Page 73 of The Now in Forever
She laughs. “Probably not, but it would be nice to have the option.”
“You could swim here—drive out to the bay.”
“Too cold.”
“It’s probably cold there, too.”
She lets out a sigh. “This house is so empty without him.”
Her words permeate my skin with the chilling night air.
“Grandma…”
She waves a hand at me. “I’m lucky. We had so many years together. I’m not set on this idea—just thoughts.” She rises from her chair and comes to sit next to me on the stairs with the smallest hint of a wince. “What I’m trying to say is I don’t want you to move here forme. You should move someplace that gets you excited. You should look for a job that makes those baby blues of yours light up with life. Don’t settle. You’re too young.”
I open my mouth to protest, but what would I say? She’s right, as usual. I don’t want to teach middle school. I don’t want to move to New Haven.
She puts a hand on my shoulder as she stands. “You’ve had enough of my sage advice. I’m going to bed.”
“Maybe it would feel better, more like home, if I lived close?”
Her eyes flash, like a wave of sadness washes over them. “Maybe. Goodnight, Hattie Bear.”
The next morning,I go for a run, one of my old routes through the fields, mulling over what Grandma said the night before. I thought about texting Ed last night, but I wasn’t sure what to say.
Once I’m showered and dressed in a white shirt, light-blue sweater, and denim skirt, I head out to the interview. After a quick drive, I’m at the school. The yellow concrete walls are in need of a fresh coat of paint. On my walk to the office, I pass a massive field torn up with muddy tire tracks, and a queasiness settles in my gut. I should’ve canceled. This is not the place for me.
The office is stuffy, despite the cooler morning. The woman who greets me has long blonde hair, signs me in, and shows me where I can sit while I wait. It’s just the two of us in the office, listening as the radio plays country music. My appointment was for eight a.m. I got here at 7:56, and it’s now 8:19.
I pull out my phone and scroll to my kindle app. As I’m reading, a text notification from Ed appears. My stomach flutters as I imagine what the text could be. Maybe a good luck or an I miss you.
As I click, the screen comes to life with a soft-lit photo of Ed’s washboard stomach, his black and gray–striped boxers barely concealing a substantial bulge.
My cheeks flame.
“Ms. Stevens.”
I’m so startled, I drop my phone.
A man in a blue polo shirt with the school logo on the chest is smiling, reaching down to help pick up my phone.
“No!” I dive and grab it right before he does. Standing, I shoved the phone into my purse and then pull down my skirt a little. “I mean, yes. That’s me.”
The man’s eyes narrow. “Right this way. Sorry I was late. Had to call maintenance. Someone did donuts all over the field last night,” he says with a chuckle.
I smile, my cheeks still warm from my potential new employer seeing my boyfriend’s morning wood. If he’s even my boyfriend.
The interview is quick and to the point. Despite not being all that excited for the position itself, my overachieving, people-pleasing nature kicks in, and I walk back to my car nearly an hour later, confident I just aced an interview for a job I don’t want.
I start the car, plug in my phone, and turn on my audiobook to drown out my own thoughts. A text comes in, and I have Siri read it to me as I head back to Grandma’s.
“Kyle says: Hey, got the keys to the bookstore. Any chance you’re free today? It’d have to be before my shift starts at two p.m.”
My heart sparkles like someone just dusted it with glitter. I check the time. It’s nearly eleven now. If I grab my stuff from Grandma’s quickly, I could be back in Fortune Falls a little after one p.m.
I hitReply. “Does one p.m. work?”
The car asks if I want to change or send, and impatiently I hit the button for it to send now.
