Chapter Three
Max
At the store one town over, I find the office supplies aisle and grab a box of black pens, then a pretty planner for Becca for our planning activities later tonight.
I’m staring at the shelves as I walk out of the aisle, considering a new calendar for my desk when someone shrieks and arms are wrapped around me and I feel frozen.
“Maxine!” The someone screeches again, except this time in my ear.
The girl pulls away and looks at my face and I blink.
“Oh! Jenni!” I pick up my arms and hug her back, a genuine smile sweeping across my face.
Jenni was one of the attorneys at Patrick’s father’s law firm, Ellison he’s slowing down and we moved here last year. But he’s decided to downsize again so he bought a whole building nearby.”
I pay the man behind the counter and think to myself that I’m surprised Richard, Patrick’s father, is downsizing.
He was slowing down even when I was there almost three years ago, but it never seemed to stop him from continuing to be one of the best lawyers on the East Coast. Then again, Patrick was always trying to convince him he needed to retire, more so for Patrick’s benefit.
I mouth a ‘thank you’ and grab the bag of supplies. “A building nearby?” I ask Jenni as I turn to face her. “So still in Wilmington?”
“Actually, it’s a bit down the road! Oh, maybe you know it, it’s on one of the main roads in—” Jenni looks over my shoulder and starts walking away.
“Ah crap, I gotta go. They’re waiting for me.
” She starts walking backwards. “We came for cleaning supplies because apparently, with this downsize, it’s our job to clean the offices until Richard hires someone local. Very glamorous. Very lawyerly.”
We both laugh and she continues, “And you know the guys will absolutely leave here without me, which is probably what I get for being only one of two women in this office now.” She starts walking backwards, keeping eye contact with me.
“You still have the same number, right? I’m going to text you as soon as I get to the car so we can make plans to get coffee like, ASAP, like tomorrow! ”
“Yeah, that sounds great, where did you say Richard moved the offices to?” I take a couple steps forward, because she’s already almost at the front of the store, and something in my gut twists.
She turns back around, walking sideways, and I see a group of three or four guys in suits ahead of her.
“It’s one town over, right on Main, a big brick building at the end of the street—we got a big new sign today, you can’t miss it!
I’d say stop by and see me, but then you’d have to see other less fantastic individuals! ”
She turns back and I spin in the opposite direction. My heart feels like it’s beating a million miles a minute and has stopped beating altogether at the same time. I close my eyes and try to slow my breathing.
My hands tighten around the plastic bag and my purse. One town over. Main? Main, like… Main Street, Main? My Main Street?
No. Nope. Not Ellison. Not Patrick. Not Patrick in my town with Brenda. No.
“Ma’am, are you okay?” I open my eyes and the kid from behind the counter is standing in front of me. “I’m sorry, I hate to ask, you’ve just been standing here for a few minutes…”
I shake my head and nod. “Yep, yeah, yes. I’m fine, thanks.”
I turn around slowly, suddenly worried about who might be at the front of the store, but the path to the front is empty.
My hand is trembling and I laugh at myself as I climb into my car. I’m being dramatic. First, this isn’t true. And even if it was, it’s not like I’ll have to see him.
I won’t have to see him.
Right?
My fingers shake as I smash my screen on Becca’s number.
“Hey Max, I was just about to lock up and head back to my place, what’s up?” Becca sounds happier than she did this morning.
“Could y—” my voice cracks. “Could you maybe just stay there? I’ll be home in—” my voice doesn’t recover so I take a deep breath. “Like fifteen minutes.”
“Sure… you sound weird, everything okay?” She sounds closer to the phone, and her happy tone has faded.
“I’ll see you in a few.”
“THEY MOVED WHERE?” Becca is standing at the top of the stairs, yelling back at me with a horror-stricken face.
She came out of the upstairs bathroom as I came in the front door and didn’t even make it two feet as I blurted out that Ellison not the guy who walked all over me.
“I know I’m stronger now, and better now, I just didn’t need a glaring reminder of what happened and what I walked away from—even though I had no choice but to walk away, you know?”
She nods. “Are you done with work today? It’s only one o’clock, I figured you’d be at the office until at least four tonight.”
“No, but I am done being at the office. I do have to go get my laptop and tell Carla I’m working from home the rest of the day though.” I turn around and stare at the front door, which suddenly looks ominous and huge.
Becca clicks her tongue and walks over to the door, scooping up my purse as she walks, throws the door open and grabs Bart’s leash from the hook.
“Bart and I will walk with you! Let’s go!
” Bart is jumping up at Becca, and she snaps his leash on, gesturing wildly at me.
“Get moving, Simmons, let’s get this over with. ”
I reluctantly drag my feet and take my purse from her, hanging it next to the door after taking my phone and keys out and stuffing them in my back pockets.
“I guess I have to take you up on the offer to help me get new clothes if I’m going to pull off the blasé, ‘I’m better and didn’t even know you were in the neighborhood’ act. ”
Becca jumps up and down on the sidewalk, beaming. “Yes! I can’t wait.”