Page 105 of When You Had Me Adapting

“Hey, kid. What’s up?”

“Driving back from an interview.”

“An interview?” he asks, surprised. “I didn’t know you had an interview today.”

“Yeah, I did. I’m leaving the Center for North American Wildlife Conservation. They’re looking for a director of photojournalism and I applied.”

“That’s fantastic. How’d it go?”

“Great. He knew a lot about me and seemed really interested. Especially because of the Bix. He said he’d let me know soon, but I’m optimistically hopeful I’ll get it.”

“So, does that mean you’d be home more?”

“Yeah, there’s still some travel involved, but not like I currently do.”

“I’m so glad to hear that.” He pauses. “You know I’ll always support you no matter what, but selfishly I’m happy I might get you back.”

The GPS on my phone comes over the speakers interrupting our conversation.

“Thanks, Dad, but hey I gotta run. Apparently there’s a wreck or something and the GPS is trying to reroute me. I’ll see you later.”

“Love you, kid.”

“Love you, too, Dad.”

I hang up and pull off the interstate following the new route. Unfortunately, because it’s Atlanta, it doesn’t seem to buy me much time and traffic is still horrendous. By the time I pull back into my apartment complex it’s already six.

When I walk in, Tanner is sitting at the kitchen table eating dinner.

“I made pizza,” he says, nodding toward the stove top. Two pizzas sit on top of the burners. I walk into the kitchen and grab a plate.

“How was your interview?”

“I think it went great,” I say, placing two slices of what appears to be a meat lovers on my plate. I open the fridge, grab a beer, and meet Tanner at the table.

“Awesome, man. So, how you feeling about seeing Lacey tonight?”

“Really good. We’ve barely talked because my service was shit, but I was able to FaceTime her once when Archie and I ran out to the store. I almost drove straight there last night, but I had the interview today.”

My mind drifts to my call with Lacey. Her bare skin was only covered by thin black fabric. The way she touched herself and teased me. I could have killed Archie when he knocked on the window and interrupted us.

“So are y’all official?”

“No. I mean the kiss changed things, but we haven’t really talked about it. I originally was going to ask her on a date tonight, but then she said she wanted to do this. I’m trying to go slow and do it right. I’m hoping this job pans out, but if it doesn’t I’m leaving again.”

“So.”

“I left before and that’s when everything went to shit.”

He shrugs. “Yeah, but y’all were kids. If you want her, then don’t let the job stuff get in the way. I’m sure if this one doesn’t work out, then you could find something else or make it work.”

He’s right. At the end of the day, it’s her I want. I know I’m willing to make things work no matter what job I have, but I don’t know where her head is at. Would she want to do this thing long distance if that’s how it all pans out?

“Who are you and what have you done with my roommate?”

Tanner laughs and sips his beer. “So, what’s the plan for after?”

“What do you mean?”

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