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He sighed. “Yeah.” He walked toward the bed. “I have to get going.”
“I could ride with you. Help you pack? Or drop you off at the airport?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. I have to run by the office first and pick up files. I don’t really have time.”
“I could see your office then.”
“No, Em.”
I felt the disappointment sink in. I didn’t want him to leave. I didn’t know how to stall him without coming across as immature. I should be able to handle this. It was a business trip. When he went to Germany for a week things weren’t this serious between us. We had one date. We were way past that point now.
The last months had been everything I wanted in a relationship. Knowing there was going to be an interruption in that made me nervous. It shouldn’t. I should have more confidence in him. In us.
I pulled my shoulders back.
“I hope you have fun wherever you go.” I plastered on a fake smile.
“Thanks.” He leaned down to kiss me. “Bye, Emily.”
He backed up toward the door, pausing for a second. I thought he was going to say something, but he turned and was gone.
I fell on the bed, trying not to feel sad. He would be back soon, I told myself. And between now and then I had plenty to keep me busy. I had more than most people. I had a huge wrongful termination case. I had a meeting with Max Harrison this week. I had a roommate to reconnect with.
I pulled the pillow to my chest. I had all of that, but what I really wanted had just walked out the door.
Chapter 18
I had fallen into sort of a groove at work. It was still chaotic and overwhelming, but that had become my new normal. Monday morning, I walked in looking for a case to distract me. I wanted to sink my teeth into something while Vaughn was gone. I hadn’t heard from him yet.
Addie looked up for a brief second.
“Good morning.” I smiled.
“Hi.” She scribbled notes on an open file.
Jessie was right behind me. “Am I late?” She was noticeably out of breath.
“No.” I shook my head. “I just got here.”
“Good.” She scooted in next to me, closer than what I was comfortable with. “I was worried that you had already started meeting with clients. I ran from the shuttle, but then I remember I left my phone so I had to find that and it was one thing after another.”
I didn’t know if I was a good mentor for Jessie or not. I didn’t enforce any type of rule system. I taught her the law of the cases we worked on. I explained what documents we needed and the deadlines for filing them. I didn’t give her advice on how to make a career in law or even how to impress the boss by showing up on time.
Addie was the complete opposite. She had handed her mentees a syllabus with expectations and guidelines for the year. They checked in with her throughout the day.
“Want me to go on a coffee run?” Jessie offered.
“Actually yes.” I needed a second to breathe. Alone. I handed her a wad of cash. “The usual.”
“No problem.” She stuffed the bills into her purse and walked out of the office.
It gave me a few minutes to settle in.
Meg poked her head in the door. “Ready?”
I waved her off, while Addie waved her first client in for the morning.
I needed more time. I didn’t know if there was enough coffee or enough minutes. But I wasn’t ready.
