Page 139 of The Rebound
“Toronto,” she repeats softly. “Wow.” She hesitates, tracing a circle with her pen. “I thought maybe…”
I wait, nervous, but she doesn’t continue.
“Did you tell Luke?” she asks instead. She doesn’t ask me if I’m going to take it or not. She doesn't need to.
“I will tomorrow. I want to tell him in person.”
“When will you need to move?”
“I don’t know. Soon probably. It’s not like I have notice to give.” I pause. “I might come home for Christmas though. See the baby.”
“I think we could manage that.”
“And maybe you guys could come over and see me? Or I could come back and—”
“Abby,” she interrupts. “We’re only a flight away. We’ll figure it out. We’ll do it right this time.”
“Yeah.” I take a deep breath. “Okay.”
She smiles at me. “Do you want to celebrate?”
“Not yet.” I say. “But are you doing anything tonight?”
“No. Why?”
I watch as she makes a smallxon one of the pages. “I need a favor.”
30
An hour later, we sit in her car outside the Green Hill Hotel. It’s the nicest hotel in the area, a modern three-story building mainly used for conferences, as evidenced by the three businessmen having a smoke nearby still wearing their suits.
“Maybe this isn’t the best idea,” Louise says as I gaze at the sliding doors of the main entrance. “Maybe you should meet in a restaurant. Somewhere public.”
“It’s not like we’re going to scream at each other. And he did come all this way to see me.”
“The element of surprise,” she mutters.
“I know this is you being on my side,” I say. “But I also need you to be quiet.”
She gives me a look as if to sayfineand I turn back to the hotel, steeling myself.
“Let’s get this over with.”
Louise accompanies me inside, going to the lobby bar while I walk past the desk to the small elevators. No one stops me as I ride to the third floor, following the signs down the winding carpeted halls to the dark wooden door of room thirty-two.
Tyler answers seconds after my knock as if he’d been waiting for me.
He’s just showered, as evidenced by his wet, slick-backed hair and the strong smell of aftershave emanating from him. He’s dressed casually for Tyler in an expensive sweater and dark jeans. He looks nice. He always looks nice.
“Going somewhere?” I ask.
“Not anymore.” He opens the door wider, gesturing me inside. The room is nice, elegant and understated. One of the more expensive ones in the building no doubt. The curtains are open but the lights are on, meaning I can’t fully appreciate the view of the Irish countryside below. A dinner jacket is laid out on the bed.
“You got a hot date?”
He closes the door. “I thought I’d check in on my other girlfriend while I’m here.”
“I’m not your girlfriend,” I remind him.
