can’t, I understand.”
He could hear sadness in her voice. Even with all those years between them, he could still tell when something was bothering her. She’d never called him for anything else but for Alanie. “I’ll pick you up.”
“Thank you,” she said before hanging up.
***
“Andrew, I said I want those balance sheets on my desk by tomorrow!” She raised her voice. “I’m tried of hearing excuses.” She slammed the phone.
Jeremy knocked on her office door.
“Come in!”
He walked in and once she saw him, she threw the pen in her hand at him. He managed to duck out of the way. “What was that for?” he asked, surprised.
She stood, and took long strides toward him, and hugged him tight. “I’ve missed you.”
He held on to her. “Where is this coming from?”
She got up on her tiptoes, and whispered in his ear. “It’s been ten years and I missed you every single day. Ten years, Jeremy. I missed your friendship, encouragement, and honesty. You were my rock.” She lowered herself and continued speaking without watching him. “I blame you for taking all of it away from me.”
Jeremy didn’t know what to say. He pulled back and cupped her face with his hands. “Lanie, I’m sorry.” He wiped her falling tears with his fingertips.
“I’m not the crying type, but ever since you’ve been back in my life, that’s all I do.” She backed away.
He didn’t want her to hurt anymore. If he needed to, he would back away. “If it hurts to see me, Carolyn can drop off Alanie.”
“That’s not what I want. You misunderstood me.” She caressed the side of his face. “I didn’t know how much I missed you until you came back into my life. I want our friendship back. I want to get to know the adult you.” She chuckled.
“Really!”
“Yes, really.”
“No better time than the present,” he said, taking her hand and leading her out the door.
“My purse.”
“You don’t need it.”
***
They arrived at a small Chinese restaurant. He usually went there to eat lunch and he remembered how much she used to love orange chicken. He opened the SUV door for her, and she stepped out, showing off her toned, chocolate legs. She wore a black pencil skirt that came to mid-thigh, a white and pink button-down shirt, and black pumps. Damn, she turned out to be sexier than I ever thought .
She smiled, giving him her hand. “Thanks.”
The moment he took her hand, he felt tiny flickers of electricity. Those dimples, he thought, and that smile. It was a little lopsided, making her sexier.
They sat outside, looking at the ducks swimming in the small lake. “I hope you still like Chinese food.”
“Yes, I do. ’Specially orange chicken.”
“Lanie.” She focused her attention to him. “What’s wrong?”
She forced a fake-looking smile. “It’s been a rough day.”
“What happened?”
“I had a visitor, someone I considered a friend, but my eyes were finally opened today.” She reviewed the menu. “I should’ve listen to you back then.” She sighed. “It has always been about her.”
“I guess Carmen’s back!”
“Yes, but I don’t want to talk about her.”
The waiter came over, introduced himself, and took their orders.
Jeremy grabbed her hand in his. “After all this time, I still know you, Lanie. What else is wrong?”
“Today was my due date.” She looked away, trying to hold back the tears.
He just squeezed her hand in silence, trying to convey how he felt in just one touch.
After a few minutes, he asked. “What was her name?”
She smiled. “I was going to name her Annabelle after—”
“After your grandmother.”
“You remembered.”
“Your grandmother was always kind to me.”
“It meant so much when you showed up to her funeral. I know you felt uncomfortable, with everybody staring at you, but you stayed and held my hand. You never let go. You didn’t give a damn about how they felt.”
“Because I was there for you. I knew
He could hear sadness in her voice. Even with all those years between them, he could still tell when something was bothering her. She’d never called him for anything else but for Alanie. “I’ll pick you up.”
“Thank you,” she said before hanging up.
***
“Andrew, I said I want those balance sheets on my desk by tomorrow!” She raised her voice. “I’m tried of hearing excuses.” She slammed the phone.
Jeremy knocked on her office door.
“Come in!”
He walked in and once she saw him, she threw the pen in her hand at him. He managed to duck out of the way. “What was that for?” he asked, surprised.
She stood, and took long strides toward him, and hugged him tight. “I’ve missed you.”
He held on to her. “Where is this coming from?”
She got up on her tiptoes, and whispered in his ear. “It’s been ten years and I missed you every single day. Ten years, Jeremy. I missed your friendship, encouragement, and honesty. You were my rock.” She lowered herself and continued speaking without watching him. “I blame you for taking all of it away from me.”
Jeremy didn’t know what to say. He pulled back and cupped her face with his hands. “Lanie, I’m sorry.” He wiped her falling tears with his fingertips.
“I’m not the crying type, but ever since you’ve been back in my life, that’s all I do.” She backed away.
He didn’t want her to hurt anymore. If he needed to, he would back away. “If it hurts to see me, Carolyn can drop off Alanie.”
“That’s not what I want. You misunderstood me.” She caressed the side of his face. “I didn’t know how much I missed you until you came back into my life. I want our friendship back. I want to get to know the adult you.” She chuckled.
“Really!”
“Yes, really.”
“No better time than the present,” he said, taking her hand and leading her out the door.
“My purse.”
“You don’t need it.”
***
They arrived at a small Chinese restaurant. He usually went there to eat lunch and he remembered how much she used to love orange chicken. He opened the SUV door for her, and she stepped out, showing off her toned, chocolate legs. She wore a black pencil skirt that came to mid-thigh, a white and pink button-down shirt, and black pumps. Damn, she turned out to be sexier than I ever thought .
She smiled, giving him her hand. “Thanks.”
The moment he took her hand, he felt tiny flickers of electricity. Those dimples, he thought, and that smile. It was a little lopsided, making her sexier.
They sat outside, looking at the ducks swimming in the small lake. “I hope you still like Chinese food.”
“Yes, I do. ’Specially orange chicken.”
“Lanie.” She focused her attention to him. “What’s wrong?”
She forced a fake-looking smile. “It’s been a rough day.”
“What happened?”
“I had a visitor, someone I considered a friend, but my eyes were finally opened today.” She reviewed the menu. “I should’ve listen to you back then.” She sighed. “It has always been about her.”
“I guess Carmen’s back!”
“Yes, but I don’t want to talk about her.”
The waiter came over, introduced himself, and took their orders.
Jeremy grabbed her hand in his. “After all this time, I still know you, Lanie. What else is wrong?”
“Today was my due date.” She looked away, trying to hold back the tears.
He just squeezed her hand in silence, trying to convey how he felt in just one touch.
After a few minutes, he asked. “What was her name?”
She smiled. “I was going to name her Annabelle after—”
“After your grandmother.”
“You remembered.”
“Your grandmother was always kind to me.”
“It meant so much when you showed up to her funeral. I know you felt uncomfortable, with everybody staring at you, but you stayed and held my hand. You never let go. You didn’t give a damn about how they felt.”
“Because I was there for you. I knew
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