Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
JANE
Audrey's eyes took on a sly gleam as she smiled at me from across the table. Thea snickered into her coffee before taking a swallow.
“What?” I prompted, willing the heat on my cheeks to fade away.
“You and Ian are ridiculous,” Thea clarified as she lowered her coffee.
“What do you mean?”
She rolled her eyes, her gaze sliding over to Audrey.
“So, we had dinner last weekend when Ian was here. He hardly paid any attention to me. I think he knew I was there, but he mostly stared at Jane.” She glanced back at me, lifting her shoulders in a slight shrug.
“I honestly didn't think he'd ever fall for anyone. He's been such a workaholic.”
“He does work a lot. Sometimes, I worry about it,” I replied.
Audrey's gaze sobered. “Normal workaholic, or crazy workaholic?” she pressed.
“He’s not that bad. When we spend weekends together, I grade papers, and he catches up on email and so on. He seems stressed a lot during the week, but he still texts and calls.”
“How often?” Thea interjected.
Heat flared in my cheeks again, and I laughed softly as I looked her way. “We text every day, and we talk every day.” I took a gulp of my coffee.
Normally, I would’ve gone down to DC this weekend, based on our alternating travel routine, but I’d stayed in Boston this weekend because there was an event at the college.
As a newer faculty member, I didn't feel like I could bow out of it.
Ian also had something going on with a case at work.
For the first time in months, I wasn't seeing him on the weekend, and I missed him.
I got to have coffee with two of my friends, so that was a good distraction.
Thea’s laugh was sly. “You two have it bad for each other.”
Audrey eyed me curiously. “I’m with Thea. I’m surprised. Not that Ian likes you. You're awesome. Just that this is really happening.”
“What do you mean?”
“You two are getting serious,” Audrey pointed out calmly.
My heart started beating like I had a jackrabbit in my chest, and I took a shaky breath. “You think?”
Thea let out an annoyed sigh. “If it's not obvious to you, it's obvious to everyone else. Dallas and Noah have even noticed.”
I rolled my eyes. “It took me off guard too. Honestly, I haven't had a serious relationship in, well, ever.”
“Ever?” Thea asked.
“I know we didn't talk that much when you were out in Seattle, but you didn’t date anyone there?” Audrey added.
I shook my head. “Not seriously. It just hadn't happened. And who are you to talk?” I looked over at Audrey.
“Did you forget I was engaged before I was with Dallas? That was serious even though we broke up.”
I looked at Thea whose cheeks went pink. “Fine,” she muttered. “I haven't been serious with anyone.”
“You were serious with Joe in high school,” Audrey corrected.
“High school doesn't count,” Thea said, a little too firmly in my opinion.
“You and Joe were together for over a year,” Audrey offered helpfully. “I know we were young, but neither one of us had a steady boyfriend.” She gestured back and forth between her and me.
I was relieved to have the focus off myself and my relationship. Some things felt unsettled and uncertain with Ian, and it terrified me to think about what that meant. I didn’t even dwell because Thea looked skittish.
“Did we hit a sore spot?” I asked gently.
Thea shrugged. “No, I guess Joe and I were serious, but you know how that went.” She
was twisting a napkin between her fingers.
“You never said much after high school about him,” Audrey commented.
Thea shrugged. “No point.”
Audrey looked at me and shrugged. I glanced at Thea. “High school is weird.”
Thea nodded her head enthusiastically. “Definitely. Anyway, back to you. Maybe it's uncomfortable, but I think it's serious for him. He hasn't had a serious relationship, either. You two are going to have to stumble through this one together.”
Then Audrey interjected the very question that tumbled through my thoughts occasionally. “Have you discussed if you plan to stay where you are? You seem to be handling the long-distance thing pretty well.”
“We haven’t talked about that. Ian’s got the business down there, and I'm here in Boston with a new position.”
“That might be a conversation you should have sooner rather than later,” Audrey said gently.
I took a deep breath, trying to ease the tightness in my chest. “I know.”
Thea’s smile was warm as she looked over at me. “I think Ian would move for you. He's talked about coming up here before anyway.”
“He has?” That surprised me, although I didn't say so aloud.
“We're all here now. Except him,” she replied.
A little hum of anticipation spun through me at that idea. I liked it here. I liked being near my friends, and I really liked my job so far. I wanted the option to stay here. But that definitely relied on Ian moving here if we decided to admit we wanted to take things to the next level.
Thea nudged Audrey with her elbow. “You’re the only one here who knows anything about a serious relationship as an adult.”
“This is stressing me out,” I added
Audrey’s brow furrowed when she looked over at me. “What?”
“I don't know what to do.”
“You don't know what to do about what?” Thea asked as she leaned forward.
“I’ve never had a serious relationship, and I don't know what to think. Ian and I are doing okay with the long-distance thing, but I’ve been just putting off thinking about it.”
Audrey pursed her lips, her gaze understanding. “Dallas and I didn't live in the same place when we first got together. Just take it one step at a time. You're here now. When the time is right, you’ll know it’s time to sort it out. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
I took a breath and swallowed. “Okay, I won’t worry about it right now.”
That was a big fat lie, and Thea’s lips twitched with a smile. “You're worrying.”
“Stop,” Audrey ordered her.
“Let's talk about something else. I've had enough talk of my relationship.”
Fortunately, my old friends were still good friends, and they let the topic drop.
It didn't matter, though. Later, after Ian called, all I could think about was him. I missed him. I missed his voice; I missed him being here for the weekend. I was starting to rely on him and his presence in my life. This was just one weekend when we weren’t together, and I missed him so much it was a physical ache in my heart.