Page 44 of Love Over Easy

David

“Sadie, where’s the Larson report!” I shout and throw a stack of files on my desk in frustration.

Sadie appears in the doorway with her hands on her hips and her eyes burning a hole through my forehead. She rolls her eyes, marches up to my desk, and points to a file I’d overlooked. On the tab it reads Larson. In clear sight. “Oh. I must have missed it.”

“Ya think?” she replies with major attitude.

I press my lips together to hold back saying something stupid. It’s not her fault I’ve been in a shitty mood. “Thank you. That will be all.”

Her eyes soften and she sinks down into a chair. “David, you’ve got to lighten up. I know you’re hurting because Shyanne left, but don’t take it out on the rest of us. We’re in your corner. We didn’t want her to leave either.”

I run a hand through my already wildly messed up hair and sit down. “Well, she’s gone. I guess there wasn’t enough to keep her here.”

“David, that’s not true. She felt something for you and she loved it here. Have you heard from her since she left?”

I shrug. Whatever Shy felt for me wasn’t strong enough to make her stay. To choose me. I don’t want to tell Sadie that Shy has texted and called and I haven’t replied to a single one of them. I can’t. If I do, it’s like I’m saying I approve of what she’s doing and I don’t.

“You love her, don’t you?” Sadie asks softly.

I turn my office chair around and look out the window. The Sunset Café, the place Shy was so proud of running, has a line of customers. Melissa and Suzie are keeping it open until Hannah decides what she’s going to do with it. Maybe she’s hoping Shy will come back.

That’s not going to happen.

“It didn’t seem to make a difference. She left anyway.”

“Why didn’t you go with her? You have plenty of vacation days you could have used and Bode would have filled in for you.”

“That wasn’t an option.” She never asked. That’s because I gave her an ultimatum and she chose her father and her career over me. What does that make me—third place in her life? I sound like a petulant child who’s not getting his way. I’ve been through it before and I will not do it again.

The phone rings in the outer office and thankfully puts an end to our conversation. Nothing Sadie says will make a difference. Shy left. End of story.

For the rest of the day, I try to keep my surly mood from creeping into my job. I understand from everyone I come in contact with that Shy made a big announcement on national television revealing her decision to retire after the fight at Madison Square Garden. It’s being touted as the match of the century and her opponent is the German national champion. I Google her and she’s good. She’s tough and at least a half a foot taller and heavier than Shy. Why would they match such an unmatched pair? Money. That’s why.

The thought of the woman I love being beaten up for other people’s entertainment turns my stomach sour. Shy hasn’t been gone a week and I can’t stop thinking about her.

Bode shows up at my house that evening just as I’m sitting down to a frozen dinner. He walks in without knocking like he always has. The only time he didn’t was when Shy lived here. I glance at the bench by the door where Shy always kicked her shoes off as soon as she came in. They’re not there and I miss them.

“Have you heard the news?” Bode asks as he opens the refrigerator to make himself at home.

He starts pulling out the makings for a sandwich. I look down at my unappealing dinner and push it away. A sandwich sounds better.

“News about what?” I ask.

“Shy’s match is going to be a pay-per-view event on HBO. You can’t turn on the TV or pick up a magazine or check social media without seeing her. She’s everywhere. Man, she’s going to be bringing in bank with this fight. Millions! And that’s without endorsement deals for merch. I bet they will even come out with a Huntress doll.”

A doll? Unbelievable. I finish making my sandwich and carry my plate and drink outside to the deck hoping Bode gets the message that I don’t want to hear anything about Shy or the fight. Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll stop eating my food and leave.

The sliding door opens and my luck just keeps getting better. Bode sits across from me with his plate piled high with his sandwich and chips and starts stuffing his face. I pause before taking another bite, waiting for him to start up again.

“Doesn’t Kimberly feed you?”

“Yeah, she does. This is first dinner. I’ll eat second dinner with her when I get home.” He checks his watch. “I only have thirty minutes before I need to be there. I don’t want to make her wait.”

I roll my eyes. “So why did you come by? Just to bother me?”

“No, dude. The wedding.”

I’d totally forgotten my best friend’s surprise wedding this Saturday. I’ve been so caught up in my own issues I totally blanked. Now I feel guilty about that. Just add it to my list of ways David has let people down. I put my sandwich back on the plate; suddenly it isn’t as good and my stomach rolls. I let Shy down in the worst possible way. “What do you need?”

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