Page 34 of Love in the Lab
I press the button to roll the passenger side window down. “Text me when you get into your apartment,” I call to her.
She flashes a thumbs-up before walking to the entry door and typing in a code. The door buzzes, and she pulls it open, disappearing inside.
I wait until her text comes through.
Molly:
I’m inside my apartment. You can stop worrying now
Jonathan:
Thank you. Good night
Molly:
Night. Thanks for dinner
Jonathan:
Anytime
I take a deep breath, placing a call as I pull away from the curb and drive back toward the lab. I’m guessing I can get this taken care of for her in just a couple of hours.
Chapter thirteen
Molly
Wednesday morning, I lock my apartment door with the spare key, triple checking that it’s tucked safely in my pocket before walking to the lab. I know I need to deal with a locksmith for my car today, but all the steps needed to make that happen feel so overwhelming. Just getting started will be a Herculean task I’m dreading.
I wave to my car in the parking lot, noting that the windows still look intact, which means no one broke in overnight. That’s a relief.
I trudge up the stairs, wishing I’d taken the elevator. Then, I stash my lunchbox in the fridge in the breakroom and settle in at my desk. I’m following my normal routine this morning and it feels strange. Almost … boring?Your day is not supposed to be exciting, I remind myself.It’s supposed to be stable and focused.
Still, I’m feeling dissatisfied, which is why I light up when Jonathan approaches my cubicle. He pulls his hands from behind his back and jangles something above my head. Wait, notsomething—
“Hey, my keys!”
The metal keys clank against my desk as he sets them down. “Yes, ma’am.”
“How’d you get them?” I reverently pick them up and clutch them to my chest.
He leans his shoulder against the doorway wall. “I called AAA last night. They sent a locksmith out.”
I pause, tilting my head as I look up at his face. “They let you call a locksmith for a car that doesn’t belong to you?”
“Oddly, yes. Kind of makes you wonder, right?” He chuckles.
“Yeah.”
“Anyway, you’re all set.” He raps a knuckle against the desk and turns to leave.
I’m not ready for him to walk away yet. The fact that he dealt with the locksmith for me is ahugedeal, making my day infinitely easier. I’m not even sure he realizes how huge. It’s the kind of thoughtful service my dad would do for me. Accepting it from Jonathan does funny things to my heart. “Jonathan!” I call after him, more loudly than I intended.
He turns around, a smirk on his lips. “Yes?”
I take a breath. “Thank you. I’m not sure you understand how much agonizing you saved me.”
He slides his hands into his pockets and meets my eyes. “I just wanted to make your day easier.”
