“You look pale, honey,” he says, placing a cold, wet washcloth on my forehead. “Are you hungry?”
I press a hand to the cloth and shake my head. “Not really. I just feel really queasy.”
“I’ll bring your trash can by you just in case.” I watch as he stands up and walks the few feet to my kitchen and grabs it. He’s tall and built. He has shaggy blond hair, which totally adds to the surfer vibe he gives out when he’s not in his suit and tie attire. He overdresses for work and claims it’s going to help him climb the corporate ladder before he’s thirty.
“Thanks,” I say, watching as he sets it down next to me. “I think I’m just going to try to sleep it off.”
“Yeah, good idea, hon. I’ll lay on your couch and wait for you to wake up so you can eat.”
“No,” I argue. “You don’t have to sit around and wait on me. I’ll be okay.”
“Nonsense. You need to get better so I have someone to go salsa dancing with.”
I let out a small laugh. “I never agreed to that in the first place.”
He tilts his head and frowns.
I groan. “We’ll see.”
He smiles and flashes me a wink. “Get some rest. I’m going to binge on your Netflix.”
I sleep for the next three hours, and when I wake up, it’s dark outside, and Liam is still watching TV on my sofa. He pauses it the moment he hears me rustling under the covers.
“Hey.” He smiles. “How do you feel?”
“Better, I think. I need to pee.”
He laughs and goes back to his show. I grab my phone as I walk to the bathroom and see that Courtney has messaged me three times.
Viola: Sorry, I was sleeping. I think I caught the flu.
I send back to her urgent messages.
Courtney: The flu? What are your symptoms?
I respond with everything I’ve been feeling this past week.
Viola: Vomiting, nausea, queasiness, headaches, hot flashes and sweats. Liam brought me some soup, so I’m going to try eating some of that and see if it helps.
Courtney: How long have you been sick?
Viola: Off and on about a week or so. I think it’s going around work.
I reply, heading back out to my bed.
Courtney: Well unless it’s homesickness, I’d say it’s pregnancy that’s going around your office!
Viola: OMG! I am not pregnant! I haven’t had sex in months!
The last time was with Travis, of course.
Courtney: Have you missed your period?
It takes me a while to think about it because I can’t remember. Which I realize is not a good sign. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t paid attention. I open the calendar on my phone and count back the days from when Travis and I were together, to the last time I remember having my period.
Three months ago.
Viola: I can’t remember the last time I had it...I’ve been stressed and busy. But I’m on the pill, so it’s probably just the flu.
Courtney: Yeah...the flu that makes you skip your period for three months and doesn’t go away, but comes and goes...sounds LEGIT.
Dammit, Courtney! She’s totally making me freak out right now. There’s just no way. I would’ve been able to tell by now.
Viola: My body always gets weird when I’m stressed out. Stop jinxing me!
Courtney: LOL! Too late for that… go buy a test and FaceTime me!
Viola: I feel way too shitty to leave my apartment right now and I’m not asking Liam to go on a pregnancy test run.
I told her about Liam when we first met, and at first, she thought we were hooking up, but once I told her I thought he was gay, she backed off. However, I’m still not totally sure about that.
Courtney: You better find out quick then. There’s a long list of stuff you’ll need to be doing if you are…
I sigh, taking in a deep breath. I can’t even fathom that right now.
Viola: I’ll call you tomorrow.
“Are you okay?” Liam’s voice directs my attention back up to him.
I blink away the tears and set my phone down, needing to clear my head from the revelation I just had. “I don’t know.”
Chapter 15
Travis
THREE MONTHS LATER
“You can set the computers and printer over there,” I say, directing the delivery drivers as they wheel a big hunk of plastic and boxes into the building. At random moments, like right now, I think about Viola. Though it’s been six months since she left for Boston, it seems like yesterday, and each day she’s not here is heartbreaking torture. Randomly we text back and forth, but it’s not the same. Honestly, it hasn’t been since she left without allowing me to explain myself fully. She took my heart with her, and I’m waiting for her to personally deliver it back to me. To this day, the only woman I want is the one who stole my heart—Viola Fisher.
Somehow, I’ve managed to stay busy and put my focus on getting my business off the ground. The sign for King Marketing will arrive in the next thirty minutes and is being installed on the outside of the modest building I leased. The sign in the office that hangs on the wall behind the reception desk has the logo on it, King Marketing: Where you’re treated like royalty. I laugh at the memory of Drew giving me so much shit over it too, but now he says I should have the logo printed on T-shirts so he can proudly wear it.
As I stand back and look at the reception desk and the open office space, I think about how proud Viola is that I really did it; I started my own business. I don’t burden her with all the details, knowing she’s staying plenty busy right now, but I know Drew is keeping her up to date. With the holidays approaching, the grand opening and scissor-cutting ceremony aren’t until after the new year. I’ve invited community leaders, potential clients, and even the mayor, but the only person I want to be there is her.
As I look around, I remember how empowering it was to leave Crawford Marketing five months ago. The accident and Viola leaving was the wake-up call I needed. Going after my dreams is scary as fuck, but the reward is so much greater than the risk, and so far, I haven’t regretted my decision. I now laugh at the day I took control of my career and gave Crawford Marketing the hypothetical middle finger. Blake was reaming my ass, as usual, something about not using time stamps on printed documents, and it all just clicked. There was no way I could stay there any longer—not with the tension, the lies, and the whole corporate vibe.
As Blake continued to shout at me, I stood and started grabbing small items off my desk and tossing them into my briefcase. He was so far up his own ass that he didn’t even realize what I was doing. After asking him if he was done, I told him I quit. Hilariously, he told me I couldn’t quit and demanded I get my ass back to my desk. I laughed in his face and walked out of my office without looking back. All the stress that miserable job caused instantly disappeared when I took my final step out the door. I wished I would have done it sooner.