1 | FIRST DATE
I woke up with a smile. For the first time in a long time, that ache that had taken residence in my chest was absent; instead I was filled with optimism and a healthy sense of curiosity. I had given Henry Logan three dates to make me trust him again and the possibilities left me prickling with excitement. Our first date was not scheduled until this coming Saturday, so I had to suffer through the entire week. The weekend could not here fast enough.
Of course I was impatient. The love of my life had returned and was actively trying to win me back. If that didn’t make me wish for Saturday to arrive sooner then I don’t know what would.
I jumped out of bed, eager to get the day started. After I showered and dressed for work, I found a text message from Henry on my phone.
Can’t stop thinking about you.
Those five simple words stayed with me throughout the day, keeping that candle inside me flickering with a happy little glow.
The feeling did not last long. After lunch, I received a phone call on my cell phone from an out-of-state number.
“Hello?” the female voice said. “May I please speak to Elsie Sherman?”
“This is she,” I said, holding the phone against my shoulder as I continued to work on a web project.
“Hi Elsie, this is Rebecca Holt from Shake Design in Denver.”
I was so stunned I dropped the phone. I’d completely forgotten about the applications I’d sent out in the middle of last year when I was desperate to get out of Oklahoma. It hadn’t mattered where I was going as long as it was out of this state, away from all of the memories. Rebecca was the only one who had called me back. The phone conversation had gone well and even though they weren’t currently hiring, she said she’d keep my resume on file.
I hadn’t thought about that phone call until now.
I forced myself to breathe again. I retrieved the phone. “Hi Rebecca. Sorry about that.”
“No problem,” she said. “I was calling about a position for an art director-slash-senior designer. It’s a hybrid position, created for our last designer but he has since moved on.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. It was exactly the job I’d been trying to convince my boss to create for me but had been unable due to the flagging economy.
Rebecca described the job and said, “We received your resume last year and were really impressed. Now that a position has opened up, we would like to offer you the job.”
I spoke in a low voice so as not to be overheard. “And the salary?” Screw tact, I needed facts. There was too much at stake to beat around the bush.
Rebecca threw out a figure that made my ears burn. Holy crap. It was, needless to say, substantial.
“Thank you, Miss Holt,” I said. “Would I be able to give an answer in a few days?”
“Of course,” Rebecca said. “But I’ll need an answer by Friday at the latest.”
Five days to decide to leave the love of my life for a dream job; it didn’t seem nearly enough time. “Thank you. When would I have to start if I accepted?”
“In three weeks.”
My heart dropped to my feet.
I thanked her again and ended the phone call. Afterward I stared at the computer screen, feeling like the world was moving at light speed.
Thankfully Henry didn’t text or call until that night when I was cooking dinner.
“Hey, what are you making?” he asked.
I put him on speaker and continued to chop vegetables with a vengeance. I almost felt sorry for the poor carrots and peppers. “Beef stir fry,” I said. The wok hissed when I threw in the vegetables.
“Mmm. I can smell it all the way from here.”
“What are you having?”
He snorted. “Ramen noodles.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. I picked out a carrot and munched on it while the rest of the food cooked.
“Please invite me over.”
I laughed aloud at the longing tone in his voice. “I can’t. It might count as a date.”
“No, no,” he said. “You
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