“You’re welcome. Happy Thanksgiving. We’ll talk soon.”
I hang up and jump around the house, squealing like a lunatic. It’s finally happening. A few weeks, and I’ll be out of here.
My hands are shaking as I dial Del’s number.
As soon as she picks up, I burst out, “I got an offer!”
“I think you just blew my ear drum.”
“Sorry, I’m just so excited.”
“Um, yes, you should be. Holy shit, congrats!”
I sink down on the couch. “It’s a retired couple with an all-cash offer. Nicole thinks we’ll close in no time.”
“Fuck yes. It’s about time you caught a break.”
“My whole body feels lighter. I think I’ve been carrying a lot of stress.” I roll my shoulders and sigh.
“Working for your ex will do that to you. Not to mention dealing with your new neighbor.“
“Are you fishing for info?”
She laughs. “Of course I am. You haven’t called me in a few days. I want to know what happened after he fixed your fence last week.”
“Nothing.“
“Nothing?”
“Well, he cleared my driveway the day after the blizzard,” I admit.
Del gasps. “Really?”
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I looked out the window the next day and saw it perfectly clean. I almost burst into tears. I’ve been on driveway clearing duty ever since Maxton left, and it felt so nice to have someone do it for me. Frank came to drive me to work the day after since my car was still at Frostbite, and he even commented on what a good job I’d done. For some reason, I didn’t tell him it was actually all Rowan.
“Is it terrible that I haven’t thanked him? I haven’t seen him coming or going since then, so it’s not like I’ve been avoiding him, but still. Should I just go over there when his truck is in the driveway? What do I even say? I came out guns blazing the moment he moved in, and I’ve said some pretty rude things to him, so I feel like a bit of a jerk, but it’s not like he’s an angel.He’s full of himself, and he’s arrogant, and he did sleep with Abigail, we can’t forget that, can we, but he’s got this side to him—"
“Blake, sweetie, take a deep breath.”
I grip my face. “Can we just not talk about him right now? I want to enjoy this moment.”
“You got it. Okay, so what now? Have you decided where you’re going to move to? Please, please, please just come here. We’d have so much fun.”
“I wish. There’s no way I’d be able to afford San Francisco.”
“I know you could find a good job here.”
“Have you forgotten I don’t have a college degree? That makes my job prospects limited.”
Del makes a thoughtfulhmm.
I sigh. “I’d love to be closer to you, but I don’t think I’d be able to handle the pressure of trying to survive in such an expensive place. Not right now.”
“I hear you. What are you thinking then?”
“I don’t know. Maybe somewhere in Texas? Now that the house is sorted, I’ll finally have some more time to do the research.”
“Dream big, baby girl. I think you should move to LA and become a model.”
