“I don’t like to advertise that I’m the easiest thing in the world,” he said.
“I didn’t mean you,” she shook her head. “You were the best thing that could’ve happened on a bad night. But it’s still a mistake, no matter how good it felt.”
“Any chance the cab driver doesn’t really speak English?” Jack teased.
“Nope,” she said. “My shame is now public.”
“I hope you’re joking because I’d be really insulted if you were ashamed of what we did.”
“I am. It’s just...I’m not ashamed of you, I’m just, it’s the fact that I did what I did with a stranger.”
“I’m not a stranger, Britt. You know me. We talked for hours.”
“I don’t know who you are, where you’re from. You play guitar and you work out, and that about covers what I know about you.”
“I know you were lost and sad, and I could change that. There’s not a lot in life I have the power to change, but I could fix you.”
“You couldn’t even begin to fix me, Jack. I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“I think I could, but you won’t give me the chance.”
“That’s sweet of you to even suggest it, but I have to fix myself. And that means getting back on track and making better choices.”
“I don’t like being a bad choice you made.”
“I don’t like any of this. But I liked you.”
“Liked. Past tense. You’re doing wonders for my ego, kid,” he said. “Have a good day, I guess.”
“You too.”
“I think we’re here,” he said reluctantly.
When they were deposited on the parking lot, cold and empty except for their two cars, Britt held out her hand.
“It was nice meeting you, Jack. Thank you for comforting me during a difficult time.”
“Nice?” he said skeptically. “Better than nice,” he corrected, and she nodded.
“Better than nice,” she agreed, tugging her hand free of his and going to her car. She turned the key in the ignition and drove to work, refusing to let herself look in the rearview mirror. Don’t look back, she told herself. Go forward. She blamed it on allergies when she found herself blinking hard, her eyes watering.
Chapter 6
Britt sat in the parking lot at work and cried. She was so ashamed of herself. The way she’d acted the night before was so unlike the way she normally acted, so out of the ordinary for the life she’d built and carefully curated. She had expected the natural progression to be selecting a property, moving in, decorating, then a nice vacation and perhaps a proposal. Instead, she was single with a sudden and unplanned notch in her bedpost so to speak. She was embarrassed that she had used Jack like that, taken comfort and pleasure from him and then discarded him as callously as any man ever dumped Marj. And they spent hours dissecting the assholery of the creeps who’d broken up with Marj. Britt was surprised to find she could calm herself down and clean up her makeup and look like nothing had changed, no breakups or hookups to report.
She went to her cubicle and logged on, checking her emails and updating a spreadsheet. A message popped up on her desktop announcing the going away bash for the bastard boss’ retirement the following week. She was responsible for bringing forks...the plastic picnic variety, not flaming pitchforks although they seemed more apropos. She tapped a reminder into her phone and saw a text from Marj.
“Did K go for the roof garden?”
“No,” she messaged back. “K went for someone called Corinne. We r over.”
“WTFFFFFFF????” was the reply.
“Cheater moved on. No garden, no apt,” she texted back.
“Hope she gives him STDs,” Marj replied.
“I need a lunch meeting ru free?”