“How do you know?”
“I saw the way you looked at him at my wedding. And how he watched your every move as if you hung the moon. So what’s your plan?”
“I’m going back to Chicago soon.”
“Are you really?” The weight of that sarcasm was so immense it smacked me in the forehead even over the phone.
“What else am I supposed to do?” I massaged my sternum. Fuck, it hurt.
“Did you ask him to come with you?”
“I won’t. He has a life here in a way that is interconnected with who he is, his great aunt, and the cafe. But I can’t stay, I have—?”
“A job you hate?” she interrupted.
I flopped my free hand. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”
“Because it’s true. Don’t try denying it. Troy is suffocating in that soulless company too.”
“It’s different from when we started.” I sighed. “Did he tell you?”
“That you discussed a potential partnership? Yeah. Like he could keep anything from me.” She opened a cabinet, rummaged, and opened a box; the sounds so clear I could imagine her in the kitchen.
“Fair. What do you think about it?” I stood up and paced the room, my feet silent on the fluffy carpet.
“Follow your heart. You’re both good at what you do.” A microwave door closed, a beeping sounded, and popping noise reached my ears.
“But you just got married; you need stability.” I waved my free hand as if driving my point with gestures would help when she couldn’t see me.
“Oh? Am I a fair maiden who needs her man to bring bread? I earn enough to keep us both comfortable if your idea goes tits up. And I want Troy to be happy too. If quitting his job, riskingall his savings on a new business would have him loving going to work, then I’m all for it.” The microwave beeped again.
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It isn’t, but it’s not impossible.”
“Did you make popcorn?”
“Yeah,” she said, crunching. “Your drama needs snacks, and I gotta see you. Now turn your camera on and tell me about the event you’re organizing for him.”
“It’s for the cafe.” I clicked the video option.
Raina’s face greeted me. She was sitting on the couch with her hair up in a messy bun.
“That he owns.”
“Yes. I have it all planned out and contacted all the people and establishments in town that I need to help me pull it off. You’d love all the planning that is going into this.”
“Relay it all for me bit by bit, and I’ll tell you if you have any holes.”
“Okay, so—” I talked for an hour, and Raina gave me suggestions for improvement.
Then I propped my phone on the table and ordered takeaway that grew cold when I was taking notes on my laptop.
“Once you implement the changes, it should work. Good thing you have all the permits ready to go. Will you now tell Milo that you’ll stay?”
“I need to make sure the idea we came up with Troy is viable. Organizing this event can prove it has legs. So when that’s successful, I can tell Milo I’m moving to Wendigo Hills permanently.”
“Is it safe to assume you already have an eye on a house?” She raised one eyebrow.
