by T. K. Rapp
“And she’s back,” Callie said with animation.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing…You look better,” she said, ignoring my question. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah, just need to grab my keys and my phone. Do you want me to drive?”
“Get some water too. You’ll need it. And you can drive, I’ll navigate,” she said.
“No way, you’re a terrible navigator,” Dallas said, appearing behind her. “I’ll tell her where to go.”
He was dressed in long black running shorts and a T-shirt with cutoff sleeves. I hadn’t known that he planned on coming with us, but I was grateful he was. And glad I’d chosen an appropriate outfit. My pink jogging shorts and purple tank seemed to almost coordinate with Callie’s green shorts and blue tank.
People are going to think we planned this.
“Fine, but I’m still sitting in the front,” Callie conceded.
“Navigators always sit in front,” Dallas argued.
“Kids! Kids!” I laughed. “Dallas, you get shotgun on the way there, Cal, you get it on the way back.”
“Yes, Mom,” both muttered simultaneously and then laughed.
“You two suck,” I said with a grin.
“You’re right,” I heard Dallas whisper to Callie. “She is nicer.”
“I told you,” she muttered back.
I walked over and held the door open for them to leave so I could lock up. “You know I can hear you, right?”
“Do you think we care?” Dallas teased. “C’mon, let’s go.”
The first half of the drive was spent listening to Callie and Dallas argue about which one knew the shorter route. Dallas insisted that since he’d lived there longer, he was right, while Callie reminded him that he was just plain wrong. I opted to override them both, and plugged the address into my phone and let it tell me where to go.
“Just park over there,” Dallas said, pointing to a line of cars on a sloped driveway.
“Where do we go?” I asked, grabbing my water from the holder in the car.
My hair was pulled into a ponytail and I was thankful I’d remembered my sunglasses. The sun was blazing down on us and I wished I’d brought another bottle or two of water.
Callie adjusted her hat and smoothed her shirt when she stood next to me. Dallas pointed to a trail and smiled. He looked like he was about to model for athletic wear or something as he flexed his arms.
“We get it, you have guns,” Callie said with a huff.
“What are you talking about?” Dallas asked. “I was merely pointing where we need to go.”
“Do I need to separate you two?” I laughed.
Dallas flashed a toothy grin and started walking away. Callie grabbed my arm so we could follow and she was practically skipping.
“You two are so weird,” I told Callie. “You argue like brother and sister.”
“You think?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“He’s seriously my best friend out here…maybe ever. We met a week or so after I moved in. He took one look at this scared country girl and made me his pet project.”
I stopped walking and looked at her. She turned to face me and cocked her head to the side.
“What’s wrong?”
“Please tell me I’m not your pet project.”
“Even if I wanted you to be, I think you’d be more trouble than I could handle.” She laughed.
“Will you two hurry up?” Dallas called out.
“Coming,” we said, picking up the pace.
It was quiet and I liked it. Sure, there were people around and the sounds of birds could be heard overhead, but it was nice and peaceful. I’d never really been one to do the whole nature thing, but it felt good to be outside.
“Dallas went to get some coffee this morning and saw Wyatt,” Callie said.
I knew there was more to her statement, and maybe she was waiting for my reaction, but I remained quiet.
“He said that they got to talking and Wyatt mentioned that he was looking for a new apartment. Did you know that he’s been staying with his parents to help with his mom?”
I remembered Wyatt talking about his mom and her needs. But he never mentioned where he lived. Then again, I never asked.
I’m a terrible person.
“I had no idea.”
“Dallas told him that he should talk to Bethany to see if she has anything available.”
“What did he say?” I asked.
“What did who say?” Dallas asked.
I hadn’t realized that we’d finally caught up. I was too distracted by other thoughts.
“Wyatt,” Callie answered.
“What about him?” Dallas asked over his shoulder as we continued to walk.
“I told Vi that he’s trying to find someplace else to live.”
“Yeah. I feel bad for the guy. Has to put a damper on your social life to live with your parents,” he said.
“Does Bethany have any vacancies?” I asked. “I thought I got the last place.”
“No idea. But it can’t hurt to ask,” he said.
“Besides, think of how easy it would be for him to get to work,” Callie said.
“And how close he’d be to you,” Dallas added.
“Me? What do I have to do with it?”
“Please.” He scoffed and pointed at Callie. “You know this one doesn’t keep her mouth shut. And if you didn’t know that, now you do. He slept on your couch? We’re not stupid.”
“But…”
“We know,” Dallas said.
“You’re married,” they said together and I rolled my eyes.
“I guess I do sound like a broken record,” I huffed.
“Then do something about it. Change it, listen to a new song.” Dallas smiled. “You’re only twenty-four. Life is just getting started.”
I stopped walking abruptly, his words echoing in my ears.
“Um, you two go on without me,” I said, waving them forward and pointing at the short wall next to us. “I’m just gonna hang out here.”
“Are you okay?” Callie asked.
“Yeah. I’m good. Just need a break.”
“If you’re sure,” Dallas said. “We’ll be back in thirty.”
“No rush.” I smiled.
I watched them disappear among the other people walking the trails and enjoyed the quiet around me.
I’d spent the night before talking about Will—something I hadn’t planned on doing. And even after I’d said I was done talking about him, I had still thought about him—something I hadn’t allowed myself to do for a while because it was too painful.
When I’d left our apartment that day, moving all of my things out, I’d listened to him begging me to stay. I heard the promises of change and making things better. I had struggled right alongside my husband. I’d worked a job that paid very little and managed to save some of it for when we needed it.
He had never sacrificed anything for us. His music, his dream, was alive and well. And I had slowly died inside, and I’d never realized it. I’d slowly turned into a woman I never wanted to be—bitter.
I was as much to blame for what had happened to us as he was.
Okay, well, maybe not as much because I never cheated.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and found his contact information filed under Cheating Asshole Husband and hit the Call button.
“Vi?” He answered on the first ring, his voice conveying his shock that I called.
“Hey, Will. How are you?” I asked. It was the first time we’d talked in a while, and I was able to keep the anger out of my tone.
He exhaled loudly. “I’m so glad you called. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I was out for a walk and thought I’d call. You doing all right?”
“Better now that I’ve heard your voice,” he said quietly.
I started to smile, but then I remembered how good he was at sweet-talk.
“I have so much
I want to say to you. I’ve wanted to call, but I didn’t know if you’d answer.”
“What would you have said if I did?”
“I would have told you how sorry I was and how much I love you.”
“Yeah?”
“Of course. You have to know that, Vi,” he said. “Hold on.”
There was a thud when he set the phone down and I could tell that he was talking to someone in the distance so I waited. I was looking around and a mother with a jogging stroller passed by and smiled. Something on the phone caught my attention and I heard something else.
“I’ll call you later,” I heard him say, though it wasn’t completely clear.
“Promise?” I heard a feminine voice ask coyly.
“Yeah,” he answered and then there was silence.
I closed my eyes and a million scenarios ran through my head. There was a desire to hang up, but I’d avoided the truth long enough.
I heard the woman giggle and Will made a noise before I heard the familiar sound of a door shutting. It was a few seconds before he got back on the phone.
“Sorry about that,” he said, as if I had no idea what he was up to. “What were you saying?”
“I wasn’t saying anything, Will. You were telling me how much you love me and how sorry you are.”
“I really am,” he said almost sincerely. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
“I really wish I could believe that,” I said.
“Then believe it, because it’s true.”
“How stupid do you think I am?”
“What?”
“I heard her, Will. The woman there with you, the one you promised to call.”
“That was my friend. She’s just a friend,” he defended.
“I’m sure she is.”
“That’s all she is,” he said defensively.
“Wanna try again…maybe with the truth?” I challenged
“She’s….” He sighed and I pictured him doing that nervous tic of running his hand through his hair. “It was nothing, Vi. I was out last night and—”
“Please stop. No details. I don’t need to hear it.”
“Then just hear this: it won’t happen again—I swear.”
“Careful using big words that you don’t know, Will. They have a habit of biting you in the ass.”
“Vi.”
“Listen, my friends are coming,” I said, spotting Callie and Dallas. They were still quite a distance away, but they were a valid enough excuse. “I gotta go.”
“I love you,” he said.
“Bye, Will.”
I ended the call and breathed out a shaky breath. It took me until Dallas and Callie reached me before my nerves settled. They were both smiling as I stood up to join them.
“That wasn’t too long,” I said.
“We missed you,” Callie said with a smile.
“Yeah, and the princess here was too hot,” Dallas teased and then studied me. “You okay?”
I nodded. “I’m good.”
And it was the truth. It was the conversation I needed to have but had avoided because I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“Let’s go get smoothies or something,” Callie suggested.
“We just got here,” I reminded her. “I thought we were going to hike.”
“Yeah. Thirty more minutes, Cal,” Dallas said.
“And then we’ll go home because I need to work on my resume for tomorrow.”
“Fine,” Callie groaned, following Dallas.
“Yep,” I muttered to myself as I trailed behind. “I’m going to be fine.”
Chapter 10
As cliché as it sounds, that was the weekend that I decided I would do whatever it took to turn my life around. I still woke up feeling down, and some days were better than others, but I’d give myself a pep talk and move on. I didn’t want to be defined by my failed marriage, and I certainly didn’t want to end up evicted because I hadn’t found another job.
Mr. Bateman hired me on the spot, though we both knew I was grossly overqualified. My degree in music left few options, but I was thankful for the business minor my dad had insisted I get. Mr. Bateman needed an assistant, but I stepped up and started organizing his accounts and taking care of billing his clients. I’d done the same for Alex when I worked at the music store, so it was something with which I was familiar.
I was excited to have a steady paycheck and wouldn’t have to worry about making rent. Still, I started to consider the idea of a roommate to help split the cost of living. My apartment was small, but the two-bedroom unit was perfect for sharing and the second room went completely unused.
Jolie was supposed to come visit the following weekend and I was excited to show her around. And more excited to let her see how I was doing. She called me a few days before she was scheduled to be in town and sounded worn out. She had been working for the same marketing firm since we graduated. Even though she liked the work, she hated her manager. He’d made her life hell ever since she turned down his offer to take her out.
“You are still coming to visit, right?”
“Yes. Definitely. I have to see your new place and these people you’ve been telling me about. Especially this Wyatt guy.”
“I can’t wait to see you,” I said happily. “Hell, I think you just need to move here with me.”
“Very funny,” she quipped. “I have a job, remember.”
“Yeah. One you hate.”
“I don’t hate it.”
“Tell me you don’t still have your resignation letter saved on your desktop waiting for Kevin to piss you off.” She was quiet and I started laughing. “Told you.”
“Not everyone gets to do what they love. I mean, look at you.”
“What about me?”
“Have you written anything?”
I thought for a moment and sighed. “No. No music.”
“Wait…you’ve written something else?”
“Not really. Just some thoughts, nothing huge.”
“Vi, that’s awesome. I’m so proud of you.”
“It’s nothing special, but it’s nice to get something down.”
“So when does she get here?” Callie asked.
She and Dallas were insistent on being at my place when Jolie showed up, so we spent the afternoon watching TV and hanging out.
“Soon. I think. She texted from a gas station an hour ago.”
“Speaking of Wyatt,” Callie said.
“No one was talking about Wyatt,” Dallas said.
“Yeah, well, we should.”
“What about him?” I asked.
Wyatt had been noticeably absent the few times I’d stopped into String Beans and I began to think he was avoiding me. I didn’t have his phone number, so it wasn’t like I could call him to just say “hey.”
My friends were exchanging weird looks when I interrupted with a laugh.
“What’s going on with you two?”
“Remember how we mentioned that Wyatt might be calling Bethany to rent a unit?” Callie asked.
“Yeah…”
“Well, she didn’t have any available.”
“That’s too bad,” I answered. The way Callie and Dallas talked, it sounded like it was a shit situation.
“That’s when I mentioned that maybe someone needs a roommate.” She smiled.
My jaw dropped open and I felt hot all over. What in the hell were they thinking?
“No way. He’s not moving in here,” I objected instantly. “I barely know the guy.”
“Not you, crazy! Dallas,” she said.
“Dallas wants to move in with me?” I looked at the two of them and waited for an explanation.
“Try to follow along,” she said slowly as if talking to a child. “Dallas offered to let Wyatt take the spare in his place.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. ‘Oh.’ Not you.”
“Well that’s great.” I smiled. And then I realized what that meant. “Wyatt is going to live three doors dow
n from me?”
“Yep,” Callie laughed.
Before I had time to process the information, there was a loud knock on my door and I jumped to my feet. I threw the door open and stood with wide arms waiting for Jolie to hug me.
But it wasn’t her.
“Wow, that’s some welcome,” Wyatt said.
He was quite handsome in his khaki shorts and white T-shirt. I smiled up at him and decided to give him the hug that I was saving for Jolie.
“Sorry,” I said, stepping aside. “I’m waiting for my friend. How are you? I haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Missed me, huh?” He winked. “I’ve been at my parents’ packing my stuff up. Emma’s been handling things at the store.”
“I just heard, I guess we’re going to be neighbors.”
Wow. Cheesy!
I was never as grateful for someone knocking on my door as I was at that moment. Jolie knew how to make an entrance, and apparently how to save me from myself. That time I knew it was her. Especially when I heard her voice on the other side and she rapped on the door incessantly.
“I’m here. I’m here. I’m here,” she called out.
When I opened the door, my blond-haired friend stood with arms wide open like I’d done when Wyatt showed up. I looked over my shoulder and he laughed.
“It took you long enough,” I laughed, hugging her tightly. “I missed you. I’m so glad you’re here! Come in and meet everyone.”
Jolie was always the outgoing one. She never met a stranger and always lit up a room. Callie and Dallas walked over and I made introductions.
“So you’re Wyatt,” she practically purred. “I mean, nice to meet you.”
“How was the drive?” I asked, dragging her toward the couch so she wasn’t able to say anything else.
“Hey,” Callie called out from the door. “We’ll see you in a little for dinner. It was so nice meeting you.”
“You too.” Jolie waved. She waited until the three of them had left and the door was shut before she looked at me. “Good grief, that man is beautiful.”
“Which one?” I asked pulling her to sit down.
“Well, both, actually. But Wyatt, he’s cute. And seems nice.”