Page 25 of New Girl in Town
Chapter Six
Ifrowned at the empty mailbox. I’d been in town for a little over a week now, and I’d started my new job four days ago. My mailbox should be full of paperwork from the historical society in Denver that coordinated the funding for my department. They needed my signature on papers which had just missed me on my trek from California. I glared at my woefully empty mailbox. Why they hadn’t just emailed them to me for e-signature I didn’t know.
I was going to have to go down to the post office and ask around. Maybe while I was there I could ask about the finer details of the postal service system and understand how it was that my ex-husband had been able to send me mail the second I’d signed the lease but important paperwork from my new job still hadn’t appeared.
It just didn’t make sense.
I turned from the bank of mailboxes and jumped a foot in the air when I saw Grant standing there with a stack of mail in his hand.
“Hey,” he said when I yelped.
“Hey,” I gasped, leaning back against the wall, one hand lifting to my heart. “Sorry, you surprised me.”
“I was going to say something, but then you beat me to it.” He gave me a sheepish smile and held out the stack of mail. “I think there’s a mix-up at the post office.”
I took the missing mail with a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness. I was wondering what happened.”
“It all showed up yesterday,” he said. “I was going to give it to you but...you seemed occupied.”
I frowned as I thumbed through my mail. “What? I wasn’t doing anything yesterday.”
“Last night,” Grant said, and I didn’t miss the tight look on his face.
“Last night, I—”
I went silent when I remembered what I had been doing last night. I had met up with Ben for a drink. He’d driven us and stolen a quick kiss goodnight when he’d walked me to my door. My cheeks burned at the thought of Grant seeing that kiss.
I hadn’t intended to kiss Ben. The night had been nice, yes, but there was no stopping the fact that I had imagined Grant kissing me goodnight.
And now here he was, hurt and awkward, giving me my mail.
“I was out with a friend,” I said, and it sounded lame even to my ears.
He stuck his hands in his jeans and rocked back on his heels. “Friends are nice.”
I nodded and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, aware of the stiffness in my movements. “Listen, Grant...about last night. I met Ben at a speed dating thing that Melinda took me to.”
“You want to get coffee with me?” Grant asked, catching me off guard.
“I, well, I mean—yeah.”
“Great, is now good?”
I wasn’t doing a thing, seeing as it was Friday afternoon and I’d just gotten home from work. I was more than free, and I was eager to spend some face-to-face time with Grant. I’d been keeping him at bay since he’d asked me on our date, and I missed the easy companionship I had with him. Going out with Ben was good, but it was...different. I hadn’t quite decided if I preferred it.
I gave the mail in my hand a wiggle. “Let me just go get a jacket and drop these off.”
“I’ll be waiting for you outside. I know a nice place close by.”
“Sounds great. Be right back,” I called over my shoulder, and dashed up the stairs. I wasn’t even trying to be cool as I tore through my apartment, tossing my mail onto my new kitchen table and yanking my jacket from the hall closet. There was no hiding how excited I was, and I was thankful that Grant had opted to wait for me out front, so I at least had a minute to get my head on straight. I had a big smile on my face when I made the mistake of looking at my dining room table where I had strewn the mail.
There, sitting on top, was a letter that had the power to bring the entire night down before it even started.
I swallowed hard and approached the table. It was from Dylan. And this time there was a familiar return address listed. I picked up the envelope and noticed it wasn’t empty this time—instead, it was thick with paper, and I sighed, turning it over and running a finger along the address that had once been mine.
‘What do you want?” I asked the letter, as if it could answer me. Though...it could answer me. Maybe the letter inside was important? Maybe I should open it and see what Dylan had to say? I had just begun to ease a finger beneath the flap when I stopped myself with a growl.
“What the hell are you doing?” I whispered, and thrust the envelope away from me. “This is not who you are anymore.”
