Page 40 of Puck Drop
I start laughing. “I was just thinking that, too,” I tell her. “But how can you be responsible for my stupidity?”
Mona lets out a sigh, just as long as the one I let out only minutes ago. She sounds pensive when she speaks.
“Being in love doesn’t mean you’re stupid, Liz. Trust me on that. Besides, look at all the times I crawled back to Alex even though I knew he’d throw me away in an instant. Love is just… complicated.”
“Yeah,” I agree.
We remain in silence for a while, with both of us thinking about our respective situations.
“Have you heard from your dad at all?”
I think about how I should answer that. I’ve had some missed calls with New York area codes, but no voicemails. Unfortunately, they always called while I was at work, so I wasn’t able to answer.
“I blocked him when I left,” I confess to Mona. “But I think he’s been trying to call me.”
She hesitates for a second, and I understand why when I hear what she asks me next. “Would you consider going back home if he asked you to?”
“I…” My mind goes completely blank, unsure of how I should respond to what she’s asking. “I wouldn’t leave without talking to Logan first.”
“But youwouldleave?” she presses on.
Once again, I drop my face in my hands. “I hate it here, Mona,” I cry. “I hate my job, and I miss painting…”
“Can’t you paint there?” she asks right away. “I can figure out a way to send you your art supplies from your dad’s house…”
I laugh through my tears. “How would you even do that?” I ask.
“Not sure,” she admits. “I’d have to throw a tantrum for intimidation purposes. Or…”
She gets quiet, making me frown as I squint at my phone to make sure she’s still there.
“Or what?” I ask.
“Or,” she continues in a casual tone. Maybe too casual. “I could call Alex and ask for his help. Maybe get a loan for you until you’re back on your feet.”
“Mona!” I press a hand to my chest in distress. “Please don’t do any such thing. I would never be able to forgive myself if you borrowed money from your ex boyfriend to help me.”
“Eh,” she sighs. “He is convinced I was with him for his money anyway. Might as well prove him right, you know?”
Mona’s never been money hungry or cared about social status. I can’t believe that guy thought so little of her.
“Please don’t get back with him,” I beg her. “Find someone who loves you for who you are.”
“Yeah.” She sounds really sad now, but she recovers quickly. “That’s why this online dating needs to work. I need a date for this damn party.”
Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I glance back to the TV. My chest is filled with disappointment when I notice the game is already over. I wonder if Logan played at all, or if the Aces won.
“I am all for finding love,” Mona grabs my attention again. “But not at the expense of your happiness. You have to put yourself first, Liz.”
I think back to all those months ago when I fought with my father as I tried to convince him that my feelings toward Logan were real.
“I thought I was putting myself first when I made the decision to move here for Logan,” I murmur into the phone.
We both sit in silence, with Mona sighing every so often, sounding like she wants to say something but then changes her mind.
“I get why you did it,” she finally says, her voice sad. “I…” Another long and heavy sigh. “If I thought Alex loved me as much as I loved him, I would’ve done the same,” she admits. “I would’ve followed him to the end of the earth.”
The emotion is obvious in her tone, getting me choked up at hearing it.
