Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Me too.”
The waitress comes and takes our drink order and leaves us to look over our menus. Once we’ve both decided what we’re going to get, we close them.
“What’s Eugene like?” I ask her.
“It’s nice,” she says. “Like with every city, it has its good and bad. I’m a huge Ducks fan so it’s nice being there.”
“Oh, I like ducks.”
Fern laughs. “No, the Oregon Ducks. It’s a college in Eugene. They have a good football team.”
My mouth makes an oh. I didn’t know football when she submitted her story, and I don’t know it now. Despite Alex trying to teach me.
The waitress returns with our drinks, and we place our order for food. “Do you have plans after lunch?”
“No,” she says. “I’ll probably hit the malls because they’re much bigger than what we have down there, but other than that, nothing.”
“The offices aren’t far from here. I could give you a tour. Although I warn you, they’re small. We are hoping to grow in the next year or so, adding more editors.”
“I’d love it and I don’t mind small. It’s the reason I chose Willamette Publishing. I figured I’d get more attention if I’m not competing with hundreds of other authors.”
“Very valid point.”
During lunch, we make idle chit-chat about anything we can think of. She tells me how fictionalized her story is, and that in real life, her high school boyfriend went away to college, with promises of returning, and never did. She’s not eagerly waiting for any second chance anything because he’s now married with five kids, and while he’s still very hot, he passed the DILF stage after the second child.
“What’s he now?” I ask, thinking back to the conversation Alex and I had on the whole DILF subject.
“He’s someone who would have to pay a shit ton of child support if he left his wife.”
“Oh, another valid point.”
“Like I said, that ship sailed a long time ago. He never even came back to town. His parents divorced and both moved away. Any chance we had went out the door a long time ago.”
“Did he at least tell you?”
Fern shakes her head. “Nope. The ultimate ghosting.”
“Harsh,” I say. “Well, if you can twist this into something, send it to me. I’d like to take a look and make an offer. I really liked what you did with the football story and have enjoyed working with you.”
“Really?” She covers her heart with her hand. “Oh, wow. Thank you, Kelsey.”
Once I’ve paid the tab, we walk back toward the office. I’m not really paying attention to my surroundings until I look up. Everything around me becomes a blur except for the two figures across the street—Alex and Maggie. They’re standing next to a building I know has doctor’s offices in it. He’s dressed in slacks and wearing a long pea coat, not the way he used to dress when he was with me, or maybe this is normal for him. Maggie brushes something off his jacket and then kisses him. He doesn’t push her away or turn his cheek to her.
I’ve seen enough and don’t care to ever see him again. I pull my phone out of my pocket and send him a text.
Don’t contact me again.
For whatever reason, I stand there, waiting to see if he even acknowledges his phone. His hand goes into his pocket, and he looks at the screen, and then he’s frantically looking around.
Alex Moore
Where are you?
If you saw her kiss me, it’s not what it looks like.
Please, Kelsey
I stare at the messages on my phone and ignore them, stuffing my hands in my pocket and meeting Fern’s gaze.
“Everything okay, Kelsey?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine.”
Except nothing’s fine. He got over me as fast as I got under him. That’s my fault. I knew better than to sleep with him. To think I told him no condom; the thought makes me both sad and angry. I’ve read enough novels to know athletes are playboys, each and every one of them. Alex is no different, in fact he lives up to the stereotypical trope because he got his heart broken. Mr. I-Can’t-Give-You-My-Heart-Cos-It’s-Broken. The moment Maggie came back, I knew things were over between us. She fits into his world, where I’m just an outsider, watching his fast-paced life rush by in a blur.
As Fern and I make our way to the office, I pull my phone out and leave myself a note to buy a pregnancy test. I’m not late and I’m on the pill, but with my luck, his sperm are superhuman and can break through every scientific barrier out there.
By the time Fern yells, “Watch out,” my head smacks against the concrete wall surrounding the park and I land on my arm. I don’t know if it’s the pain in my head that hurts more than the one in my arm. Either way, I need help.