“How did your first week go?” her mother asked. “I haven’t wanted to bug you during the week.”
“It was great. I love it. Even walking to work and back. Everyone seems so fit around here and I understand it. No one drives that I can see. I know that probably isn’t true, but those that do, still have to walk from public parking.”
“Your father walks to work?” her mother asked.
“Yes. He’s only a few blocks from the building. It takes him a few minutes. I’m sure he moved there for convenience, but it’s a great location.”
And way out of her price range also.
“Tell me how it is working for Ethan. You can tell me about the job if you want and I know you will but most of it will go over my head.”
Her mother quit her job as a dental hygienist to move with Felix to Canada. Her stepfather had a good job and her mother didn’t need to work. That was their life.
“He’s easy to work for. Really nice. Professional but not stuffy. Funny but not over the top annoying. When it’s important, he’s serious. Blair said I’ll learn to read his moods, but it doesn’t seem to me he has many. And it’s not as if I talk or see him all day. If he’s in, he’s in his office working and I’m still learning everything.”
If she had to spend a lot of one-on-one time with him, it might be harder. But even Blair said she didn’t spend much time alone with Ethan. Only when there were big projects or he had questions.
Most of Blair’s job was doing work for Ethan that required her to get it from other people. Some of those people who were still giving her wide berth, feeling her out, not even sure they liked her.
She could feel those vibes and was trying not to take them to heart.
“I’m sure you’ll be learning the job for a long time,” her mother said.
“I will be. Everyone has been nice, but several are guarded.”
“It’s most likely been said about you before and could even be said now.”
She sighed. “Probably. Blair told me there were a few internal staff who were interested in her job, but they didn’t have a shot at it. Some older than me, been there longer and know more. So those women, they aren’t too happy I’m coming around and asking questions.”
“You’ve got thick skin as you’ve said before. It will be fine.”
“I know.”
“How about Ethan and you? No issues there?”
“No.” She waited a second. “I ran into him this morning.”
“Where?”
She laughed. “Running. I was on my way back and he was just starting. We are a half a mile from each other. He’s in this gorgeous condo building on the water I’ve run by a few times. He was heading in my direction and we ran together for fifteen minutes.”
“How was that? You used to hate anyone near you while you walked let alone ran.”
“That was before I got good at running. Now I don’t feel like an idiot who can’t keep up or fear everyone is looking at me wondering what I think I’m doing in workout gear.”
Which always covered her as much as she could. Long black compression leggings and big baggy T-shirts.
Now, she was comfortable enough to wear ones that stopped mid-thigh and a compression top that was snug to her body but still covered her belly. Sometimes they rode up, but she wasn’t one of those women who was going to run with a sports bra on, though many did.
Even if she had the body to do it.
It wasn’t about flaunting anything but being good in her own skin. That had always been her goal. She felt she had finally reached it.
“So you’re running with him. What did you talk about?”
“Silly things. Where to go or what to do around here. He offered to take me grocery shopping. There is a store he goes to about five miles away. I said yes.”
“Hmmm.”
