“Okay, I’m going to go now and get myself a new phone and not give you the number,” I tell him. “Then I’m going to go on ten blind dates, and you’ll never know.”
“Okay, okay, fine,” he concedes, holding up his hand and then turning to click two things on his keyboard. “There, done.” He looks at me. “Now, when are you coming home?”
“Never.” I side-eye him, trying to ignore him.
“Your horse misses you,” he says softly. He knows that I’ll do anything for Peaches.
“I’ll come home sometime next week, but it’ll probably be just a day trip,” I inform him. “Now, I have to go. I love you even though you are you.”
He laughs. “I love you more, Sunshine.” He uses my nickname, and I suddenly miss home.
“Bye.” I reach out to press the red button, not waiting for him to say goodbye.
I turn my computer on, checking the emails. I reply to the ones I can respond to and then send the ones that need to be looked at to Shelby.
“Are you ready for today?” Clarabella walks into my office a couple of hours later. She is wearing slacks and a sleeveless shirt with sneakers. She sits in one of the chairs.
I look up from the notes I made yesterday with another couple. “No,” I immediately tell her, leaning back in my chair.
“What are you two discussing?” Presley asks, walking into the room with the baby in her baby Bjorn strapped to her chest.
“If she is ready for today,” Clarabella replies and Presley just raises her eyebrows.
“What are you wearing?” Presley asks, and I stand and walk around the desk.
“Damn, girl, look at that ass,” Clarabella declares. “That is the best revenge outfit I ever saw.”
“It’s not a revenge outfit,” I try to tell them. “It’s more of an I am doing fine without you.”
“Well, whatever it is, it’s working,” Clarabella says.
“And,” I tell them, walking back around my desk, “I have a date.”
They gasp at me, the baby jumps in front of Presley, so she moves side to side to not wake her. “What do you mean?” she asks in a whisper.
“It means that I connected with someone on the app,” I tell them of the date that I made while I was three glasses into my white wine the other day.
“Let’s see his picture,” Presley says. I grab my phone, pulling up the app, and turning to show her the picture.
“He looks cute,” Clarabella states and I look at the phone when she gives it back to me. I look at the man who is dressed in a polo shirt. He has curly black hair and wears glasses—not someone I would typically go out with, but this is about changing things up.
“He likes walks in the forest,” I tell them as I look at them and Clarabella grimaces. “What?” I ask.
“That sounds like, sketchy to me,” she warns. “Walks in the forest. You better bring mace with you.”
“And a Taser for sure,” Presley adds, still moving from side to side. “You are going to have to share your location with us.”
I’m about to tell them something when the bell rings, alerting us someone has come in. “Shit, is that them?” I look at my watch to see they are five minutes early.
“Oh my God.” Clarabella jumps out of her chair and rushes out of the door. “Dibs.”
“Wait until I call you,” Presley says in a whisper as I see Shelby rush down the hall also.
“Is this show-and-tell?” I whisper-hiss.
“If it’s show-and-tell,” Presley teases, “how big is the eggplant?”
“Go away.” I walk over to my heels and slip my feet inside them. I can secretly hear them weep as I walk over to the desk and grab my phone and the manila folder that is the couple’s. I sit down in the chair trying to steady the way my heart is speeding up, knowing he’s out there.
“You can do this,” I say to myself, “it’s going to be fine. You are going to go out there and you are going to give them the best service you can.”
I hear the speaker turn on. “Sofia.” Clarabella’s voice now fills my office. “Your…” I close my eyes hoping to hell she doesn’t say your ex-love is here. “…appointment is here.”
“Showtime,” I say, getting up and stopping by the mirror before I go out. I smooth down the skirt a bit before walking out.
The hallway seems to be shorter than it’s ever been, and right before I walk into the open area, I put on my game face. I smile as soon as I walk into the room.