It was the morning of Jamie’s birthday. I had spent all of yesterday shopping around for the perfect gift before my shift at La Amour. I had found something but I wasn’t sure about it. What did you get a girl that had everything she asked for?
I called her and asked that she meet me outside. I couldn’t handle running into Caleb right now if ever. I didn’t know how to handle what happened between us or the parting words he left me with.
“Hey.” She smiled and met me at the end of the driveway. “Why the long distance?”
“I have somewhere to get to and I wanted to give you this first.” I handed her the gift wrapped box. “Happy sweet sixteen.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything.” She smiled sweetly with excitement bouncing off of her.
“Yeah I did but I wasn’t sure what to get since you have everything a girl could want in your room.”
She looked up from the box and at me. “If you’re giving me this now does that mean you won’t come to the party?”
“I can’t. I have to work and I already took too many days off. Have some fun tonight and I’ll see you tomorrow.” I reached forward and gave her a hug. I felt like crap as she turned away and headed back inside. We were friends and she wanted me around when in reality I was a big mistake. I didn’t belong in her life. Or his.
I headed off to work next. I offered to cover Rosie’s shift last night and it started at eleven. I was on autopilot focusing only on work to keep from thinking about Jamie, my sister, the mess with Kevin and what was said between us.
I tended to the day crowd and helped organize the dining room supplies from the menus down to the trays.
I was sitting outside on my break at one of the outdoor patio tables when I heard my name being called. I looked up from the book I was reading to see Jared coming toward me. I smiled.
Jared was easygoing to be around, there wasn’t all the serious emotion or expectations.
He sat across from me. “Jamie mentioned she saw you in a dress and that you were probably working.”
“I’m covering for someone.” I didn’t want to get into how I offered and I’d rather be there than at home alone. “What brings you here? I haven’t seen much of you since my mess with the Coven was fixed.”
“Yeah.” He shyly ran his hand over his hair and that worried me, Jared wasn’t the shy type. “I don’t want you to get mad at me.”
“But?” I knew the word was coming.
“But I was thinking and while I was thinking, it felt like a good idea to stay away from you. I like you Evie and I know you know that. But what I realized with all that thinking is that we’re better off as friends.” It felt like there was more he wanted to say, more he suspected but he kept those words to himself.
I hadn’t expected his revelation and yet I was relieved to hear it. “I’d like that, if we could be friends.” Lord knows I didn’t have many of them. It felt nice every once and a while to know someone was on your side.
He reached across the table to grab my hand. “You got it.” he smiled so beautifully I wondered for a split second if I was making a mistake by not taking a chance on him. Then I remembered my life and remembered he was better off without a dangerous screw up like me.
We spoke for a little while longer, he asked if everything was still ok concerning the Coven and I explained to him that I was safe but that something still felt like it was missing. I was trying to get back to my old routine only to find that my routine no longer fit me.
“For the last few months you’ve been dodging danger and living on the edge. You’re bored.” Jared clarified.
“I want to be bored; I want to be safe in the life I’ve made for myself.” I was frustrated with my stupid mind for being all over the place.
“Give it time and if you still feel like something is missing then figure out what it is.” He squeezed the hand he hadn’t let go of and offered another reassuring smile. “I have to get back to the compound to help with decorations.”
“Who’d you piss off to be stuck with that?” I teased.
“We all have to lend a helping hand. Thankfully he only has one kid.” Jared said his goodbyes after that and left.
I grabbed my book and handed back inside to finish my shift.
Talking to Jared helped, as the day went on I realized he was right. I was starting to feel more like myself and content with my normal routine. I was becoming pretty good at putting everything I didn’t want to think about in the far confines of my brain. I didn’t let the situation with my sister or the epic mess I made with Caleb bring me down.