the end of the week?”
“You’re the best. I live in constant fear that some successful business will snap you up and take you on full-time, and then the rest of us will have to jump from rooftops. You don’t even know how messy that’s going to be.”
Sophie laughed again. Meredith had a sense of drama. Then again, she did sell theater props, her business expanding by leaps and bounds as a lot of high school productions were going super professional these days. What she did, she did really well, with word of mouth doubling her customer base year after year.
“How are you? Oh God, I’m so sorry. I should have asked that first. I was just in such a panic mode when I got the e-mail. Are you okay?”
Some of her customers knew about her medical condition, since from time to time she’d had to rearrange projects in the past due to health issues. Nobody had ever blinked an eye or withdrawn a project from her. They’d all told her she was worth the wait, wished her the best, and sent her enormous fruit baskets to wish her speedy recovery. She loved her clients, and she liked to think that her clients liked her.
She chatted a few more minutes with Meredith before hanging up.
Since her appointments at the hospital ate up her entire morning, she had plenty of work to catch up with—and now the new project—but she dropped into the chair by the back door to drink her coffee. She drank decaf, so any boost was strictly imaginary, but even imaginary caffeine was better than nothing.
Peaches rolled on his back out on the deck, showing his belly.
“I’m sorry I’m such a freak. Honestly, I don’t even think anymore that you’re going to hurt me.” She watched him. “But I had a run-in with a bad dog before.” She pulled up her pant leg to show him the scars. “Childhood trauma sticks with you like you wouldn’t believe.”
He moved his ears as if signaling that he was listening.
“Actually, it’s nice to have someone to talk to.” She’d been alone for over a year. “I’m not used to living alone. I used to have a fiancé.” She took a long sip of her coffee.
She ran her thumb over the raised edges of the logo, the crimson staircase with the golden door on top, the mug pretty much the only thing she’d kept from her ex. She liked the picture. It reminded her of doors opening and new beginnings.
“I feel guilty about Jeremy,” she blurted, admitting the truth for the first time.
The dog watched her, listening.
“He was great when I was sick. He handled the treatment, the decisions, handled the insurance, whatever. But when I got better…” She shrugged. “He only liked it when I needed him. I couldn’t pretend to be weak just to keep him happy, right?”
Peaches lay down and watched her with sympathy.
“He was a take-charge type of guy. You had to give him full control. He meant well.” She sipped her decaf. “But now that I got a second lease on life, I want to live it fully. I want to make my own decisions, even if they’re mistakes. You know what I mean?”
The dog’s body language reflected complete understanding. Then he picked his head up and barked, scaring the bejesus out of her. He raced off the deck and disappeared around the house.
She turned just in time to see a shadow pass her window on that side. Had to be some stupid teenagers.
She jumped up, ignoring the lukewarm coffee that spilled on her shirt, and ran over to the window. The dog was standing by the fence, staring up the empty street. Whoever had been at her window was long gone, she figured, then frowned as she took in her lucky shirt. She wore it to every doctor’s appointment. She should have taken it off after she’d gotten home, dang darn it.
She went back to the kitchen, put the mug in the dishwasher, then dabbed the stain with a wet paper towel. She needed to change, and she seriously needed to get to work. Peaches barked again outside.
She wished her fence extended around her whole property. Nobody
“You’re the best. I live in constant fear that some successful business will snap you up and take you on full-time, and then the rest of us will have to jump from rooftops. You don’t even know how messy that’s going to be.”
Sophie laughed again. Meredith had a sense of drama. Then again, she did sell theater props, her business expanding by leaps and bounds as a lot of high school productions were going super professional these days. What she did, she did really well, with word of mouth doubling her customer base year after year.
“How are you? Oh God, I’m so sorry. I should have asked that first. I was just in such a panic mode when I got the e-mail. Are you okay?”
Some of her customers knew about her medical condition, since from time to time she’d had to rearrange projects in the past due to health issues. Nobody had ever blinked an eye or withdrawn a project from her. They’d all told her she was worth the wait, wished her the best, and sent her enormous fruit baskets to wish her speedy recovery. She loved her clients, and she liked to think that her clients liked her.
She chatted a few more minutes with Meredith before hanging up.
Since her appointments at the hospital ate up her entire morning, she had plenty of work to catch up with—and now the new project—but she dropped into the chair by the back door to drink her coffee. She drank decaf, so any boost was strictly imaginary, but even imaginary caffeine was better than nothing.
Peaches rolled on his back out on the deck, showing his belly.
“I’m sorry I’m such a freak. Honestly, I don’t even think anymore that you’re going to hurt me.” She watched him. “But I had a run-in with a bad dog before.” She pulled up her pant leg to show him the scars. “Childhood trauma sticks with you like you wouldn’t believe.”
He moved his ears as if signaling that he was listening.
“Actually, it’s nice to have someone to talk to.” She’d been alone for over a year. “I’m not used to living alone. I used to have a fiancé.” She took a long sip of her coffee.
She ran her thumb over the raised edges of the logo, the crimson staircase with the golden door on top, the mug pretty much the only thing she’d kept from her ex. She liked the picture. It reminded her of doors opening and new beginnings.
“I feel guilty about Jeremy,” she blurted, admitting the truth for the first time.
The dog watched her, listening.
“He was great when I was sick. He handled the treatment, the decisions, handled the insurance, whatever. But when I got better…” She shrugged. “He only liked it when I needed him. I couldn’t pretend to be weak just to keep him happy, right?”
Peaches lay down and watched her with sympathy.
“He was a take-charge type of guy. You had to give him full control. He meant well.” She sipped her decaf. “But now that I got a second lease on life, I want to live it fully. I want to make my own decisions, even if they’re mistakes. You know what I mean?”
The dog’s body language reflected complete understanding. Then he picked his head up and barked, scaring the bejesus out of her. He raced off the deck and disappeared around the house.
She turned just in time to see a shadow pass her window on that side. Had to be some stupid teenagers.
She jumped up, ignoring the lukewarm coffee that spilled on her shirt, and ran over to the window. The dog was standing by the fence, staring up the empty street. Whoever had been at her window was long gone, she figured, then frowned as she took in her lucky shirt. She wore it to every doctor’s appointment. She should have taken it off after she’d gotten home, dang darn it.
She went back to the kitchen, put the mug in the dishwasher, then dabbed the stain with a wet paper towel. She needed to change, and she seriously needed to get to work. Peaches barked again outside.
She wished her fence extended around her whole property. Nobody
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