Page 62 of Since We're Here
I like to hear about her life because we’re friends.
But I also know I’m the tiniest bit smitten.
If I’m going to spend time with her, I need to keep my shit together at the brewery and the pub.
And whatever I do, I need to protect myself from the inevitable end. Maddie will leave Dingle, I’ll see her for the road trip and the wedding, and that’ll be it.
I can’t let myself forget that.
16
MADDIE
Boyfriend Disaster #5: Todd the Married Manager
Job Location & Length: Another Soulless Chain Restaurant, 2 years
My Age: 24
At my next job, I kept my head down and worked my ass off, and it finally paid off when I got promoted to assistant manager after a year. Finally, I was making progress. Maturing. Figuring life out.
So it caught me off guard when Todd kissed me.
He was my tall, blue-eyed manager who was hired six months after I got promoted. Todd was older—early thirties, but not really inappropriate like it was when I was twenty and Jonathan the line cook was thirty—and had a great, easy laugh.
One night, as was normal for us, we’d stayed after a shift to catch up on schedules for the upcoming week. No one else was around when he slid a hand on my thigh and leaned forward to bring our lips together, so tenderly.Maddie, he’d said,I’ve wanted to do that for ages.
And with that, I was right back to my old ways.
We’d kiss in the break room or sneak into the storage closet. It was exciting, and fun, and I felt so wanted. Did I know I was fucking things up, but worse this time since I had more to lose with the promotion? Yup. Could I stop the absolute garbage train wreck from happening? Nope, sure couldn’t.
A woman came in one day, double rings stuffed with sparkling diamonds on her left ring finger, looking for Todd with a clenched jaw and narrowed eyes.
He was married. That’s why we never met up outside of work. Cue my resignation, effective immediately.
Breakup Reason: He was a liar and a married cheat.
My Distress Level: 5
Lesson Learned: I am a horrible judge of character. This one threw me. I swore to myself I was done messing things up.
“Ihad the best idea ever for the road trip.” I drink from the bottle of Harp lager Patrick brought, feeling warm and cozy in the hot flat, but also basking in the delicious scents of pre-made lasagna and garlic bread in the oven.
I’m trying not to make it obvious I’m thinking about the last time Patrick and I were on this couch twelve hours ago. My cheeks heat at the memory of waking up to find him draped around me in boxers and a t-shirt. The way he grabbed handfuls of my ass and raked me over his...
Now I’m really sweating.
“Go on.” Patrick swigs from his bottle, hazel eyes locked on me.
“I’m going to give the road trip a theme. I’m already working on a list of weird things we can see on the trip—with very little help from you, I might add. What about if we put a few brewery stops on the itinerary? Won’t Oliver like that?”
Patrick nods. “Aye, he and I went to quite a few breweries while he was here. As research, of course.”
“Perfect. So is that something you can help me with without rolling your eyes?”
His mouth twists. “I suppose.”
“And I was thinking of calling it Quirks, Brews, and Views.” I wave a hand in front of me, as if I’m revealing something on the wall.
