I strolled out of the parking lot and made my way down the block toward the restaurant. I passed some boutiques with window displays full of new fall clothes. Even though the temperature would hardly change and it would remain comfortable here in the city, fashion still shifted like a revolving door. Boots and leather jackets caught my eye and so did a floral scarf in shades of rich browns, reds, and vibrant orange.
As I stood looking at the display, someone walked out of the door next to the boutique and walked smack into me on the sidewalk, practically knocking me over. They grabbed my elbow to steady me and spat out a curse.
“Shit, I’m sorry, I had my head down. That was my bad. Oh. Gabi. It’s you.”
After straightening myself out, I looked up into the dark and familiar eyes of my old boss.
I have the worst luck in the world.
“It’s me,” I said flatly.
Jake had sent me about a dozen text messages over the past month and called me half as many times. Each message offered an apology attached to something along the lines of “I hope you’re okay.” I never responded. There was nothing for me to say to him. He’d made his bed, now he could lie in it. And somehow, I had to move on and forget all about Jake Cassidy.
Unfortunately, he was proving to be a hard man to forget.
“How’ve you been?” he asked, his eyes searching mine.
“Fine.”
He nodded, looked up the street, and stepped back. “I won’t keep you. I’m sure you have places to be.”
“Okay.” It took everything in me not to ask how he was, and I hated that I cared enough to want to ask. The question was right there, burning at the tip of my tongue. I wanted to know about the sneaker deal. Was it going well? Had Theo and Banner asked about me? Were they disappointed to find out I would no longer be involved in the project? Had Jake lied to cover his own ass and cover up how he’d treated me?
It doesn’t matter, Gabi. None of this matters.
I noticed the door Jake had walked out of. It didn’t lead into a room, but rather to a single stairwell that climbed up and out of sight. In italic gold-embossed letters was the company name: Full Circle Counseling Services.
My eyes almost popped out of my skull. I looked up at Jake. “Are you going to counseling?”
He rubbed the back of his neck and wouldn’t meet my eye, like he was ashamed. “Yeah, I, uh… things sort of went to shit after I lost it on you when you came to see me. I realized that I had a lot of stuff in my past to unpack, and if I didn’t start, I was just going to keep bleeding all over the people in my life. Like my brother,” he said, “and you.”
That was unexpected.
I swallowed. “Good for you. That’s not an easy step. I’m glad you’re trying to face things head on.”
“Me too. Hey.” He finally met my eye. “Please don’t feel any pressure to say yes, but if you’d let me, I’d like to take you out for a drink or breakfast—something totally platonic,” he added hastily, “to explain and apologize.”
Say no. Walk away. What’s done is done.
“I’m busy tonight,” I said.
“Don’t worry about it. Never mind.”
“But I could meet you tomorrow.”
Why are you like this, Gabi?
He perked up like a golden retriever being asked by his owner if he wanted to go for a walk. “Really?”
“I suppose. But you’d better not make me regret this, Jake Cassidy. I already have a lot of regrets where you’re concerned, and I don’t intend on adding to the list.” I walked away from him before he had a chance to respond. My gut swirled with unease—or nerves, I couldn’t tell the difference—all the way down the street to the restaurant where I was meeting Donna.
She was already there when I arrived at the restaurant, and she’d ordered me a mojito and was picking at some chips and guacamole.
I helped myself to some as soon as I sat down. “I’m starving.”
Donna slid the plate closer to my side of the table. “You look good. New haircut?”
I puffed up the ends of my new bob hairstyle. After my fight with Jake, I’d felt the urge to remake myself however I could. I’d been so hurt by him and how he spoke to me after we’d had sex. I’d let myself believe that after that intimate moment, he’d never go back to his old ways.