased and desisted, but true to form, Sam made a very sassy under-her-breath comment. I tried not to crack a smile.
Zane leaned over Amanda. “You should’ve brought Ian over earlier. He’s the first guy you’ve dated that I like,” he spoke in hushed tones.
I felt my eyeballs dilate. “I’m not dating Mr. Greyson, Zane.”
“Yet,” he laughed.
