Page 30 of Under the Ink

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been there,” Ginny said. “I’ve been to Clovis, though. We have relatives who live there.”

“I don’t know where that is.”

“I think it’s close to Texas. So how do you like it?”

“I haven’t had a lot of time to really check it out, so that’s why I’m taking a walk.”

“Not that. Thejob. How are you liking it?”

“Oh.”

“I don’t like the sound of that. Um…gimme a sec.”

While Naomi walked over one light gray square of sidewalk to another and another, she heard Ginny talking to someone, and it sounded like she was paying for something. Naomi looked up to see the blue mountains touching the lighter hue of the sky, a couple of wispy clouds sauntering past. Taking in a deep breath, it hit her hard.

She really wasn’t in Winchester.

That felt liberating in a way she wouldn’t be able to articulate to anyone. So she simply held it close in her heart.

“Okay. Sorry about that.”

“What are you doing?”

Ginny chuckled, a sound Naomi hadn’t realized till now she already missed. “I’m getting a burrito at Taco Bell. I’mstarving. Sorry. I hope you don’t mind if I eat.”

“No. If you’re starving…”

“You know what I mean. Anyway…you were getting ready to tell me about the job. And be honest.”

“Honestly? I’m not sure yet. I’m surrounded by a bunch of guys—literally—and you can tell they’re used to not having a female around.”

“How so?”

“They’re not worried about offending me.”

“What are they doing to offend you?”

“Nothing personally—so it’s not bothering me.”

“So what is it?”

“I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe…it might be that the guy who’s essentially my boss is pretty hot and cold. He’s a real jerk one minute and then the next he’s as sweet as could be.”

“Do you at least like the job itself?”

“I don’t know. It’s kind of boring, and there’s really not a lot to it,” Naomi said, pausing to look both ways before crossing the street. “I, uh…considered asking them to drop me off in Colorado Springs on the way out of Denver last night.”

“Well,thatdoesn’t sound good.” Naomi stifled a laugh because Ginny was talking through the remains of a bite in her mouth. When she continued, her voice was clear. “Do you want me to come get you?”

“Thanks so much, Gin. I’m almost tempted—but I actually stayed awake in that stupid cramped bunk last night thinking long and hard about it.”

“And?” Ginny asked through another mouthful of burrito.

“I’m never gonna have a better chance of getting out of Winchester.”

“Do you know how sad that makes me?”

“Or at least to explore what else is out there.” To placate her friend, she added, “How can I even know if I want to stay there if I don’t look at everything else?”

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