Chapter One
Jennifer moved papersaround on her desk as she listened to Tessa on the speaker and rolled her eyes.She knew her friend was up to something, and she knew she wasn’t going to like it.
“Jennifer, tonight’s event is a really good way to meet potential contributors.Do you really want to lose this chance?”
“Those things make me uncomfortable.Everybody who will be there—I don’t know how to say it—I guessclassyis the word I’d use.I won’t fit in.People won’t want to talk to me.”
“That’s bull, Jen.You fit in just as much as we do.I can guarantee people will talk to you.They are very friendly.”
Jennifer snorted.“You and your husband, Devon, are a perfect couple.Of course, people are going to want to talk to you.Blond, blue-eyed, extremely good-looking, athletic, all-American.I’m the opposite of that, Tessa.Short, plain, with crazy hair, and from the wrong side of the tracks.I can guarantee ‘classy’ is not a word anyone would use to describe me, and people won’t come around me.I work with animals all day.I don’t fit in at all.”
“You are so full of it.You’re beautiful, funny, smart, and so darn sweet.You fit in just fine, although a shopping trip wouldn’t hurt.”She chuckled.
Jennifer let out a desperate sound of discouragement, then laughed.“I hate shopping.”
“Not as much as you hate spending money, Cheapskate.”
“That’s not a nice thing to say to a friend.”Jennifer laughed and leaned back in her office chair at the shelter.
“But am I wrong?”Tessa asked.
There was a slight pause.“No.”
“It’s okay to be cheap, but Jen, you are extreme.I can’t remember the last time you bought something for yourself.”
“I don’t need anything,” Jennifer replied.
“It’s not always what you need.When’s the last time you bought a blouse for yourself?”
Jennifer rolled her eyes.“I can’t remember.”
“See!You’ve been like this since we met in college,” Tessa reminded her.
Jennifer blew out a frustrated breath.She’d had to pinch every penny to survive, most people wouldn’t understand that level of poverty unless they had to live it.Jennifer threw her pen on top of her desk.She knew Tessa was going to get her way.She always did, but Jennifer wanted her to work for it.
“And what’s the problem with that?”Jennifer complained halfheartedly.
“Absolutely nothing.You were brilliant.”Tessa giggled.“I remember when your roommate, Nancy, told me you worked at the campus cafeteria, so you didn’t have to pay for a food card.But you were so incredibly shy.I couldn’t figure out how you could waitress when you didn’t talk to people.”
Jennifer snorted, and Tessa laughed.
“I wasn’t having conversations with them.I was just taking their orders.”Jennifer grinned and started to organize her desk.
Tessa chuckled and then continued.“You got your books for free by putting in hours at the college emergency hotline.Which, I might add, meant you had to talk to people.”
“Not face to face,” Jennifer reminded her.
“And your outfits, although mostly cute and original, I didn’t know you got all your clothes from the Salvation Army.I envy your ability to live on so little.You had everything you needed and still saved money from what little you made.”
Jennifer leaned back in her chair and smiled at her college memories.
“After we became friends, everything we did—when I could get you to do anything—you found ingenious ways to save money.You saved me money, which my father will forever be grateful for.”There was a slight pause as they laughed, and then Tessa continued.“I’m especially thankful to my friend, Nancy, your roommate at the time.If it weren’t for her, we probably would have never met.And I sometimes wonder if I would have met Devon since his dorm was across the hall from you guys.”
Jennifer set a stack of papers aside.“If you remember correctly, I had to study constantly, too.The vet program was intense.But I do sometimes think about how we met.I’ll never forget the first time you two met.I believed in love at first sight after that.And you’ve been together ever since.Devon thinks my frugality is great.”
Tessa’s tone softened.“I know your penny-pinching stems from your shitty childhood.”
Jennifer swallowed the pain that pierced her when she thought of those years.“Tessa, can we talk about anything else?”
