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And in our case, I knew I needed to know more about him, not just the things he showed me with his actions, but his past, his history. His unwillingness to tell me anything only proved that we didn’t want the same things.
I put Rufus back in his kennel—he was a sweet and cuddly pug who was recovering from a close encounter with a car. He had a broken leg, but that did nothing to discourage him from trying to jump, and I found he didn’t whine as much if he was being cuddled. Maybe I was too soft, but I loved being able to show unconditional affection to these precious animals who didn’t hesitate to give it right back to me, even if it only happened during the little breaks I could get in between helping Dr. Cunningham.
“I’ll be back to check on you after my lunch break, okay, little guy?”
He tilted his head and stared at me before letting out a small yap, hobbling in a circle, and then lying down on the soft blanket we’d placed in there.
I walked over to the set of cubbies where I stowed my belongings during the day, grabbed my purse, and then texted Sadie to confirm our lunch plans.
Since Dr. Cunningham’s office wasn’t far from Sadie’s work, we’d managed to get lunch three times this week. It was another perk to this internship, and getting more time with my best friend like the old days had also gone a long way to soothing my heartache.
“Hey,” I called out when I saw her sitting out on the patio of a sandwich place we’d fallen in love with.
“Hey, I already ordered for us.”
I shook my head. I’d have to pay her back by buying next time, if she let me. She knew my internship wasn’t paying me much. It was enough to cover some extras in my life while the money my dad had set aside for me went to covering my rent.
It was a hot, sunny California day, but there was a cool breeze that took away some of the repressive heat.
“How’s work?” I asked when I sat down.
She took a sip of her iced tea and shrugged. “It’s okay. Shannon is struggling. She’s trying to hide it and she’s doing a pretty good job, but there are moments I’ve caught her staring out the window looking a little lost. I can’t even imagine how hard this all is for her.”
Sadie’s boss, Shannon Perry, was an incredibly accomplished woman. She owned one of the premier boutique environmental-friendly architecture and interior design firms in Los Angeles, and at only thirty-eight years old. But apparently her husband had just announced he wanted a divorce and she’d been left reeling. Since the firm was so small—only about ten employees—the news had spread pretty quickly. Sadie had filled me in on all the drama and how bad she felt for Shannon.
“She doesn’t deserve this,” Sadie said. “So I’m just trying to step up and take some things off her plate. Grant is too,” she added right as the waiter dropped off the sandwiches she’d ordered for us. We thanked him before he walked away and then she nibbled her lip.
“I yelled at him,” she said, her voice low like she was confessing.
I nibbled a fry. “Yelled at who?”
“Grant. I told him his friend was an asshole.”
I dropped the rest of the fry to my plate. “Sadie!”
“What?” But she no longer looked guilty. She pushed her shoulders back like she was proud of herself. “Nobody breaks my best friend’s heart and gets to live in ignorant bliss about it.”
“I appreciate that, but it’s unnecessary.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’re not mad at him anymore?”
“I don’t think I was ever reallymadat him. I was hurt he wouldn’t let me in, but I think I confused things and made our relationship more than it was.”
“Don’t do that,” she said. “Don’t diminish what you guys had. I saw you together, remember? It’s okay to be hurt, Jenna, but don’t make it less than it was. You loved him.”
I still did.
I was worried a part of me always would.
She had picked up half of her sandwich, but she put it back down on her plate and leaned forward, her elbows resting on the table. “Would you ever give him another chance?”
“It’s been over a week and I haven’t heard a word from him. I doubt he wants to get back together. Why do you ask?”
“Grant’s been weird since I yelled at him a few days ago. Asking questions about you without trying to be obvious about it. Like checking in on you. A part of me wondered if he was asking for Connor.”
“Do guys do that?”
She shrugged. “Fuck if I know. Guys are dumb, especially guys our age. It’s why I went older.”
