a seat.”
I sit, noticing how uneasy my fingers are when I grip the pen he has resting on the small stack of papers on the desk.
“Sign where all the sticky tabs are.” He nods once and leaves.
It was never my choice for a house, but it was my home for seven years. We were so excited when we got it.
The memory of moving in flashes through my mind. Rod carried me over the threshold, as if we hadn’t already been married for three years. We drank champagne from the bottle and ate pizza on the floor because nothing had been delivered yet. He acted like this was the best thing to ever happen to him. We were proper adults.
But the cold hard facts are that he was sleeping with Elaine even then.
Everything about my life was a lie.
It’s painful until I get to the last page where I find a pink Post-it note, which James has written on, stuck to the inside of the page,
Remember this is just a house. Home is inside your heart!
That man is a saint.
I brush away a tear and sign my name on the line next to where Rod will sign tomorrow.
And our house will list and sell and someone else will get their fresh start.
All I can do is hope that their new house matches the home in their heart better than it did ours.
There’s an odd release of something when I sit back and stare at the pages. I’ll have to let it simmer for a few days before truly thinking about it.
That’s what I do now, in my alone time.
Something I’m blessed with a lot of.
Chapter 34
August 31
“Thanks,” I say again to Anthony as he helps carry the last of my computer equipment into my office. I didn’t want to ask him for help but the dizzy spell I had is lingering.
“No problem.” He leans on the door and sighs. “Feels good, right? Being back.”
“I’m excited to have all this out of my second bedroom.” I’ll give him that, but I’m not happy about leaving the apartment and the small life I have built up there.
“Yeah, the computers and files and stacks of paper in your personal space were so annoying. That and I need people. Thank God you introduced me to Shawnee. Not only is she the greatest person I’ve ever met, but I never would have made the summer without her. Anyway, you need to unpack and I have to organize my desk. See ya later.” He waves and walks out, seeming weirdly chatty and scattered today. I wonder how much coffee he’s had.
I finish setting up and putting my things away but notice it takes me a bit. As if I’m winded.
My head has been throbbing slightly more than normal. There’s a worry it’s stress. I put a notification in my phone for my physio appointment with Linnie after work today so I remember to tell her.
“Hey, girl.” Simone comes to the office doorway. She has a strange smile pasted on her lips. “How’s it going?”
“Good. How about you?” I ask, settling into my chair and praying the Advil kicks in to kill my headache.
“Good,” she has a high-pitched tone.
“What?” She’s hiding something.
“Nothing.” She waves me off but her tone becomes higher.
“Spill.” I point at her, demanding.
She glances out into the hall before coming in my office and closing the door. “I know you probably don’t want to talk about it but I am so sorry, Lil. I can’t believe that asshole. Matt is furious that he’s involved work people.”
“What? What work people?” My stomach twinges. What the hell could it possibly be now?
“Rod and Elaine, getting engaged.” She is outraged and I am stunned.
“Engaged?” I whisper. The twinge turns to something else and my headache worsens. My right eye twitches under the strain. “How do you know?” I ask, trying not to completely melt down on our first day back.
“Oh my God, you didn’t know?” It’s her turn to whisper.
“No.” I wait for her to explain.
“He sent out the invite a week ago. He invited a bunch of people from the office to the engagement party next week. It’s some outdoor bullshit event,” she seethes. “I am so sorry. I figured you knew already. Anthony was invited. Isn’t he dating your best friend?”
“Yeah, he—wow.” I sit back and let it hit. That was why he was so chatty and weird. I want to scream at Rod, call him selfish and foolish, but there’s no way I will give