But then the universe delivers its second sign of the night when Henry’s eyes wander over to the only picture hanging on my refrigerator. The skin around his lips pulls taunt, and unease clouds his eyes. It’s enough to pull me out of my daze.
I step back and let out an awkward cough. Henry follows suit and attempts to cut the tension with a light laugh.
“Well,” he says, his voice hoarse with something that sounds a lot like regret. “Umm, I think we should—umm, I should call it a night.”
I nod, kicking myself for letting my guard down so easily. “Yeah. Right. I’ll make sure to get your pants back to you once they’re done drying.”
“Thanks, Emma.”
I walk him to the door, my feet heavy and ready to give out at any moment. Henry lingers for a beat, his mind fighting a battle I hope doesn’t win. Finally, he nods, accepting defeat.
With a longing sigh, he slides on his shoes and says a final goodbye.
It takes him two minutes to finally cross the threshold of my home. It takes me another five to finish my wine and plop down on my bed, fully clothed. When I roll on my side to close my eyes after a long night, my vision connects with the photo of Milo on his first birthday covered in cake. And then I realize this is the first night in a while that my mind hasn’t been consumed by my son or my divorce.
CHAPTER 3
“Ican’t believe he almost kissed you,” Wren says from the speaker of my phone that sits on the dining room table.
Last night still felt like a fever dream. If Henry’s pants weren’t crumpled up in my dryer, I probably would’ve thought it was a dream.
“It’s fine. If anything, it was a sign that I’m not ready to start dating,” I reason while putting the last of my dishes into the kitchen cupboard. Colt would be dropping Mi off soon, and I wanted to get more unpacking done before then.
“I don’t know about that,” Wren responds with a hint of amusement in her voice. “You did get the man to take his pants off.”
I roll my eyes even though I know she can’t see me. “Very funny,” I answer with a slightly sarcastic undertone.
“So, you don’t think you’ll ever see him again?”
I stand in the kitchen and consider her question. He is my neighbor, so I will see him again, but I’m fine with keeping my distance. If he needs a cup of sugar, I’m more than happy to give it to him, but other than that, I plan to keep things as platonic as possible.
Last night, my heart was still pounding long after Henrywalked out my front door. I wasn’t ready to confront what my strong reaction to him meant, and space seemed like my best option for a full recovery.
“He’s my neighbor, Wren. Of course I’m going to see him again. But that doesn’t mean I have to entertain anything more than a polite conversation.”
“That’s a shame. He was hot. He had this whole hot professor vibe going on, and it was definitely working.”
I hear a faint grunt in the background of the phone call, and I smile to myself. Blake must be beside her.
“Oh god, don’t be one ofthoseguys,” Wren says with a playful tone. “Whatever. Em, I’ve got to go and stroke someone’s ego, apparently. You’re sure you don’t need help unpacking?”
“Nope. I have two more boxes to unpack, and I’m officially moved in,” I gleam while throwing my hands on my hips. A small wave of pride washes over me when I think of how far I’ve come in the past few months.
“Okay. Oh, and don’t forget to call me after your first day tomorrow! I’m excited to see how it goes.”
“Okay, Mom,” I chide. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Wren. Love you.”
“Love you too, Em. Bye.”
I pick up my phone and tap the red button to end the call. After I hang up, there’s a silence that introduces itself like an old friend. I take a moment to look around the small space I’ve fit my entire life into in a matter of weeks. It was cozy and inviting, but there was still a lot of living left to do.
Tomorrow, I start my new job at the local library. It’s a fresh start in a place surrounded by stories, which is exactly what I need.
I take a deep breath and stare at the last two boxes sitting in the middle of the living room. The one box was filled with knickknacks and other decorations I secured during the break-up.
The other box was another story. It held the last meaningful remnants of my marriage to Colt.
My hands begin to nervously shake at my sides, but I steady them. I lift my head high and walk over to the cardboard box. I peel back the lid and let the dust settle before reaching into the abyss. Some of the contents include photos from our wedding day, if you want to call it that.
