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But just as I was about to grab my phone off my desk, I stopped myself. Getting into yet another fight with my brother wouldn’t help anything. Things between Julie and I were already up in the air. I hadn’t heard her voice in over twenty-four hours, and it was killing me.
Instead of calling Josh, I called Julie again. The phone rang a few times before she finally picked up.
“Hello?” she said. Her tone was soft, almost nervous.
“Hey, you,” I said. “I’ve been trying to call you all morning.”
“I know,” she said. “I’m sorry. Work’s been insane since you left yesterday.”
“Did you get a new assignment?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Julie said. I waited for her to continue, to give me something else to go on, but she didn’t.
We sat on the phone, neither saying a word, for what felt like an hour. Every time I opened my mouth to speak, I closed it again for fear of sounding stupid.
“Well,” I said. “I guess I should let you get back to it.”
“I’m sorry,” Julie said again. “Once I get this article finished, I’ll call you, okay?”
“Sure,” I said. “Take your time.”
“Thanks.”
Julie hung up, and I tossed my phone back on my desk. Nothing about this felt right. Josh screaming at me. Julie avoiding me. Everything was all wrong.
When I first saw Julie sitting at the café in town, I never thought I would fall so hard for her. She was gorgeous, beautiful in a way I’d never seen before, but that wasn’t what drew me in. Every word that came out of her mouth leaked wit and intelligence. She was graceful, elegant, and poised in every situation. She was everything I admired in a woman and more.
The thought of our relationship ending already was heart-wrenching. There were still so many things I wanted to
tell her, so many experiences I wanted to share with her. The tree lighting in the town square was just the beginning. It wasn’t enough. The short time we’d already spent together wasn’t enough. I needed more.
“Marcy?” I called. I heard her chair squeak as she sprung up and hurried into my office.
“Yes?” she asked.
“Do I have any meetings scheduled for this afternoon?” I asked.
“No,” Marcy said, shaking her head. “You’re free until tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Hold all my calls for the rest of the day, okay? I’ll return messages first thing in the morning.”
“Okay.” Marcy nodded and hurried back to her desk.
For a split second, I felt guilty about running out on work for the second day in a row. Even though I came back to the office yesterday, I still shouldn’t just leave at the drop of a hat. And yet, the guilt wasn’t strong enough to keep me there.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I told Marcy on my way out.
“Where are you heading, Mr. Smart?” Marcy asked curiously.
“I want to pick up something for Julie,” I said. “A little gift or something.”
“Try Annabelle’s,” Marcy said. “She has really cute stuff this time of year.”
“I’ll do that,” I said with a smile. “Thanks, Marcy.”
Marcy smiled back as I slipped out the front door. I thought about driving into town, but the cold air felt amazing on my flushed cheeks. My emotions were still running high, making my body feel hot and sweaty. The chill in the winter air cooled my body and relaxed my mind. I took in a deep breath and held it tightly in my lungs, enjoying the cold burn that flooded my body. When I finally exhaled, my head felt clear.
I walked through town, stopping in at every shop I passed. Annabelle’s was my last stop of the day, and I wanted to check everywhere else first. If I found a few things for Julie, then I would buy them all and choose the best one later. This was too important to do halfway.
