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She makes a contrite face. “I’m sorry.”
“Well, at least you did good right up to the moment I mentioned Jack.”
She gives me another small grimace. “I may not understand why you agreed to go out with him, and for the record, I will never understand or support Jack’s continued presence in your life.” She sighs. “But I understand how hard it must have been to have no clue where you stand with Landon.”
I draw in a breath, willing myself to forget Landon, and how my body reacted to him only a few moments ago. “How are you doing?” I ask Laurie.
She shrugs and drops back on the couch. “Trying to stop refreshing Brett’s Facebook page. We’re still in a relationship, it seems.”
“Have you spoken to him?”
“A few times.” A pained frown flits across her face. “He asks how I am, I say I’m fine. Long awkward silence. Then bye-bye.”
My shoulders drop. Momentarily forgetting my own heartache, I join her on the couch. “You think you guys will work it out?”
She is silent for a moment. “I don’t know,” she says finally, shaking her head. “What about Landon? Is it really over with him?”
I nod, filled more with the hope that I can let him go than with any kind of certainty.
Laurie sighs. “What are you going to do?”
“I’ll just have to forget about him.”
She laughs humorlessly. “If only it was as easy as saying it.”
I get up, my mind going back to just a few minutes ago when my body succumbed so easily to Landon’s touch. “I’ll just have to try.”
“Hmm.”
“I’m going to bed.”
“Okay.” She puts her glasses back on and gives me a small smile. “Night. Night.”
THE next morning, Mark Willis dumps an article from one of our celebrity writers on my desk. I spend the morning reading about her two-week stay in a three-hundred-year-old St Petersburg palace owned by some Russian billionaire and making notes for Mark.
Thankfully, it’s engrossing. I read about the ill-fated noble dynasty that once lived there, their beautiful gardens, paintings, and furniture, and somehow I succeed in pushing thoughts of last night to the back of my mind.
I’m just about done when my phone rings. I frown at Brett’s name on the screen. I haven’t seen him, or spoken with him since the night he told Laurie that they needed some time apart.
“Brett.” I try to keep the edge out of my voice, but I’m still pissed at him and it shows.
“Hi.” He releases a breath with the word, like he’s relieved that I picked up. “How’re you?”
“I’m okay.”
I hear him sigh. There’s none of his usual playfulness in his voice. In fact, he sounds as dejected as I know Laurie feels. “And Laurie? How’s she?”
“You know you could call her and ask her yourself,” I say with a small snort.
He is quiet. “Can we meet, for lunch or something?”
I frown. “Today?”
“If you have the time. I’d really like to talk to you.”
There’s a hint of a plea in his voice, I sigh and look at my watch. It’s almost noon. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Great.” He sounds relieved. We make arrangements to meet at a deli close to my office, and he’s already waiting when I get there. He’s seated at a table close to the window, restlessly tapping his fingers on the formica surface. His T-shirt has the logo of his gym printed on the front, and his black, curly hair flops endearingly over his forehead and ears. He’s always been fit, especially since he started the gym, but now he looks like he’s lost some weight, and not in a good way.
