Page 105 of A Lesson for Laurel

No reason to say he ran into Rachelle a few weeks ago. More like Rachelle saw him and came over. Not the same thing. If he’d seen his ex first he would have gone in the other direction.

Not because he was a coward but because he had nothing to say to her.

“Then why did you make that comment?”

“I meant from when everything was going on. No need to bring it up again,” he said.

“Nope,” Abe said. “You’ve got a good thing now. I’m going to get in the shower so I’m not holding her up.”

“Bye,” he said.

He texted Laurel back to enjoy entertaining his cousin and they’d talk later.

He'd finish the document he was reading through, then would get some dinner and call it a night.

Two hours later he called Laurel. “Hi,” she said. “Done working?”

“I am,” he said. “Long day. It feels as if I never can catch up.”

“I’m sorry for that,” she said. “Have you ever thought of leaving or do you love it there?”

“It hasn’t crossed my mind. Whether I work here or somewhere else, the workload will be the same. I get the benefit of working from home and that makes up for it. But sometimes I think I work more because I am home. It’s so easy to get lost in work because you don’t have to rush to pick up a kid or things like that.”

“When you worked in the office did you work this much?” she asked. “I’m not judging. We are just talking. I’ve always worked a lot too but never from home. My job doesn’t allow it.”

“When I went into the office I didn’t work as long of hours but still did things at home. I wasn’t a partner then either. Right now as a partner, I’m overseeing more work than doing it, if that makes sense. So I’m in a lot of meetings and conversations even if I’m not the one doing the day-to-day work.”

“I get it,” she said. “You didn’t say if you loved it.”

“I’m not sure I’m one of these people who was going to love my career. We work because it’s part of life. I want to enjoy what I do, and I do enjoy it. But to love it? That’s like comparing it to a good beer or pizza.” She was laughing on the other end. “Maybe a hot chick in my bed.”

“Now you’re being cute.”

“I’m trying,” he said. “Got to keep up with my cousin who you were entertaining tonight.”

“He’s so funny,” she said. “He pulled into the driveway and must have smelled the chicken and was flagging his arms around as if he was on a runway getting me to land.”

“He wanted your eyes to land on him and then ask him to eat. He’d know you’d offer.”

“And I did. I was even nice to not put it on a salad like I had. He thanked me and then cleaned up and washed the dishes.”

“He’s good that way,” he said. “My aunt would give him hell if he didn’t.”

“He asked if I had any single friends. I can’t help him out. I find it funny he’s jealous of you.”

“Hardly jealous of me,” he said.

“He said he was,” she said.

“Only joking.”

“No,” she said. “Well, I think he was but was serious at the same time. He said he’s jealous that you found something you both have been looking for. There was no joke there.”

“He’d be serious for that,” he said.

“He had a grin on his face and I joked with him. I wish I did know someone, but I don’t.”

“Sometimes you just have to fall in it,” he said. “Like I did.”

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