Page 66 of Yours Temporarily

I sip my kombucha, another memory of Jeremy now. “Damien’s not listening to me here at home. I’ll make his favorite meal at the café tomorrow and bring it to his office. Perhaps then he’ll listen to me.”

“This little fight gave him enough courage to ask her out.” Olivia snatches celery from the plate Lexi just slid on the table. She then chomps. “Who cares.”

Yep, she’s upset about Damien’s cold shoulder. Or is she more bothered about Jessie spending time with Damien today?

Olivia eyes the oven. “I feel like baking something.”

“Why do you think I pulled out some healthy snacks?” Lexi smirks and bites into a carrot. “Okay, guys, we’re all sad, but can we not eat cookies again for dinner?”

She then snatches her phone and scrolls through. “I’m ordering us salads and maybe we can have some ice cream after.” As she takes command, we don’t argue. “Now might be a good day to drag you both rock climbing with me.”

“No rock climbing for me.” Olivia rolls her eyes.

While I could learn rock climbing, I don’t feel like it now. “I already had my adventures for the year.” Skiing being one of them.

Lexi’s dinner salad works out perfectly. Several minutes later, we’ve showered, changed into our jammies, and settled on the sofa to eat our salads in front of the TV. We’re laughing as we watch one of our favorite office comedies, The Dynamic.

When we finish eating, I take everyone’s plate to the kitchen and return with a tub of vanilla ice cream. Not wanting the cold to seep into my hand, I keep the container in a bowl to hold it since I’m seated between Olivia and Lexi.

“I can understand why Olivia has thrown herself into this wallowing frenzy.” Lexi reaches for her spoon to scoop ice cream from the container, then shakes the spoon at me. “I still don’t understand why you had to give Jeremy back the ring.”

“Keeping a secret from your brother was all for nothing.” Olivia scoops a glob of ice cream. “I’d hoped you and Jeremy weren’t pretending anymore, and we wouldn’t have anything to lie about.”

“I thought so too.” I barely have the energy to eat this frozen treat as I repeat what I told them days ago. “I need to hear the words from him. I can’t keep getting caught up in this game of back and forth.”

I scoop the ice cream, and the creamy concoction melts comforting sweetness into my tongue. My gaze remains on the screen at the boss as I assure Olivia that, before the end of tomorrow, she and Damien will reconcile their friendship.

“I finally found Cracker Jacks at a convenience store.” Olivia mentions her apology offering to Damien, stirring an idea for me too. “I asked Nadia to help me leave them on his desk after he left. He should see it first thing in the morning.”

“Tomorrow is Friday. He can’t hold a grudge all weekend.” A spark of optimism lights up my thoughts. Hmm… I know the perfect apology meal. “I’m going to give that new toaster a test run.”

I jitter a bit, more from anticipation over tomorrow’s culinary adventure than from the sugar rush. Still, I scoop up more ice cream, its coolness soothing on my tongue.

With my plan in motion at the café the next afternoon, I’m juggling several tasks while grilling the perfect loaded cheese sandwich. Then, just as perfection seems within reach, I burn it and set off the fire alarm. Its shrill blare ushers the entire building's employees into the parking lot—a less-than-ideal advertisement for my café to potential customers.

Not to mention this is the last way I want to face Jeremy again. He’s probably glad to be rid of me—nothing more than a short jot in his ledgers. But I’ve got to get over this. I seldom had self-worth issues before his wishy-washy ways—talk about the perfect concoction for stewing a girl in doubt.

I stiffen my spine and grind my teeth. I’m done letting him or my past boyfriend or even my silly mistakes like today’s debacle define who I am. I may have set off the fire alarm, but I’m a good chef and—as Olivia said—I am beautiful, confident, and me. Qualities no one else can claim. Plus, I’m about to realize my vocational dreams. What more can anyone ask for?

Sure, I’d love to know if he's part of my future recipe, but with or without him, I’m ready to cook up whatever comes my way.

CHAPTER 24

Jeremy

With the employee parking lot behind our glass building in a flurry, we await permission to return indoors. “I’d hoped to tackle some tasks before our meeting,” the IT manager beside me comments. I offer her a sympathetic nod, but my focus shifts, propelled by whispers that Zuri is the catalyst for today’s unplanned exodus.

Beneath the thick gray sky, I survey the displaced employees, searching for Zuri. There she is. Standing apart from the crowd, she’s wearing a simple white blouse that makes her seem almost ethereal against the foggy backdrop. She wipes her hands on her dark jeans, head bowed, and engages in a discussion with a fireman stationed in front of the fire truck. Despite the distance, her apologetic posture tugs my heart.

Witnessing her in such a vulnerable state stirs a whirlwind of emotions. She must be grappling with embarrassment and regret after triggering a building-wide evacuation. With her culinary prowess, the toaster-oven mishap—as highlighted by one fireman—likely stemmed from an adventurous attempt at a new recipe, rather than the ones on the café’s menu.

The impulse to cross the parking lot, wrap her in a comforting embrace, and reassure her that mistakes are part of life nearly overwhelms me. After all, no one was harmed, and no one is perfect.

That’s not all I would like to tell her, though. Before she came into my life, I was content in my solitude, navigating life with a comfortable, predictable rhythm. Like a figure missing or added to a spreadsheet, her presence realigned the way I calculated my existence. Now, I’m not sure how I ever found satisfaction in my former normal.

If only I could’ve relayed how I felt before she handed the ring back to me.

“It’s safe now.” A firefighter by the fire truck blasts the megaphone announcement. “You can now get back into the building.”

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