“No,” he says, smiling. “Cat’s already out of the bag and since yesterday was Sunday, I can only assume it’s really out of the bag.”
I cringe. Me and my big mouth. “Yeah, Trix and Nora know — and Haley. Possibly our new server and two or three surrounding tables, too. I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right,” he says, adding a shrug.
I let my eyes wander around again. Is that a fucking houseplant? And fish? Live fish??
“Wow,” I say under my breath.
“What?”
I hesitate. “You’re doing so well, that’s all.”
“I’m doing all right. Could be worse, could be better.” He cants his head. “Go ahead.”
I straighten up. “Go ahead and what?”
“Say what you’re really thinking.”
“I’m not thinking anything.”
“She said never.”
I chuckle. I sigh. I stumble over words that never sound right. “So, seven months?”
“Seven months.”
“I can’t help but notice that’s around the time we officially split.”
“And you think you taking a hard stage left exit out of my life is the reason why my life got better?” he asks, easily reading every damn thought in my head.
“Yes,” I say.
“Melanie, the day you walked out for good was the worst day of my life,” he says. “My life wasn’t better for it, it was worse. I lost you and I hit bottom. To be honest, I thought about ending it. Almost did.”
I hold my breath. “You did?”
“I gave myself twenty-four hours,” he says. “I sulked, I cried, I got really wasted for the last time, and then I got help. I knew that if I didn’t, I wasn’t going to make it and the thought of never seeing you again at all was too much.”
“Rob, I’m so sorry,” I say. “I didn’t know.”
“There was no way you could have. Don’t worry about it.” He exhales hard. “Honestly, it feels good to say it out loud.”
“It does?”
“That therapy must really be working.”
I smile. “Seems like.”
Robbie clears his throat, his gaze just as soft as always. “Is that all you came here for?” he asks as he flexes the fingers of his right hand.
I pause, remembering the nail sticking through it a few months ago. Does it still hurt him?
“Actually, I, uh...” My lips twitch. “I read your notes.”
His brow piques. “Oh, yeah?”
“First of all…” I give a stern face. “Never touch my laptop or my things ever again.”
“I sincerely apologize,” he says. “It won’t happen again.”
“Thank you. And secondly…” I glance at my toes. “I revised a few chapters last night based on what you said and… I wondered if you would look over them for me. Let me know what you think.”
He smiles. “Sure.”
“If you have time,” I say quickly. “It’s not… I mean, don’t feel like you have to—”
“Melanie,” he stops me. “You know I’m always up to read your stuff. That’s never changed.”
I scratch my brow. “Okay, well… I’ll send those over as soon as I get home.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Thank you.” I cringe, biting my cheek. “So, about the butt bone thing...”
He smirks. “It’s hardly noticeable.”
I sigh with relief. “Thank god.”
We laugh again, settling quickly into a short, comfortable silence.
Robbie tilts his head. “You know, I think this is the first conversation we’ve had since the divorce that didn’t end with us screaming at each other,” he says.
“You know, I think you’re right,” I say, noticing it myself.
“Thought for sure I was about to get something thrown at me when I saw you standing in the hallway.”
“Hey, there’s still plenty of time between here and the door,” I say. “I’m sure you’ll say something stupid.”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I think I’ll save my energy for the rest of my workday.”
“Oh, that’s right!” I say with a laugh. “You work now.”
“That I do.”
“Trix told me you build things?”
“I’ve been known to wave a hammer around.”
“Do you wear a belt with loops on it for drills and stuff?”
“Yes, I do,” he says.
“A hard hat?”
“That, too.”
“Nope,” I say, squinting hard. “Still can’t quite picture it.”
Robbie takes a step toward me and I catch sight of the regrettably sexy dirt mark on his chin. “Well, you’re welcome to stop by the site one of these days. See it all for yourself.”
I pause as my heart skips twice. “Maybe,” I say, my voice breaking.
I turn away quickly, eager to find my way back to the door before things get too…
I don’t even know what I’m afraid of happening.
I just know that it can’t.
“Anyway,” I say, “I’ve got some errands to run, too. I’ll let you get back to work.”
Robbie follows and opens the door for me before I can get to it. “I’ll take a look at those pages tonight after I get off,” he says.
“Right, yeah,” I say from the hall. “I’ll get those to you so you can get off— I mean, take a look… at them.” I bite down, cringing away from the smirking gliding up his face. “And thank you, again, for agreeing to help me out. I really appreciate it.”
He nods. “No problem. I’m happy to do it.” He smiles at me again, making my knees quiver beneath me. “Have a good day, Mel.”
“Yeah. You, too, Rob.”
He closes the door and I release the breath I was holding.
Well, that went… better than expected.
Again, the door two units down latches quickly. I glare at it for a second before retreating toward the stairs.
Super creepy.
Eight
Robbie
I’ve been smiling all day.
I shouldn’t feel nearly this smug, but you got to love it when a plan comes together. I’m just happy I went home on my lunch break today. If I had missed Melanie, who knows when she would have built up the nerve to come and ask me for help again — and I know that couldn’t have been easy for her to do.
After work, I stop by Yummy Bean to grab some coffee on my way home. I’ve been looking forward to going over Melanie’s new pages all day, and I’m saying that as
