“Hell yes, he would. Brinely wants to meet with you on Monday at ten. Can you be there?”
“I’ll make it work.”
After I hang up, I text Ian. “A literal shark lawyer?”
“You wanted aggressive, so we got you aggressive.”
“I love you.” I type it but then think better of it, staring at the words on the screen. My thumb hovers over the send button. Ian deserves to hear it from me in person first. I delete it and send a heart instead, and he sends one back.
Work that afternoon is strange. I’m distracted, replaying my conversation with my mom, mentally preparing for my meeting with Mako Brinely, trying not to think about the three little words I almost sent Ian and what they mean.
That’s probably why I don’t notice Ashleigh approaching until she’s right next to me.
“Hey,” she says, startling me. I squeak and drop a book on the floor. As I scramble to pick it up and check for dented corners, she asks, “Can I talk to you for a sec?”
I jerk a nod and brace myself for another lecture as she leads me to the break room and closes the door.
“I overheard you on the phone yesterday, about your husband,” she says, and I go rigid. Great, nowI’m going to get fired for using the store phone for personal business. But what else was I supposed to do when I had no ride, no money, and no phone? She must see the panic on my face because she holds up her hands. “You’re not in trouble. I just wanted to apologize.”
“Oh.” I don’t know what else to say. Ashleigh, apologizing? For what?
“Look, I know I’ve been hard on you.” She fidgets with the end of her ponytail, looking uncomfortable. “I think I misjudged you as, I don’t know… a rich lady playing around with a part-time job, I guess. And then when you got pregnant, I thought you’d be gone in a few months and never come back. I get frustrated when I invest time in people who aren’t as serious about this business as I am, so I half-assed your training. And maybe I was a little bit jealous that you have an English degree and got the story-time position with no experience. You’re actually really good with the kids, and our kid lit sales have gone up a ton since you got hired.”
“Ashleigh, I don’t know what to say.”
“Let me finish.” She takes a breath. “I was in a bad relationship, too, in the past. Not the same as yours, but bad enough. And I remember what it was like, trying to function at work when my whole life was falling apart. So I want you to know that I get what you are going through, at least a little bit. And if youneed to take breaks or leave early or whatever, now or after the babies come, just tell me. I’ll cover for you.”
I’m so shocked that tears spring to my eyes. “Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just take care of yourself.” She gives me an awkward pat on the shoulder. “And maybe consider therapy. It helped me a lot.”
She leaves before I can respond, and I stand there in the back room, crying into a box of returns. Maybe I’ve misjudged her, too.
Ian picks me up after my shift, as he has every day since my car got repo’ed. He’s leaning against his Jeep when I come out, golden eyes warm in the streetlight glow.
“How was work?”
“Weird.” I climb into the passenger seat. “Ashleigh was nice to me. Kind of. She did tell me to get therapy.”
“I’m not surprised you finally won her over.” He starts the engine. “Hungry? I was thinking we could grab dinner at that bulgogi place.”
“Actually...” I hesitate, heart pounding. I’ve been thinking about this all day. All week, really. “Can we go to the cabin instead?”
He glances at me, one ear cocked. “You want me tomake dinner?”
“And breakfast tomorrow.” I put my hand on his arm, and he stills. Understanding dawns in his eyes. Then heat. Then something tender that makes my breath catch.
“You moving in with me, pretty girl?” he asks softly.
I think about everything that’s happened. Richard’s cruelty. My mother’s advice. Ashleigh’s unexpected kindness. The three words I almost I sent and then didn’t. I’m tired of being careful. It’s time to be brave.
“Sure am,” I tell him. “Take me home.”
His tail starts wagging before he can stop it, thumping against the driver’s seat in a rhythm that matches my racing heart.
“Yes, ma’am,” he says, and pulls out of the parking lot toward the mountains.
Chapter 34
