“Wait… Summer?”
I spin around. “Yeah?”
“I almost forgot to tell you that yesterday was pay day. Should be enough for that down deposit on an apartment you were needing.”
Ohis all I can manage for half a second. Especially when a text pops through from Everett at the same time.
EVERETT: Does this mean you’re still thinking about it?
SUMMER: Still thinking about it.
EVERETT: Of course you can have the night off.
“Thanks,” I reply to Emma and step out into the hall in a daze, selecting the bright green app on my phone instead of responding to that message. A direct deposit of sixteen-hundred dollars stares back at me.
There’s the reason I was looking for this morning. This is why I took this job. It’s what I’ve been working toward.
It’s just not how I thought I’d feel when I got here.
We finish up for the day around six and meet at Red Feather Lounge—Emma’s suggestion, based on its locally sourced ingredients and energy efficiency. I got an earful about their environmental sustainability approach on the elevator ride to the lobby. With the glass bottles in her office mini fridge and her lack ofpaper towel use, I should have guessed eco-friendly practices are a passion of hers.
A black-clad hostess leads us through an ambient-lit cellar to where Julia’s already seated, perusing a menu. The deep crease wedged between her eyebrows is shadowed by a flickering tea light in the middle of the table.
“Your waitress will be right with you,” the hostess says.
Julia snaps her menu shut and scoots out of the booth. “You’re here!” She hugs me.
“You’re early.”
“Well, what’s new?” She leans past me, holding out her hand. “I’m Julia. You must be Emma.”
“Yes. Hi!” Emma returns her handshake.
“I love your outfit. I’ve always wanted a reason to own a business suit, but a nursing student wasn’t exactly the gig for it.”
“I miss jeans,” Emma confesses. Our combined laugh draws a glare from the couple seated across from us.
I slide in the same side of the booth as Julia. “At least you two know the appropriate attire for a situation. I wore a little black dress to have macaroni and cheese with Quinn last night.”
Julia jerks her head in my direction. “I thought you were going on a date with veterinarian Joe?”
I don’t know why I look at Emma when she says that—the woman who’s more focused on shrugging off her dress coat and draping it on the open seat next to her than judging me.
I haven’t had a chance to fill Julia in on all that transpired since I left the house yesterday. Might as well skip to the big part.
“Everett asked me to move in with him.”
All eyes remained trained on me despite the interruption of a waitress with the largest hoop earrings I’ve ever seen dropping three bamboo coasters in the middle of our table.
“Welcome! I’m Maria. I’ll be your server tonight. What can I get you ladies to drink?”
Emma looks at her first. “We’re gonna need a round of margaritas for this conversation.”
Maria chuckles. “Been there! I’ll be right back.”
“Well,thatwasn’t in theCelebarticle.”
“You did read it!” I gasp at Emma.
