Present Day
2:41 PM
“This is seriously getting ridiculous,” I ranted, stomping my foot in frustration. We were past hour three of being stuck and I was regretting my decision to not use the restroom when I had the chance. Of course, if I had taken the few extra minutes to go to the bathroom, I wouldn’t be stuck on the elevator from hell. That’s the thing with hindsight. You had no way of changing anything. It was just a way of highlighting your mistakes and getting pissed off about it.
“I can see your temper is still intact,” Justin observed as I stomped my foot again.
“I don’t have a temper.”
He raised his eyebrows skeptically, calling my bluff.
“Fine. Normally, I don’t have a temper,” I ground out, which was partially true. Justin always had the knack of igniting the anger in me. It wasn’t like we fought all the time, but when we did, a temper I never knew I had would emerge.
“Admit it. You’re really a closet redhead.”
“Maybe I have Irish blood in me.”
“Tell me about your job,” he said, changing the subject. “Is teaching as fulfilling as you thought it would be?
“My job? Do you really want to know whether I find my work fulfilling?”
“It’ll help pass the time.”
“Talking about work and whether I find it fulfilling would lead some to believe we’re friends,” I pointed out.
He looked uncomfortable with my assessment, obviously not sure he was ready to call that much of a truce. I wasn’t surprised by his reluctance to wave the white flag. If you had told me that morning that Justin and I would be talking cordially to each other, I would have laughed in your face.
“It’s good. I’ve been subbing since I graduated last spring, but a full-time position will be opening up after Christmas.”
“Are you living with your mom?”
“No. I have a small apartment above the hardware store in Woodfalls. It’s more of a loft than anything else. Kinda reminds me of your apartment in your mom’s house.”
“How did your mom feel about you not living at home?”
I laughed at his question. He had a good memory. “She fought it at first, but in the end she didn’t have a choice. We get along much better without her checking to see what I’m doing twenty-four-seven. She’s still meddling all the time and worries about me, but we make it work. Tressa thankfully still takes a lot of heat off me. Mom is so busy wondering who Tressa is corrupting that most times I’m able to skate under the radar.”
“Do you miss the city?” he asked, showing how well he knew me again.
“Every day, but it’s not as acute as I thought it would be. Tressa was glad to have me back in Woodfalls, and I’ve made a few other friends.”
“Guy friends?” he asked, stepping into no-man’s-land.
“Really? Are we talking about my sex life now?”
“Never mind. It’s none of my business,” he muttered, looking a little green in the face.
“Are you seeing anyone?” I asked, unable to stop the words even if I had clamped a hand over my mouth.
After what felt like a full minute had passed, I began to think he wouldn’t answer the question. “I just ended a relationship,” he admitted. “You?” he asked.
I shrugged my shoulders “You know me. My track record is the same as it always was. In my defense, it’s not like there are a lot of choices back home,” I answered as he smirked at me. “Why did you end your relationship?” I asked, not liking the knowing look on his face. It wasn’t like he was some chick whisperer when it came to relationships.
“She wanted things from me I wasn’t willing to give.”
“Commitment?” I asked. This time it was my turn to smirk.
“No,” he snapped before smiling somewhat sheepishly. “Okay, yeah, maybe. It’s not like you have any room to talk.”