“Celeste?” I hear it like a whisper that creeps into my head, snaking its way through all my spinning thoughts. “Ma’am, your coffee,” the barista finally says, causing my eyes to jump up to her as she holds out my coffee.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I say in a rush as I reach out and take the paper cup. “I was lost in this sea of work emails.”
She offers up a small smile, but I’m sure she thinks I’m some kind of space cadet by the faraway look on my face.
“Have a great day,” she says in her sweet voice.
“You too.” I smile as I drop some cash into her tip jar and walk toward the door with a little extra pep in my step. Suddenly, I can’t wait to get to work. I can’t wait to find out if the rumor is true. If it is, I can’t wait to shove it down Jeremy’s throat. Jeremy has been my rival since college. We fought neck and neck for valedictorian, and I only beat him by a few points. I thought I was done with him and our competition, only to be surprised on orientation day. I walked into that board room thinking I had the world at my fingertips. I stopped dead in my tracks when my eyes landed on him, and his mouth dropped open when he looked up and saw me.
We can’t stand each other and we do our best to avoid crossing paths at all costs. However, that’s close to impossible when you work in the same office. He likes to brag about his accomplishments whenever I’m within earshot, and even though I have accomplishments of my own, his bragging always makes me feel inferior to him. But this tidbit of news is something he can’t beat, and I know when he hears my name come out of our boss’ mouth, he’s going to be more angry than the time I beat him for valedictorian. Just knowing this makes me giggle as I walk down the crowded sidewalk toward the firm.
As I finish my walk to the office, I can’t help but think about the move. Colorado? I never dreamed of living outside the city. I’m not a fall in love, get married, and start reproducing as fast as possible kind of girl. I never daydreamed about small towns and kids running around the yard, nor do I tear up at the sight of a tiny sock. I’ve always preferred the busy hustle and bustle of city life. I like spending my days walking through endless stores. I love chance encounters with a celebrities or YouTube personalities when the girls and I go out for brunch. I love that I have at least 10 different options for coffee every morning. Could a small town even offer anything close to that?
My mind is an endless sea of questions as I walk into the lobby of the Mason, Lawrence, and Howe Law Firm. The lobby is packed with staff, clients, and outside workers: mailmen, couriers, and independent contractors. They’re all busy talking or checking their packages or phones. I pass by them in a blur on my way to the elevator. I reach out to push the button, but someone beats me to it. I look up to find Gavin smiling at me.
“You looked a little dazed. Figured I’d help you out,” he shrugs as his smile widens and his face reddens.
“Thank you,” I breathe out, embarrassment washing over me.
He runs his hand through his neat, dark hair and his eyes dart around like he’s searching for something to say. “So, how have you been?” He slides his hands into the pants pockets of his perfectly pressed suit.
I nod as I tighten my grip on my purse strap, needing something to keep me grounded. Gavin is young, rich, and handsome. I could easily slip into a daydream picturing us together. “Good. And yourself?” I manage to get out.
“Same old, I guess.” He looks at his feet as he moves his weight from one to the other.
“How’s the new puppy?” Gavin and I have always had a connection that neither of us has ever acted on. Actually, I don’t know if he feels it like I do, but I refuse to act on it. We work together, which means we can’t screw things up by acting on our feelings. So small talk is all we’ve ever done. Awkward small talk while waiting in line for the elevator.