Page 77 of Morning Glory Girl
“Isn’t that what all women want to hear, Val? So sue me for trying to be romantic. Jesus!” He paced in front of me.
I stayed within a few feet of the door.
All women.
Tears filled my eyes when I realized all at once it wasn’t really me that he liked, but a set of assumptions he made about me. An attractive lawyer, someone he thought he could bring to parties and client events, make her fall in love with him by showering her in compliments thatall womenwant to hear.Am I really that insecure?I wrapped my arms around my torso—putting up a barrier, making myself smaller.
Misinterpreting the tears, he said softly, “Hey, why don’t we work through this? I know you’re going through a rough patch, but I’m sure it’s temporary. We can stick it out.”
I shook my head and swallowed, taking a step backward toward the door. “I’m sorry, Max. I don’t want to.”
His eyes flared with anger. “Really?” He laughed darkly. “This is unbelievable, Val. Whatever. Good luck finding someone better when your life is such a mess.”
His words stung, and my eyes widened with hurt.
“Fuck, Val. I’m sorry.” He reached out, and I recoiled.
“We aren’t good together, Max. We just aren’t. I don’t regret anything; I had a great time with you this summer, but you’ll have to find what you’re looking for with someone else.”
I fled before he could try to talk me out of it again. Tearsthreatened as I jogged to my car. I willed them down until I was safely back at Mimi’s house.
Thank goodness Natalie’s flight was arriving in two hours.
Natalie’s black curls bounced into my face as I embraced her at the airport. Had it really been months since I’d seen her?
“I’m so happy to be here and get out of the baking concrete that is New York right now. I seriously need a summer home somewhere. And a new, fully remote job,” she jabbered as we drove to Mimi’s house.
“No kidding.”
“Sooo, how do you feel? You’re a free woman!” she said.
“Do you mean free from BigLaw or single?”
“Oh my god, right! You just broke up with him. Tell me everything.”
I relayed the whole conversation to her. She nodded and gasped, “He did not!” at one point, but otherwise listened silently until I was done.
“Your life is not a mess, Val,” she said, honing right in on the words that hurt the most. We’d parked a few minutes ago to pick up lobster rolls and a few bottles of wine to have with Mimi when we got back.
“Thanks.” I smiled at her. But I didn’t fully believe it.
I didn’t regret my decision—to leave Peters & Dowling or to break up with Max. But his words had played on a loop in my head for the last few hours and I couldn’t help but feel there was a kernel of truth to them. I had no real job. I was living with my grandmother, pretending to be a writer when I had no relevant experience or schooling for it. At thirty-one with a doctorate level of education, my main source of income was babysitting.
Maybe he was right.
My life is a mess.
I buried the thoughts down as deep as I could, looked backover at Natalie, and forced a smile. I refused to let him ruin my weekend with my friend.
“Did Val tell you Luke came over and fixed my front steps the other day?” Mimi told Natalie, her eyes glittering with mischief. I knew exactly what she was trying to start.
Sure enough, Natalie’s light brown eyes whipped to my face. “No, she did not!”
I lifted my palms, fighting a sheepish grin. The sweet, buttery lobster rolls, fizzy prosecco, and self-perpetuating conversation with two of my favorite people had broken through my sour mood, and by the time we retreated from the dining room to Mimi’s sunroom I was feeling relieved more than anything.
“That was nice of him. How’d that come about?” Natalie asked.
“I asked him to recommend a contractor or one of his guys who could do it, and he insisted on doing it himself.”
