Page 49 of Saltwater Memories
Chapter 18
The rest of the week did not get any better for Amanda. Since she’d spent so many days in the Seattle office trying to see Rupert, she ended up falling behind on a project at work. Their midpoint presentation was due soon, and Amanda had to work sixteen hour days all through the weekend to pull things together.
She told Rupert about all of this, and he sympathized. They were having issues with the new server and he was working a lot of late nights, too. It made Amanda feel a bit better – at least they both had a reason why they couldn’t hang out on the weekend.
Amanda went into the office the following Wednesday to deliver the presentation. It went well, and she suggested to Rupert that they celebrate by getting dinner together.
“Sorry babe, can’t do it. Things are still too hectic. But maybe next week?”
She smiled. He called her babe! He hadn’t said that in ages.
“Okay, just let me know.”
She was doing her best to play it cool, but she was starting to wonder why he hadn’t brought anything up about them being “official.” True, he hadn’t done more than hold her hand on a few occasions and give her a kiss goodnight, but it felt likesomethingwas going on between them.
She was doing everything that she could to keep him from feeling stressed, and hopefully it would pay off. But at the same time, her stress level was through the roof.
Will had texted her twice that week, just to say hello and check in. She was polite when she responded, but she kept things light. She had done enough damage leading him on, and she didn’t want to be responsible for any more harm.
That next Saturday, she was again waiting by the phone, hoping that Rupert would tell her he was coming up to visit sometime that weekend, when Jade popped into her room.
“Hey! How’s it going?”
“Not bad, how about you?”
Jade shrugged. “Can’t complain. Morgan’s doing a wedding today, and Matthew’s working. I was thinking about going for a hike – do you want to join?”
“Oh. Hm. Where are you going?”
“I’m open to suggestions. It’s such a nice day that I was thinking of going over to Orcas Island. I’m sure we could see for miles from the top of Turtleback Mountain.”
Amanda instinctively picked up her phone – no new messages. It was already eleven, wouldn’t Rupert have told her if he were coming up today? “I do love the view…but I hate the climb.”
“We don’t have to do a mountain. What about a hike around the lake? Cascade Lake is one of my favorites.”
“Ah...” Amanda looked around. She hadn’t put much thought into leaving her room yet, and this seemed a bit much. “I’d probably just slow you down.”
“You’re not going to slow me down! Come on. Do you have hiking pants? Jeans? Put on some pants.”
“Oh my,” Amanda laughed. “I’m not used to you being so stern.”
Jade pulled open a drawer, and after finding it filled with socks and pajamas, shut it again. “I don’t know where they are, but I’m sure you have some.”
“Yes, I have pants.”
Jade crossed her arms. “I’m not going to let you sit here and sulk all day.”
“I’m not sulking,” Amanda replied, a bit too defensively, as she stood up.
“Okay, I’m sorry. Not sulking. But you have definitely been down ever since the masquerade ball.”
Amanda shrugged. “Work has been busy.”
“Come on. Put on your jeans and we’ll talk it out.”
Amanda groaned. “Aw man. I’ll only put them on if you promise to not make me talk it out.”
Jade laughed. “Okay, whatever you want. Let’s go, we need to be in line for the ferry in twenty-five minutes.”
