Page 88 of Someone Just Like You

“Jude is nothing if not committed when it comes to making a fool out of me.”

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, even tonight. There’s no way all of this has been a ruse, unless he’s a talented actor, like Joaquin Phoenix talented.”

Even though I knew she was right, I argued, “He can sing and dance. But for his knee injury, he’d kill it onDancing with the Stars. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a triple threat. Anyway,” I said, wagging my finger at her, “I don’t want you to try to get information from Jerry because it will sound like I’m pushing. And pushing him is how we got into this mess in the first place. So don’t talk to him. Act like you don’t care…like there’s nothing to careaboutbecause you’re so unconcerned about the Molly and Jude drama…because there’s no drama to be concerned with in the first place.” I gulped from the glass of water I’d ignored until that moment. “You know?”

Esther shook out her head. “Either I’m pissed or you’re speaking another language.”

“Just don’t mention my name at all. Okay?”

“Got it.”

My gaze dropped to my phone where a notification appeared for a voice mail. My heart somersaulted thinking it might be Jude, even though Ihatedhim right now for putting me through this. But I didn’t actually hate him. Not even a little bit. Not even at all.

Now I was really channeling a rom-com.Thank you, Kat Stratford.

Then I saw the call came from Pro City Sportswear. I had my office voice mail automatically forwarded to my iPhone. I stuck my finger in one ear to drown out the background noise and listened. I only heard every few words. “Bleepis Kevin from Pro CityBleep. I’m sorry tobleepyou onbleepweekend, but I’m on vacation allbleepbleepand wantedbleepoffer the legal counsel position to Romero Vasquez. In my absence, callbleepbleepfor negotiations.”

I saved the message to listen to again in quiet and when I was sober. But the gist was clear. The job was Romero’s if he wanted it. Which meant I had to tell him the whole truth. I whimpered. It was too much. Jude, Romero. Love. Work. It was all too much. I lowered my head onto the bar, shouting, “Ouch!” when I was yanked upright by my hair.

“You might catch a disease.” Esther looked at me with a mixture of disgust and pity. “We should call it.” She whipped her head behind her and back to me. “Unless you want to pick up a Jude lookalike for the road.”

My lips trembled and shoulders heaved. “Too soon!”

Chapter Forty-Two

The following Thursday, my eyes were on my computer, but my mind was elsewhere when there was a knock on my office door. I blinked myself to attention and swung my head to find Michael leaning against the frame. I gave him a stiff smile to disguise the irrepressible revulsion I always felt in his company.Same as it ever was.At least it was a distraction, albeit a greasy one, from wondering where Jude was right now and what he wasthinkingabout. If God created the world in seven days, surely Jude could decide what he wanted in five.

Michael approached my desk. “I heard your candidate turned down the Pro City Sportswear position. Too bad.”

“Too bad,” I repeated with as much sincerity as I could fake. Why Michael insisted on keeping tabs on my every account was forever a mystery. None of it affected his bottom line.

He tossed my stress ball in the air and caught it in his palm before squeezing twice. “Any idea why he changed his mind?”Squeeze. “I thought you said he wanted more of a work-life balance?”Squeeze.Squeeze.

I willed him to release the ball from his clammy hand and considered my response. Being honest would result in one of his patronizing misogynist speeches—how I was naïve to the ways of the world or too maternal for my own good.

So I lied. “He wants to start a family in the next five years, so he’s pushed back his move in-house until he’s saved up enough money for a place in the suburbs.” The truth was, after I told Romero he got the job, simultaneously divulging my personal experience with Maxine, he asked for a few days to think about it. Notwithstanding his unfortunate choice of phrasing, I told him to get back to me when he made a decision, promising to negotiate on his behalf with all the enthusiasm he deserved if he accepted it and keep searching for another position if he declined. To my relief, he ultimately turned it down.

But my fib today could be the truth next month. Romero wasn’t married yet, but a lot could change in five years. Also, it was the only excuse I could think of to get Michael off my case.

He returned the ball to my desk.Finally. “You win some, you lose some.”

I thought I was off the hook, but he wasn’t done.

“Next time this happens, emphasize the resurgence of in-house stock options and deferred cash.” With a rap of his knuckles against my door, he was gone.

I closed my eyes as a feeling of dread washed over me. My life at the moment sorely lacked joy. Every night this week after work, I’d watched mindless television in bed until I fell asleep. Sex was off the table, and I lacked the energy to take care of myself. Either Jude wasn’t done thinking about it or we were over. At this point, I questioned whether I even wanted him anymore. I still loved him,madly, but Molly Blum wasn’t about to sit around indefinitely waiting for a man to decide he wanted to be with her.

My phone rang, pulling me out of my pity party. Letting the call go to voice mail was enticing, but what if Mom was lonely in that big house all by herself? As long as she didn’t mention Jude or work. Which left absolutely nothing to talk about.

It became quickly clear my reluctance to discuss my love life or career was irrelevant. Mom’s agenda, while rambling and difficult to follow, had little to do with me. First, she’d complained about the two-day loss of internet due to an ISP service outage, then moved on to Eris’s winter concert at the preschool the following month, followed by her book club’s latest selection, and now we’d arrived at her recent shopping spree. “Bed Bath & Beyond had a winter clearance sale so I bought new bed pillows for every room yesterday.”

Before I could question why she’d spend money on pillows when most of the beds in the house went unslept in, she was on to the next topic.

“Do you like candles?”

“It depends on—”

“Yankee candles were forty percent off, but they didn’t smell that good and I couldn’t remember if you liked them and anyway, have you heard of Body Holiday?”

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