Page 94 of Love Off-Limits
A grown-up job.
With a bunch of coworkers who were way more qualified than I was.
I’d been introduced on the first day as the creative genius who had saved the Ethans’ wedding. Everyone had looked at me with a sort of curious respect. Except for Tom, who looked a little like he wanted to kick me in the kidney stones.
But the offices were bright and spacious and full of creative types that reminded me a lot of the employees that filledRandom I,except with slightly more professional attire. I didn’t worry about fitting in. It might take a while, but I already felt at home at Ethan Advertising, which went a long way to help fill the emptiness that leaving Olivia had left in my gut. I still thought about her every second of the day. But busyness at work was at least an effective life preserver. I might be lost in the middle of the Atlantic, but at least I wasn’t drowning.
My phone pinged with an incoming text from Darcy.
Darcy: We’re here! Coming up now.
I paced to my apartment door and swung it open, hanging myself over the banister to watch as they climbed the stairs. Darcy was in the lead, and when she saw me, she sprinted up the last flight of stairs with record speed and jumped into my arms.
“Oof,” I said as I wrapped my arms around her. “It’s good to see you too.”
She gripped my arms and leaned back, looking into my face. “You look good. Are you good? Tell me you’re okay.”
I smiled, hoping it looked more convincing than it felt. “I’m good.”
“Tyler,” Isaac said as he crested the top of the stairs. He pulled me into a hug and pounded me on the back before stepping aside for Rosie to do the same. She slipped her arms around my waist and gave me a good squeeze before pulling my face down so she could kiss me on the cheek. No one made me feel quite as tall as Rosie did. Except maybe Dani.
Rosie studied me closely. “Don’t lie to me, Tyler,” Rosie said softly. “How are you really?”
I shrugged, my heart squeezing from the warmth in her gaze. “I’m busy. That... helps.”
“So these are the new digs?” Isaac said as he crossed through the open apartment door. “Nice,” he said as he looked around.
“A little boring,” Darcy added. “But your view isn’t bad.”
“Yeah. I think the point is for me to make it not boring. To decorate and stuff.” I pushed my hands into my pockets. “But it’s only a block away from my office. And I can walk to the grocery store so... that’s cool.”
Darcy wandered to the kitchen. “Have you been to the grocery store lately? I’m starving.”
“Sure. But are we going out? If you guys are hungry, there are tons of places we could walk to from here.”
“How about we order in, and I just stay right here?” Rosie said, stretching out on the sofa. She closed her eyes and pulled a pillow to her stomach.
I looked at Isaac and lifted an eyebrow. He smiled, light dancing in his eyes. “She’s pregnant,” he said bluntly.
“What?” Darcy and I both said in unison.
Rosie’s eyes popped open, and she sat up. “Isaac!”
“I’m sorry!” he said as he crossed to where she sat. “I couldn’t keep it in another minute.” He looked at me, a look of chagrin on his face. “We were going to tell you tonight anyway.”
“Were you going to tell me?” Darcy said with a pout. “This whole car ride and you didn’t mention it?”
Rosie reached for Darcy’s hand.
It made me happy the two of them had become close.
“We wanted to tell you both together,” Rosie said. She scowled at her husband. “And we would have been a lot more tactful about it if loudmouth over here hadn’t blurted the news like a toddler who found birthday presents hidden in the closet.”
“Don’t even act like you’re surprised,” Isaac said. “You’re lucky I made it as long as I did.”
“I’m really happy for you guys,” I said. Iwashappy for them. And I was very good atactinghappy for them for the rest of the night. While we ate takeout from the Korean place down the street. While we watched the Ethans’ wedding video and they oohed and aahed over what I’d done. While I detailed the new project I was already working on at work. While Darcy entertained us with the latest drama between her and her rival on the Charleston walking tour circuit.
The happiness was genuine. Of course it was. But watching Isaac and Rosie fit another piece of their life into place...all I could think about was Olivia. Because I’d imagined this future with her. Marriage. Kids. All of it. I’d been close enough to see it. Taste it. Imagine precisely what my world would look like if Olivia were at the center of it.
