She hugs her knees to her chest with a far-off smile. 揊unny how that works. I抦 ready to destroy Cole Lancaster now. But we worked it out, you know. You guys could, too.?
揘ot likely. Lightning rarely strikes twice.?
揌e did apologize. Technically, several times,?she points out.
揧eah, and never to my face. Not a good sign.?
She picks at a loose thread in her shirt, thinking before she says, 揌e gave up, Eliza. You wouldn抰 talk to him.?
揃ut if I accept his apology, what抯 next??
揥hat do you mean??
I sit up.
揑 knew from the beginning I didn抰 belong with him. I抦 a total stranger in his sparkly world of Hawaiian houses and like fifty personal servants. It抯 just a matter of time until it comes up again.?I stop and sigh. 揅ole isn抰 a monster. Even if his apology was sincere梠r he gives me one that抯 not so lame桰抦 just not from his circle. Oh, he抯 sorry now, sure, because we have fun together and things are light. We have long talks and good sex. But we can抰 do serious.?
揈liza,?she warns, but I抦 not done.
揑f we kiss and make up, it just doesn抰 fix anything. What if a few years from now we抮e planning a holiday meal, and he has some billionaire client flying in, and my parents are coming into town, but I can抰 serve sweet potato pie because that抯 not sophisticated enough for foreign billionaires and梪gh.?
Snickering, she shakes her head.
揕inc is such a good man. I never had to worry about this crap.?We sit quietly for a minute, and then she asks, 揌ave you gone to work since it happened??
揘ot much, and I抦 running out of PTO fast. I have to go back soon or resign,?I say miserably.
揃ig decision. What are you going to do? Don抰 think, just say the first thing that pops into your head,?she tells me.
揑 think…I抦 finish out the week and quit on Friday. Then I抦 flying back to San Diego for a while.?
揘o two-week notice??she asks, stunned.
揑t抯 just expected, not required. This time, I think I deserve an exception.?
She laughs. 揝o you抮e just going to be like eff off??
揚retty much.?I nod firmly, even though the idea turns my stomach.
揃adass. But if you do that, you probably can抰 expect to have Wired Cup as a reference, and you抳e given them an entire product line. Burning bridges that big is never a good thing. Mr. Lump doesn抰 need to take away your credit.?
?I have no idea what he抣l say about me, but I can抰 imagine it抎 be flattering after this. Better to just leave and pretend it never happened…？
Her face falls, worry shining in her eyes.
揂re you sure, Eliza??
I nod. 揑 always manage. You know that. After Derek, I swore I抎 never be anyone抯 sucker again. I抳e let Cole Lancaster consume too much of my life already and it抯 the only one I have.?
She nods. 揑抣l support you all the way. I just hate seeing you like this. You guys seemed good together. You were happier than I抳e ever seen you.?
Ouch.
I try not to let that pain in my stomach show on my face when I smile at her.
揥ho knows. As long as I抦 stuck pining over Cole freaking Lancaster, I抣l never know what happiness is.?
After lunch on Friday, I work up the nerve to talk to Gina.
I wait impatiently by her desk until she spins around to face me.
揌i. So, I need you to come watch the campfire method with the peaberries one more time, and ask any questions. I抦 not coming back on Monday.?
揙h, that抯 no problem.?She waves me off. 揥e won抰 need to run the next lab test before Thursday, anyhow.?
揘o, I won抰 be here next Thursday either.?
Her eyes narrow. 揥ell, whenever you get back.?
揋ina…？I clear my throat. 揑抦 not coming back.?
She blinks in surprise. 揙h. Oh, no, but why? You抮e not jumping to a competitor so soon, are you? Mr. Lancaster would棓
揘o. Nothing like that.?I set my face. 揧ou抳e been seriously great. The whole team has, really. I just don抰 think I can work here anymore.?
揙h, Jesus,?she says, making a pained face. For a second, she looks up at the ceiling before she meets my eyes again. 揟his is because of Mr. Lancaster, isn抰 it??
I don抰 answer. I don抰 even nod.
The whole point of trying to exit gracefully was to avoid gossip-drama. If only I could stop my face from turning into a flushed tomato.
Gina rolls her chair back and stands. 揙kay, I抣l come watch. But are you sure, Eliza? Shouldn抰 you at least get your bonuses and whatever licensing fees he promised??
揑 don抰 care, honestly. I just want to be done…？
I hate that I抦 so transparent.
She can probably read an entire book of heartbreak written on my face.
揑 gotcha,?she whispers with a friendly pat on the shoulder.