Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
She sits and I instinctively move my drink away, I chose water today, just in case because I’m surprising Ezra straight after this and I’m wearing my favorite cream A-line dress that crisscrosses on my back.
To say I’ve dressed up for him is an understatement.
He pulls her chair out, the waiter I mean, and she thanks him when he guides it back in with her sitting on it.
“I ordered you a sparkling water with lime,” I say, motioning to her drink. “My dress can’t fair against an attack of coffee.”
“A regrettable moment on my part. I can only apologize. I was angry and I reacted appallingly.” She pushes her sunglasses up but they drop back down and I fight the urge to laugh, then she removes them completely. “I suppose it is too much to ask for a fresh start?”
I’m surprised she’s asking at all. “Don’t you hate me?”
“I have no time to hate people, nor energy. I was angry with you. You were my friend and you contributed to the failure of my son’s marriage. But I have spoken to my son, and as he makes it sound, you love each other very much.”
I nod eagerly. “I love him, even after what he—” I stop myself because I don’t know what she knows about our history. “I just love him so entirely he’s all I ever think about.”
“Will you be moving back to LA to be with him?” she asks curiously, looking at me with a slight smile on her lips though it is still strained, this is more progress than I ever could have wished for.
“That remains to be seen,” I sip my water and peruse the menu, she does the same, though I’m not exactly hungry and I doubt she is either. We opt for some light snacks, finger sandwiches and mini cakes.
“Why? If you love him so entirely?”
I sigh heavily and think of Seattle and my friends and life there. “Other than Ezra and Laurie, there’s nothing for me here. In Seattle I have an amazing job, an incredible boss, friends who I adore, and I just… I prefer the city. It doesn’t have as much as LA of course but it has so much culture and such an amazing atmosphere.”
“I guess you don’t have too many fond memories of LA, what with it being the place your parents abandoned you, and Ezra broke your heart, and I threw a drink at you, and your ex-boyfriend stalked you.” She cringes as she speaks. “But it’s Los Angeles. It’s the greatest city in America. Just this morning I saw Emma Stone at a stoplight. This is the place of dreams.”
“I know, it’s a really incredible place.”
“You’re scared he’ll break your heart again?” Realization dawns on her face and for a moment I find myself in the presence of Izabella, my prior friend. “I don’t think he would… truth be told the way he talks about you, how he is after visiting you, how anxious he gets before visiting you… I’ve never known anybody to love anybody that much.”
“He’s amazing.” I smile wistfully at the thought of him. “He really is, but the vase isn’t full yet. I don’t have to decide until then.”
“The what?”
I laugh quietly. “Nothing, sorry. Just a little something between your son and me.”
I take out the notebook and jot down:
He talks to his family about how much he loves and misses me.
“I really would like to start again,” Izabella says, placing her hand over mine. “A fresh start for both of us. What do you say?”
“Shouldn’t it be me who is asking for that?”
“Neither of us is innocent. What’s done it done. Let it be so.” Her beautiful eyes connect with mine and she smiles so perfectly. “Come, let’s forget this stale lunch and remind you just how incredible LA can be.”
I grin, wondering if I have my old friend back, and stand, ready to face a brilliant day.
Being back in the offices where I used to work after nearly six months is insane. It’s surreal and it makes me feel nervous.
I stand in the elevator awkwardly shuffling from foot to foot. Meanwhile my heart is racing because I’m panicking thinking that I might be walking in on Ezra ploughing a random woman on his desk. A ridiculous thought but a genuine one. I wonder if that’s why Elizabeth often just strolled into his office without waiting for me to let him know.
He doesn’t deserve my mistrust. I worked for him for a long time and not once did he ever look at another woman while at work and he coexisted with some gorgeous women. Well, nobody but me.
I approach the PA who is at my old desk, surprised to find a man sitting there. Not that men aren’t excellent PAs, just that it’s a female-dominant role so I just assumed.