“I’m seeing Jude about the job he mentioned.”
She studied me over the rim of her wine glass. “How do you feel about seeing him again?”
Instead of answering her question, I said, “I’m treating it like a job interview.”
Petal looked over at Maya and then back to me. “What about Maya?”
“What about her? He hasn’t asked. He probably doesn’t even remember I wrote him about her.”
Petal leaned forward and spoke in a low tone. “How are you going to work for your baby daddy and not bring up that he’s a daddy.”
I shrugged. “I haven’t necessarily thought everything through.”
“You’re not going to try and pass her off as someone else’s are you?” There was judgement in her tone.
“No. I probably won’t have to do anything. Like I said, he hasn’t asked me about it which means he forgot or thought I was lying or something. He clearly had no interest in me or her when he left. I don’t know. It’s not like I’m going to bring her to work or see him outside of work.”
She quirked a brow at that statement. “So, he’s let himself go? He’s tubby and bald?”
“No. He still looks good, but all those old feelings are gone.” Maybe if I said it out loud I’d believe it.
She smirked, suggesting she didn’t believe me. “You’re playing with fire here, April.”
“I know, but I’ve been toeing the line, playing it safe, for too long. I can’t let August control my life anymore, nor can I worry about Jude. For once I’m going to run my own life as I see fit.”
“By working for your ex?”
I blew out a breath. “I know it’s crazy, but if he can give me the opportunity to get out from under August then I’m willing to take it. I have to take it. It’s been eight years, Petal. He and I are done. In the past.”
She nodded towards Maya. “That little girl suggests otherwise.”
“It will be fine,” I said standing, feeling a little annoyed and a whole lot guilty. “It’s just a business meeting tonight, and maybe a job. We’re two different people with two different lives.”
“Mmm hmm.” She rose from the couch. “If you say so. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I do. I absolutely do.” Okay, well maybe I was winging it a bit, but I was ready for a new adventure. To take control of my life. This seemed like the best opportunity at the moment.
9
Jude
I felt like I was a fucking teenager again as I paced outside the restaurant waiting for April. My palms were sweaty and I was more nervous than the first time I’d gone on a date when I was fifteen.
I’d turned, started pacing back the other direction when April appeared. My heart stuttered in my chest to see her again. She’d always had a girl-next-door type of beauty, but now, all grown up, it was still natural and lovely, but there was something more. A sophistication. An intelligence. Was it because her hair was pulled back? Or the professional outfit that, while sexy the way it hugged her curves, suggested she was taking this as a true job interview and not a dinner date. I wanted to kick myself for that. Yes, I wanted to talk to her about a job, but what I really wanted was to catch up with her. To get to know her again. In my mind, this was a date. What an idiot I was.
I smiled, hoping I didn’t look too eager. “April. You look lovely.”
Was I supposed to shake her hand? I wanted to kiss her. At least on the cheek, but I don’t think that was what potential bosses did to their job interviewees. Fuck, why was this so hard?
“Thank you.”
I opened the door to the restaurant and let her proceed me, her wonderful scent making me yearn for what I’d lost eight years ago. The hostess sat us at a table and handed us menus.
We sat in awkward silence as we looked over our menus. It didn’t used to be like this. In the past, even before we got together, we’d always been open and comfortable around each other.
Trying to break the ice, I asked her, “Remember when I took you to Olive Garden on our one and only fancy dinner date?”
April smiled. “The waiter followed us out to the parking lot to give you your two quarters tip back.”