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He releases me, his arms falling to his sides. I miss the heat of him immediately. “It’s all behind us,” he says.
No,but it will be. I kiss his cheek, making sure my soft pink lipstick grazes his shirt collar. “Sorry. I’ll get back to you about this.”
He frowns. “Is there anything you need? You found a place to stay?”
There’s a small pinch of guilt right at the base of my rib cage. Beck hasn’t told him, and he must fucking hate lying by omission.
“Yeah, I’m good. Applying for jobs.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets. “I’m surprised you’re sticking around. I thought you hated it here.”
I did. I do. But everything I love is here. I shrug. “It’s as close to home as I’ve got.”
He nods. I’m not certain he believes me. “Let me know if there’s anything you need.”
I need you back. Nothing more.
And if I have to do something shady to make it happen, I will.
* * *
That afternoon,I pay for a single session at Main Street Yoga and loiter outside the entrance, pretending I’m on the phone. When Kayleigh enters, I follow and casually set a mat up next to hers.
She’s even prettier in person than she is on Instagram—the kind of girl men picture while fucking the wives they’ve grown bored by—yet Caleb fired her for Lucie. It irks me.
People are stretching, so I do the same. Kayleigh appears to be taking a picture of her new pedicure, the one she already posted about over lunch.
I bend at the waist and stretch toward my own non-painted toes. “You look really familiar,” I say, turning my head toward her. “Have we met before?”
She glances up from her phone. “I don’t think so.”
I scrunch my eyes, as if I’m trying to remember. “I feel like it was a work thing.”
She takes one last shot of her toenails. She wishes I’d leave her alone. “I just started at McKinnon and Lieb down the street. The architecture firm?”
I shake my head. “No, it wouldn’t be that. This is going to drive me crazy.”
There’s a tiny pinch of her lips, a hint of displeasure. “I used to work at TSG.”
Thank God she finally got there. I was worried I’d need to be obvious.
My sigh is heavy with misery. “I’m extremely familiar with TSG. I guess that explains it.”
I have her attention at last. She folds her feet beneath her and puts her phone off to the side. “Oh?”
“Iwasmarried to the CEO.”
Her head swivels, eyes wide. She looks me over from head to toe, wondering how this pale, unpedicured woman beside her couldeverhave bagged her former boss. “Caleb?I’d heard he was married, but when did you split?”
“We split when he met his newgirlfriend.” I swallow and force a smile. Today I’m playing the role of the brave ex-wife done wrong.
Kayleigh rolls her eyes. “Ugh. I hate that girl. She’s the reason I’m not working there anymore. She complained to Caleb and suddenly, I’m out of a job.”
I’m guessing the three work hours Kayleigh must spend each day trying to capture the sun’s reflection off her cappuccino for Instagram didn’t help either, but facts matter little to me.
“Sounds about right,” I reply, just as the teacher walks in and sits cross-legged on the mat. I resent her appearance just as the conversation is getting good, but maybe this is God’s way of helping me out, reminding me to play the long game, not to appear too eager.
“Breathe out stress,” the teacher instructs, placing her hands in front of her as if she’s praying, “and breathe in peace.”
