Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
“Jane,” I said. “Wow. This is a surprise.”
She immediately disentangled herself from Lars and gave me a hug. “Susie! Good to see you. How have you been?”
It was like being sucker punched. My heart hurt and I hated it.
I’d always gotten along with Lars’s ex-girlfriend. We’d gone on many a double date, back in the day. She was petite and perfect, which made me feel large and loud. But other people weren’t responsible for my insecurities. And seeing her again was great. So great.
Lars gave me a smile and a nod. “Hey.”
Cleo appeared and passed me one of her glasses of mead. “Our table’s ready. Come sit next to me, Susie.”
“Okay.”
“Can I sit on your other side?” asked Tore with a wink.
“Just this once,” Cleo teased. Then, with a meaningful look at me, she said, “We only just arrived.”
In other words, she hadn’t had a chance to warn me about Jane. I nodded and smiled and made myself a promise. This stupid infatuation or awareness or whatever you wanted to call it, would die tonight. I meant it this time. He was never going to give so I needed to stop wanting. Men and women could be friends without sex getting in the way. Just watch and see.
Our table was near the back, away from the hustle and bustle. We were settling in when Tore’s musician friend Austin joined us. At least I wouldn’t be the odd woman out among couples. He sat opposite me and gave me a very friendly smile. And wasn’t it nice that someone appreciated the time I’d taken perfecting my eyeliner and styling my hair?
“How have you been?” Lars asked me.
“Good. I’ve been busy. Skol.” I tapped my glass against his before taking a sip of mead. “How about you?”
“Same.”
“Great.”
“Everything’s okay with you?” he asked with a frown. It was just his way. In situations where other people would smile to encourage you, Lars would instead frown with concern. He wasn’t as grumpy as he seemed. But he did have a tendency to take things seriously.
“Absolutely,” I said.
“The house is all good?”
“It sure is.”
“Because you know I can drop by if there’s anything you need help with.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.” I smiled. “How’s your latest job?”
“Fine.”
“You and Jane are back together, huh?”
“Yeah,” he said. “We, ah, yeah.”
And that’s all he gave me.
I looked at him and he looked at me and, ugh. Guess we weren’t going to be friends and we had fuck all to talk about. Forget the divorce certificate. Ignore the unfortunate feelings. We were through. Which was kind of a relief. I rolled back my shoulders and shrugged it off. Now I knew.
Jane, who was an attorney, was busy telling Tore about a recent case she’d handled when our waiter appeared, a pretty young man with many a piercing. Suddenly Jane perked up and with a blindingly bright smile said, “Well, hi there. What’s your name?”
The waiter grinned and stuttered out something.
Lars’s lips thinned.
Holy shit. That’s what he said she did that time we were throwing around probable reasons for the divorce. How Jane flirted with other people and he found it disrespectful. Huh.
When my turn came, I ordered the salad with grilled salmon and settled back with my mead. Lars’s reasons for reconnecting with Jane were none of my business. No doubt there were benefits to the relationship. Though it didn’t speak well of him that he couldn’t seem to go a few weeks without a girlfriend. Talk about serial monogamy.
Jane leaned toward me. “We never got to talk after that time at the restaurant.”
“Oh. Well. I, um...”
“I thought what Aaron did was complete and utter bullshit.”
I just nodded.
She laid her hand on Lars’s arm. “I know he’s your best friend, but really. To get drunk and announce to a room full of people—including your girlfriend who organized the going-away party—that you’re looking forward to all sorts of new opportunities overseas. And the winking was super classy. How humiliating for you, Susie. Shame on him.”
As if I didn’t remember it just fine. The way everyone turned to look at me to gauge my reaction. How I struggled to keep a smile on my face. Because he’d been telling me for the past few days how he wanted us to stay together. That we’d be long-distance for a year then he’d return. No big deal. Of course, after his little speech, things had gotten ugly. It wasn’t the sort of situation I was going to take sitting down. Nothing like your significant other making you feel insignificant.
“Not his finest moment,” mumbled Lars.
I stared at the table. “It’s in the past.”
“What an ass,” said Jane.
“Yes, he is.” Cleo gave me a rub on the back. “But like Susie said, it’s in the past. Let’s talk about something else.”
Jane just blinked. “Of course. Sorry, Susie. I didn’t mean to—”