Page 9 of Unintended You

“Anyway. I’ll be in touch about everything.” I pulled out one of my business cards and scrawled my number on the back before sliding it over to her.

She picked it up and raised one eyebrow.

“You’re an audiobook narrator?”

One subject I was willing to talk about.

“I am. Speaking of that, I need to get home to do some recording.” I did have pickups for one of my authors due and a book to read and make notes on for another, but I was actually on schedule. I’d planned to take the rest of today off after seeing Lea, but right now, I needed to leave before she changed her mind.

She might still, but at least she’d agreed today. I could always bring up money if I had to.

“Oh, of course. Um, have a good day.” We both stood up and I wondered if I should hug her. I’d never hugged her before.

“It’s really good to see you, PT.” The nickname had slipped out by accident and now I couldn’t stop saying it. The fact that it annoyed her a little bit made me want to use it even more.

“Yeah, I guess I’ll talk to you soon.” She put the card in her pocket, and I let her go first, but made sure to jump in front of her to open the door.

That annoyed her too, which meant I would be on the hook for every single door between now and the wedding.

“I actually parked in the garage,” I told her, pointing my thumb in the opposite direction as the gym.

“My apartment is that way.”

“Guess this is it.”

There was a good chance that I’d never hear from her again. That she’d try to ghost me. I hoped she wouldn’t.

“Bye, Vail,” she said, looking up into my eyes.

“See you later, Lea.”

Her name was so short, three letters, one syllable, but they encompassed so much with so little.

I stayed where I was on the sidewalk so I could watch her walk away, not moving until she was out of sight.

She didn’t look back.

Chapter Five

Lea

“I’m sorry, what now?”James asked as she lounged on my couch. It was Saturday and I’d just come back from teaching my morning class and she’d come over for lunch. Delaney was doing a Saturday shift at the bookshop, and James was going to visit her later.

“It’s all so…out of the blue, you know? Not a single word for years and then she pops up and is like, be my wedding date. That seems like a sharp escalation.”

James came to join me in the kitchen where I was making chopped sub sandwiches and had french fries in the air fryer.

“Little bit, yeah. Are you sure she doesn’t want something else from you? It’s just a weird thing to ask of someone.” It was, but I understood why she’d asked me.

“It is. But I still think I’m going to do it.”

James stared at me. “Why?”

I looked down at the veggies and meat I’d been chopping together. “Honestly, I’m not really sure. Just seems like the right thing to do.”

“Right thing for who? That’s a big favor, Lea.” It was.

I couldn’t explain in a way she’d understand. “She helped me out once and I said I’d owe her. She’s cashing in now.”