Page 114 of Back in the Saddle

“Okay, sometimes he comes into SC to grab a coffee and check in on me, because we did adapt to friends,” I admitted. “Well, he did. I think he’s a dick. But for the most part, he’s history.”

His body being alert didn’t change.

I sallied forth anyway.

“We were together for four years. Living together for two. I thought he was going to propose. He didn’t. Me being a bartender wasn’t his idea of the kind of wife he wanted or the mother he wanted for his kids. He wanted someone with more drive, bigger goals in life than mixing drinks. So he ended it.”

Eric said nothing and didn’t move.

Thus, I carried on. “The thing is, you should know that’s still me. One thing my parents taught me that was good, I work to live, not the other way around. I love my job. I think you know I love the people I work with. Idohave goals. To craft original cocktail sensations that will knock people’s socks off…and keep doing that. But I don’t go out with my camera expecting to one day be in a gallery. And I doubt I’ll suddenly get a wild hair to go to law school or something. And you should know that about me.”

I would find, even though what I just said was important to me, Eric was stuck on an earlier part.

“He still comes into The Surf Club?”

“Occasionally. But that’s not a big?—”

“What’s occasionally?”

I had to think about this.

Then I said, “Two, three times a month, maybe. Maybe more.”

“So maybe once a week?”

I shrugged. “We have good coffee, and the place is popular.”

“I haven’t been to Savannah’s restaurant once since I moved out of the house we shared. And her place is very popular.”

Oh man.

This was definitely a point to ponder.

“He’s not coming because of the coffee or because it’s a cool place,” Eric stated. “He’s coming to see you.”

“I’m not really sure?—”

“Babe, I got a dick. I’m looking right at you. We just finished making out. You gave me a show earlier walking away from me that fucked with my head all day, just as you intended. You’ve demonstrated to me repeatedly your capacity for love and your loyalty is unending. You’ve cried in my arms. You’ve let me in. So trust me.He’s coming to see you.”

I got a happy quiver, but it wasn’t about Braydon.

“My sashay fucked with your head all day?”

“Jessica,” he growled.

Oo.

A growl!

And another happy quiver.

I hid it and kept focused.

“He dumped me because I was a bartender, Turner, and I thought he was on the verge of giving me a ring,” I reminded him. “And you’re kind of an overachiever, so, since we’re doing our usual and sharing the deep honesty, I’d really like to talk to you about that and make sure me not wanting to be a neurosurgeon or something isn’t gonna turn you off one day.”

“I want the woman in my life to be happy. That’s it. I don’t care what you do to be that way, just as long as I’m a part of it. Now, back to this fuckin’ guy.”

We didn’t go back to that fuckin’ guy.

---