“So, I guess it’s better to talk about the weather then.”
He laughed, louder this time.
And then he said, “But for the record, I like this new version of you. For one, you don’t have that constant frown anymore, like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
Me? I hadn’t realized that.
He watched me, reading my thoughts. “Yeah, and you don’t even realize it, apparently.”
I didn’t know how to respond, so I stayed quiet.
We didn’t say much after that, which only proved I was terrible at casual conversation, and Caleb wasn’t exactly the chatty type either. Still, sitting with him in that comfortable silence felt good.
I liked it. Even though Caleb and I had worked at the same hospital for years, I rarely sat with him without Cameron around.
Come to think of it, never actually.
There was always either Cameron or Lina with me during lunch.
God, I was really closed off, wasn’t I?
The idea that I needed to look beyond the bubble of my small life kept coming back. I had to get out more.
I couldn’t ask Caleb, though. He’s Cameron’s brother. That would be weird.
Even though I knew that hanging out with him would be fun, I just needed to go outside of my comfort zone.
After Caleb and I parted ways, I stopped by Lina’s kiosk. She was focused on something on her phone.
I leaned over the counter and whispered, “I think I need to get out more.” She looked up, surprised.
“What?”
“I need to hang out with people more. Let myself loosen up once in a while.”
“You hang out with me sometimes,” she said, still looking confused.
“Yes, but only with you. I need more people in my life.”
She stood up and leaned over the counter from the other side.
“What are you trying to say?”
“Harper’s with Cameron tonight. Let’s go out.”
Iwas about to step into one of my patients’ rooms when I saw Cameron walking toward me.
“Hey,” he said, smiling.
“Hey.”
“Are you coming home with me?” he asked.
Sometimes he still drove me home, and also on the days we had therapy as our schedules lined up.
Perhaps I needed to address that issue as well.
I shook my head. “I’m going out with Lina. And her friends.”
