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That all sounded solid to me.

“Thanks, I appreciate hearing that,” I said.

Lacey shrugged and finished her beer. “Let me know if you need any more advice. Least I can do is pass on my wisdom.”

“Your wisdom, huh?” I said and she gave me another one of those smirks that made me feel like I was going to slide right onto the floor.

“I know some shit about some things,” she said, and I laughed.

“I guess you do.”

She smiled at me and the world did that thing where everything slowed and narrowed until she was the only thing I could see. It was gone in a second, but it left me reeling.

“We should probably head out,” Lacey said, and I realized that the place had mostly cleared out while we’d been sitting here.

Things closed down so early in Arrowbridge. Yet another reason I couldn’t wait to get back to Boston. If I wanted tacos at two in the morning, I had my pick of places. Not so much in Arrowbridge.

We both slid out of the booth and Lacey brushed her hand on my lower back as we walked toward the front door, which she then opened for me before following me to my car.

“Thank you for the pizza. And for suggesting this,” I said, leaning against my car.

“You’re welcome. I just thought it would be nice to see each other in a space that doesn’t smell like paint and doesn’t stress me out,” she said.

“Does the house stress you out?” I asked and she gave me a look. “I mean, I know it does, but you can always talk to me about it. My job is literally to take stress off your shoulders.”

Lacey sighed and looked away from me. “Yeah, I know. But I’m not the kind to lean on anyone. It’s kind of my thing to soldier on alone. It’s what I’ve done my whole life.”

“Well just stop doing that,” I said, and she gave me one of those reluctant smiles.

“I’ll work on it,” she said, and I knew it was time to go, but I didn’t want to. Our time felt unfinished. We’d both been so hungry that we hadn’t talked as much as I’d liked. Lacey wasn’t the kind of person that would open up easily after a few slices of pizza.

“I should let you get going,” she finally said.

“Right,” I said, fiddling with my keys.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Gwen,” she said.

“See you tomorrow.” She turned toward her truck and I got in my car, but kept glancing over at her. Lacey turned the truck on and waited for me to start my car and pull out of my space before navigating out of hers.

Tonight hadn’t been enough. Not even close. Still, I was going to see her tomorrow, but it wouldn’t be the same.

“Fuck,” I cursed to myself as I drove. What was I even doing? It didn’t matter if I got close to Lacey because nothing would ever happen between us other than a quick fling and I wasn’t really a fling kind of woman. I preferred relationships, not that I’d had that many. My career had been my driving force since I’d graduated from college and I’d had a hard time splitting my energy and giving part of it to a relationship. I always told myself that once my career was stable, that’s when I’d have more time for other things.

And then I had lost my job and had to come to Arrowbridge. I could have all the plans in the world, but they still wouldn’t save me from things that were outside of my control. Sterling had said as much to me, as had my parents, and I still had been convinced that I could plan my way out of any catastrophe.

The world had decided to knock me down a fucking peg.

* * *

Sterling was waiting in the van for me when I slid the door open and scared the daylights out of me when I found her lounging on my bed. Technically her bed, but still. It was mine right now.

“Jesus fuck, Sterling. What is wrong with you?” I put my hand on my chest, doing my best to convince my body that we weren’t going to be attacked.

“Sorry,” she said, not looking sorry at all as she sat up and slid over, patting the space next to her.

I slipped off my shoes and took my earrings out before joining her.

“Well?” she asked, leaning back to look at me.