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Knowing that I’m lousy company doesn’t stop me from replying.
Me: Nah. I’ll catch up with you guys later.
I close up the office and lock up before heading to my truck.
Now that the brunt of my anger has been worked off on administrative tasks for the nursery, I wonder if I can’t talk to Chip and explain my shock at finding out she’s getting her house valued. That I didn’t only ask her out because I thought that she was moving and, in fact, didn’t think that until after we had already been together.
No. That sounds bad, even in my head.
I can tell her the truth, we can talk about it, and maybe salvage whatever this is.
I want to define it, define an “us” that we both agree with. I know I’m sure as shit not done with her. Most of all I want to know if the woman I’ve been stuck on for the better part of the last few years is staying or going.
* * *
I make it home after burying myself in work until after dark only to find Gunnar sitting in his truck in the driveway.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Chip texted Sam. Said you guys had a fight. She went over to her house, so I figured I’d come over here. How’re you holding up?”
I shrug. “You want a beer?”
“Sure.” He follows me through my house, and I pull some chilled glasses out of the fridge before pouring us our drinks.
“How’s work for you?” I ask trying to delay the conversation for as long as I can.
He rolls his eyes at me. “I have some house projects that I need to get done, like finishing the guest bath reno if you want some busy work.”
I nod. “Sure. I can help out.” My stare’s sullen as it takes in the bubbles floating aimlessly in the alcohol that I’m hoping will soothe the hurt Chip caused.
“Dude. What happened?”
I glance up at him. “Chip ended things.”
“What? Why?”
I shrug. “Celeste. Misunderstanding. A little bit of all of that.”
“What happened with Celeste?”
“She was driving through town and stopped by to see if I’d be up for a roll in the hay. Chip saw us and got upset.”
“Oh man.” He looks disappointed in me.
“No, it wasn’t like that. I told Celeste I was seeing someone. After she took off, I tried to talk to Chip about selling her house—”
“Chip’s not selling her house.”
“What?”
“Chip’s not selling her house.”
“But you said she was earlier today.”
He waves a hand. “No. I said that people usually are planning to sell when they have an appraisal done. When I dropped the papers off with her, I asked. She’s planning on adding to the property. The appraisal was to refinance the house and pull the cash out for the work.”
“What?”
