Page 29 of The Rebound
Her eyes flick up. “What do you mean?”
“You know.”
“No.”
“Youknow.”
“I don’t, Abby.”
Is she really going to make me say it? “Like really hot,” I whisper. “Right?”
She stares at me. “I guess.”
“Come on. You can say it in front of Tomasz.”
At his name, Tomasz drags his gaze from the pasta section. “Huh?”
“Objectively he looks extremely different,” I insist.
They’re both staring at me now.
“If you say so,” Louise says finally. “He’s always just been Luke to me.”
I slouch back in my chair. “Never mind.”
Tomasz flicks the menu closed. “You’re right,” he says to Louise. “It is the mushroom fettuccini.”
“I know.” Louise is still looking at me. “So any plans for tomorrow?” she asks in a “or are you just going to hang around the house all day?” voice.
“Not really.”
“Maggie Breslin says she saw you coming out of the funeral home.”
“Maggie…” I roll my eyes, picturing the village gossip. “Small town much? She could have said hello instead of spying on me from behind a lamppost.”
“What were you doing there?”
“Applying for a job, Louise. Is that allowed? Or does Maggie Breslin think I’m having an affair with the funeral director?” They were the only place in town advertising any vacancies. I handed in my résumé feeling pretty confident but got a call twenty minutes later saying they thought I was too overqualified for what they were looking for.
I mean, duh. Tell me something I don’t know.
“A job?”
“Yes.”
Tomasz looks concerned. “With the dead people?”
“It was for the receptionist role and I didn’t get it, so none of it matters. Tell Maggie to mind her own business.”
A strange look crosses Louise’s face. “I thought you were applying for jobs back in New York.”
“I am. It’s only temporary, so I don’t go insane while I’m here. Don’t worry,” I add. “I’m not putting down roots.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Tomasz smiles encouragingly before we can launch into another argument. “I think a job sounds like a great idea, Abby. Maybe you could help Louise with the whales.”
Louise and I glance at each other, silently agreeing not to pursue that ridiculous suggestion.
