You know I’m always here for you, no matter how much shit I give you.Love you, Ains!
Me:
Love you too.
I put my phone back and pull out my keys now that I’m home. I get set up at my desk and look at the thirty emails waiting for me to address them. This job, this time in my life, isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I still feel stuck, like I want to domore,but I’m starting to see how small-town life can be just as fulfilling as a high-paying, high-stress career.
I’ve already noticed subtle changes in how I feel, and it’s only been a few weeks. I have less heartburn, less fatigue, and I haven’t had a headache since I’ve been here. All three used to be an almost daily occurrence.
Letting out a heavy sigh, I decide the time for contemplating the big things can wait until tonight. Now is the time to get my work done and wait for Ledger to send over the information for the presentation.
I’m not going to lie—I’m kind of excited about the prospect of this conference. It’s not like I’m going to get to go, but I wonder if it’s like financial conferences, with all the stuffy suits and shitty banquet food. Is it a game to see whose output is higher? Or are people actually interested in bettering themselves and their company?
I’ll have to ask Ledger one day. The way he was talking about it sounds like the biggest event for landscaping in the country, and somehow, that’s intriguing as hell.
I contemplate what a bunch of landscapers getting together looks like as I go through emails, and it takes me all the way to lunch. I stretch in my chair, loosening up the kinks in my neck from being on my computer for too long in an uncomfortable booth before standing up and heading to my kitchen to get a drink.
I’m stopped by a knock at my door.
Who in the world would be knocking? My dad knows he can’t just come over in the middle of a workday. We’ve already had thatdiscussion—twice.
I walk over to it and slowly pull it open, revealing one of the last people I thought would be knocking at my door.
“Rina?”
Chapter 10
Ainsley
“Hi!” Rina says enthusiastically.
“Umm, hi.”
“So, I realize you’ve been in town for a while now, and I don’t really see you around, so I thought I’d come by and see if you wanted to get some lunch.” Her large, blue eyes, so similar to Dean’s, are filled with nothing but warmth.
“Lunch?”
“Yep, lunch. Sal’s. Or Grind Time has great sandwiches and salads if you want something different,” she offers.
“I was just at Sal’s most of the morning trying to work, but I haven’t been to Grind Time yet. I thought they only had coffee and breakfast stuff.” Lunch with Rina could be fun. Making an actual friend here is probably something I should be working on.
“Oh, Grind Time is so fucking good—pardon my language. They have these super fresh paninis that are to die for.”
Loud laughter bursts out of me. “Please don’t feel the need to censor yourself. I’m the last person to care, I promise.”
“Thank God, because I have been told I can curse like a sailor when the time calls for it. So, Grind Time?”
I realize we’ve been standing in my doorway, and I instantly feel unwelcoming. “Yeah, that sounds good. Come in. Let me just grabsome shoes.”
She bounces into my living room and plops down on my couch as I walk to my room to grab some shoes.
“I’ve never seen the inside of this place,” she says loudly. “It’s cute!”
“Thanks,” I yell. “I haven’t really had time to do anything more than unpack, but it’s just enough space for me,” I tell her as I slip some sandals on and join her in my living room.
“Well, if you ever need help, let me know. I’m a furniture builder, but I love decorating too.”
“I thought you worked at the nursery?” I ask, confused.
