“Thank you,” I eked out, desperate not to freak out while I was still on the line with her.
“Thank you,” she said. “It will be lovely to have you on the team, Malia!”
I hung up the phone, feeling amazing. Immediately, I hobbled in to tell my sister. As the email came in, my eyes widened when I saw the particulars. Relentless was a major brand, and they were going to pay me more than could have imagined I would be making this early. With them, I could almost make my own way if I wanted, without even touching the settlement.
Proudly, I told Dee what the deal was, and we both decided that there was only one way to celebrate it properly: ice cream, takeout, and reality TV.
20
GERRY
After a couple of days, not even work was enough to overcome the amount of guilt I had at not contacting Malia and trying to fix things. As a matter of fact, work was somehow making it worse. Ever since my first hiking experiences with Hank as a teenager, going out into nature was always a calming, soothing experience, where whatever troubles I had slipped away, and I was able to focus on my thoughts.
Not this time. Going out for work just meant more time for me to be by myself and wonder what kind of an idiot I truly was. There I was with the most intelligent, sexy woman, many years my junior, who was so wildly interested in me that she pulled me into bed with her, and I bailed after sex? Who did that?
Idiots did that. That’s who. Assholes and idiots.
I had to make it up to her, and I had to do it quickly, since I had let days and days pass since our encounter. The longer I waited, the worse I looked, and the harder it was for me anxiety-wise. I needed to just rip off the Band-Aid, see how mad she was, and try to do the right thing. If Hank and Lana ever found out how I treated her, they would have come down from Massachusetts just to drive me to her place themselves after a good scolding.
I had an idea where the house was, just based on where the creek led me on the hike, but I double-checked with the maps in the office anyway. Sure enough, I could almost pinpoint on the map where I had made my little camp, which would be on their property. Since I had been in the house, I was pretty sure I would recognize it if I got close enough anyway.
Taking a half day was not something I did often, but I decided I needed one then. Deacon was surprised that I was leaving but didn’t say anything about it, and as I walked out, I knew I was doing the right thing. I had thrown myself into my work and was well caught up now. I could afford a half day.
I drove down to where I entered the trail that day and then followed the road back down toward Dina’s Diner. Eventually, I pulled off onto a side street and then another, ending in a little suburban neighborhood that nestled up against the foot of one of the mountains. Going down a couple of streets, I found a landmark I was looking for and turned in. Malia’s house stuck out against a backdrop of trees that looked extremely familiar, and I pulled in.
It was possible she wasn’t there, or worse, that Dee was. I really didn’t want to have to explain to Dee why I was there. It would get back to Wendy in a hurry, and then I’d hear about it from her and Finn. I would much rather settle it all before they found out and gave me shit about it.
I was still a little unclear on that particular American phrase, but I wasn’t unclear on the concept of an upset Wendy.
I knocked on the door, and when she answered, it hit me like a sucker punch.
Not only did she open the door with a wide smile, but she looked like she was expecting me.
“Hey, Gerry, come on in,” she said. “I was just getting some cookies baked. Would you like one?”
“Uh,” I said lamely. “Sure.”
“Are you thirsty? I never did get you that drink last time. Is Coke okay?”
“Coke’s great,” I choked out.
I should be delighted. Not only was she not angry with me, she seemed downright happy to see me. She was treating me like the last couple of days didn’t happen at all, and it somehow made me feel a million times worse. She was being so nice. I knew it had to be because she had moved on. It didn’t bother her anymore. Or worse, she didn’t see anything to be upset about because the whole experience didn’t mean anything to her.