AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I was smiling as I returned to the living room and plunked down on the couch. I had Jane to distract me for the weekend, and she was the very best kind of distraction.
ChapterTwenty-One
Jane
Audrey's eyes took on a sly gleam as she smiled at me from across the table. Thea snickered into her coffee before taking a swallow.
“What?” I prompted, willing the heat on my cheeks to fade away.
“You and Ian are ridiculous,” Thea clarified as she lowered her coffee.
“What do you mean?”
She rolled her eyes, her gaze sliding over to Audrey. “So, we had dinner last weekend when Ian was here. He hardly paid any attention to me. I think he knew I was there, but he mostly stared at Jane.” She glanced back at me, lifting her shoulders in a slight shrug. “I honestly didn't think he'd ever fall for anyone. He's been such a workaholic.”
“He does work a lot. Sometimes, I worry about it,” I replied.
Audrey's gaze sobered. “Normal workaholic, or crazy workaholic?” she pressed.
“He’s not that bad. When we spend weekends together, I grade papers, and he catches up on email and so on. He seems stressed a lot during the week, but he still texts and calls.”
“How often?” Thea interjected.
Heat flared in my cheeks again, and I laughed softly as I looked her way. “We text every day, and we talk every day.” I took a gulp of my coffee.
Normally, I would’ve gone down to DC this weekend, based on our alternating travel routine, but I’d stayed in Boston this weekend because there was an event at the college. As a newer faculty member, I didn't feel like I could bow out of it. Ian also had something going on with a case at work. For the first time in months, I wasn't seeing him on the weekend, and I missed him. I got to have coffee with two of my friends, so that was a good distraction.
Thea’s laugh was sly. “You two have it bad for each other.”
Audrey eyed me curiously. “I’m with Thea. I’m surprised. Not that Ian likes you. You're awesome. Just that this is really happening.”
“What do you mean?”
“You two are getting serious,” Audrey pointed out calmly.
My heart started beating like I had a jackrabbit in my chest, and I took a shaky breath. “You think?”
Thea let out an annoyed sigh. “If it's not obvious to you, it's obvious to everyone else. Dallas and Noah have even noticed.”
I rolled my eyes. “It took me off guard too. Honestly, I haven't had a serious relationship in, well, ever.”
“Ever?” Thea asked.
“I know we didn't talk that much when you were out in Seattle, but you didn’t date anyone there?” Audrey added.
I shook my head. “Not seriously. It just hadn't happened. And who are you to talk?” I looked over at Audrey.
“Did you forget I was engaged before I was with Dallas? That was serious even though we broke up.”
I looked at Thea whose cheeks went pink. “Fine,” she muttered. “I haven't been serious with anyone.”
“You were serious with Joe in high school,” Audrey corrected.
“High school doesn't count,” Thea said, a little too firmly in my opinion.
“You and Joe were together for over a year,” Audrey offered helpfully. “I know we were young, but neither one of us had a steady boyfriend.” She gestured back and forth between her and me.
I was relieved to have the focus off myself and my relationship. Some things felt unsettled and uncertain with Ian, and it terrified me to think about what that meant. I didn’t even dwell because Thea looked skittish.
