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I turn back to The Calendar, organizing the various subtabs and making sure everything’s color coded properly. It’s fun to drag and drop, toggle and click my way to a kaleidoscope of organization. I’m starting to catch Britta’s vision here and it’s mesmerizing.
The distraction from my thoughts is nice, because the same things keep tumbling around my head like socks in a dryer. I’m out of my element here. Every relationship I’ve ever had, I’ve run when things got even remotely hard.
It’s easier to cut ties than to wade through the difficulties, and a small part of me wonders if that would be the best thing to do.
My thoughts are interrupted by a laugh, and then two hands appear above my screen. They belong to two separate people, handing me my cheesecake muffin.
I gasp and look up to see Sophie and Oakley with wide grins on their faces. “We stopped Teresa and told her we wanted to bring it to you.”
“Oh hey, well thanks.” I say and take the brown parchment paper-wrapped treat. “Have you guys tried these?”
“I’ve had several, but Oakley hasn’t,” Sophie says. “I told her she’s missing out, but as a trainer, she’d probably turn into a frog if she consumed any white flour.”
“Very funny,” Oakley gives Sophie a light shove. “You know I have a candy addiction, Sophie. I try to limit my gluten intake, though, because I feel depressed if I eat too much.” She waves us away. “Anyhow! Can we join you for a minute? And how are you?”
I gesture to the chairs across from me. “Sure. I’m doing great. Just tidying up The Calendar.”
“Britta used to talk about The Calendar,” Sophie says, easing into a chair and absently tugging on her lanyard wallet. “I felt intimidated just listening to her.”
“It’s a beast,” I agree. “But thankfully, Sebastian’s patient with my learning process.”
Sophie and Oakley exchange looks, smiles winding their way through their expressions.
I ignore the pointed looks. “You training here today, Oakley?”
She nods. “I have a few clients and then I’ll study. I have a test in pathophysiology.”
“I told you I’ll quiz you on terms,” Sophie says to Oakley before turning her attention to me. “How’s life going for you?”
I don’t know how to define how life’s going for me. Things are great and a little confusing with Sebastian.
“I like being here in Longdale, and I don’t mind the work, even though it’s longer hours than I wanted. I still have some time to work on grant proposals, so that’s good.” I take a deep breath. “Sebastian said he got a book from you?”
Sophie’s grin takes up her whole face. “Oh, did he tell you? I wasn’t sure if he was going to try to be subtle and non-assuming about it or if he’d tell you he read a book of Shakespeare’s sonnets specifically for you.”
The ‘specifically for me’ thing trips me up, a warmth spreading across my chest. Except, no one is supposed to know about us. Sebastian’s my boss.
“He quoted it and then confessed to his preparation.” I say, laughing. “It was nice.”
Oakley laughs. “I bet.”
“Thanks for giving him the book.”
Sophie waves me away. “Oh, it’s been here at the resort library this whole time. I just pointed him to it, that’s all.”
We spend the next twenty minutes talking back and forth amongst the three of us and I discover that, first of all, both women are completely gone for their men, and Sophie’s planning a spring wedding.
And the Tate family dogs, Jerry and Wilford, have cordially invited my dog, Destiny’s Child, to a play date at the city park next Tuesday evening at seven. Let’s hope she’ll be civil.
“Okay, guys, do you have any advice about the job, or the Tates?” Somehow, twenty minutes of laughter and their approval of me have me feeling bold. Not bold enough to mention Sebastian specifically, though.
They grow silent, still smiling, but suddenly, there’s a tension that wasn’t here before.
“The Tates have had some hard times,” Sophie says, caution in her tone.
Oakley looks at Sophie and then me. “Which has translated into some tough relational things. It’s not always easy to be in a relationship with the Tate men.”
Sophie nods. “I’ve known Sebastian a very long time, since my mid-teens, and he’s only had one semi-serious girlfriend before. He’s hardly dated since then.”
