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Congrats! Did you accept?
Not yet. I just… Something doesn’t feel right.
The phone rang in my hand. When I saw Foster’s name on the screen, I answered immediately.
“You don’t have to take the first offer that comes your way.”
“I know I don’t, though I should at this point. It’s just that…” I trailed off, my thoughts spinning.
His voice was soothing in my ear. “Maybe it doesn’t feel like the right fit?”
“There’s that, but also, apparently Marcie put in a good word for me.”
“You’re kidding! So maybe things are not really as they seem when it comes to old friends.”
“Maybe. I just don’t see how anything would’ve changed.”
“It’s been a while since you’ve talked, so you never know.”
“True…but also, what if Clint finds out where I work and shows up?” I didn’t realize until I said it out loud how much that possibility plagued me.
“Then we get a restraining order.” I loved how he said we, like we were truly going to be there for each other.
“O…kay.” My voice was unsteady and laced with emotion. “Guess we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“Yep, together.”
I smiled in relief, though he couldn’t see me.
“Why not take the day to think it over?”
“I will.”
After we said goodbye, it still didn’t sit right with me, so I pulled out my laptop and looked up the number for A Cut Above in Akron. I hit Dial before I changed my mind, and when they answered, I asked to speak to Marcie.
She was her bubbly self when she got to the phone.
“Marcie…it’s good to hear your voice.”
“Lachlan? Oh my God, I’m so glad you called. I had no way to reach you, and I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too,” I admitted. And I truly did. It was hard to leave behind a friend. But the way things had gone down…
“Wait, where are you?” she asked.
I bristled, considering Clint again, so I ignored her question and focused on the purpose of my call. “I wanted to thank you for saying kind things about me to Tiffany at Le Chic.”
“Of course. Everything I said was true. It’s been a bummer around here without you.” That felt good to hear, even if she was only being nice.
“Well, I was a mess, so…” I took a deep breath. “You think you know what went down between me and Clint, but—”
“I was wrong, Lachlan. I’m so sorry.”
I inhaled sharply. “What do you mean?”
“I shouldn’t have told him you were interviewing in Cleveland. That was dumb. It’s just, we were both at the same restaurant, and he brought you up, and I just sort of blurted it out.”
I rolled my eyes in exasperation. “Well, he’s your friend.”
“I don’t know about that anymore. The things he told me…I’m not sure I believe him. I always had this niggling feeling in my gut, and I…I should’ve trusted it.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“He’s been seeing someone,” she said, and my stomach squeezed nauseatingly tight. “I can’t put my finger on it, exactly, but the guy seems afraid of upsetting Clint. And it hit me that you walked on eggshells around him too.”
Tears sprang to my eyes, and I let them roll down my cheeks.
“I always thought you were being respectful of Clint, private about your relationship, but now I wish I’d asked more questions, dug deeper, asked if you were all right.”
“I probably would’ve told you I was fine.” I swiped at my eyes. “He was abusive, Marcie. Emotionally at first, then increasingly more physical.”
She swore under her breath. “But his nose, the bruises and what he said happened. That it was you—”
“I did punch him, but only because I was afraid he was going to choke the life out of me.”
She burst into tears. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
We talked a bit more about what happened at the end, how messed up I was at work, but she also had a client waiting, so we had to cut it short.
“Can we exchange numbers? I promise not to give it out to anyone. I would love to talk more and see you if I can.”
I was nervous, so fucking nervous, but I gave it to her anyway, trusting my gut and hoping she’d keep my confidence.
36
FOSTER
We were out to dinner with Marcie, and I was so happy for Lachlan. He’d been nervous the whole way to the restaurant, which was chosen based on location, at the halfway point between Cleveland and Akron.
But as soon as they laid eyes on each other, it was like all that other stuff melted away. It was hard to get a word in edgewise because they had an entire year to catch up on. So after an introduction and some small talk, I just listened, enjoying hearing the satisfaction in Lachlan’s voice at having his friend back.
“Cheers,” I said, raising my wineglass. I almost felt guilty for being present at their reunion, but Lachlan had insisted he needed moral support. It was also nice to meet a friendly face, and someone who was important to him from his former life. It helped me piece together a richer view of what he was like.
