Page 104 of The Outline


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“Is everything—Oh, shit. Sadie?”

“Hey, Pete.”

He simply stared at me for a moment, and I stared back. So many emotions came rushing up to the surface. The last time I’d seen him, when he’d just found out about Gage. And before that, when we’d both admitted to feeling helpless when it came to Renn.

Satisfied I was okay, and that the laminator was still operational, Ms. Leong looked back at Pete. “You two know each other?”

“Um…yeah. Sadie is a, uh, family friend.” Pete swallowed thickly and turned to me. “I can’t believe I’m running into you right now.”

That was the understatement of the century. I straightened up and attempted to neaten my pants and shirt. “Same. It’s been a minute.”

“It’s been too long.” Pete looked a little thicker around the middle, and there were flecks of gray in his hair, but then he smiled and it was exactly the same. He turned to Ms. Leong. “We were done with our conference, right? I’d love the chance to catch up with Sadie—I mean, Ms. Baxter—if I can.”

“We’re done. I’m glad I could give you an excellent report on Robert. But I’m not sure about Ms. Baxter’s schedule.” Ms. Leong, a very sweet veteran teacher in her fifties, gave me a sympathetic look that clearly said the ball was in my court—she’d be happy to make my excuses to Pete if that’s what I wanted.

“I’m actually free right now.” I nodded at her in gratitude. “I’d love to catch up.”

My shock was wearing off as I motioned for Pete to follow me into my temporary classroom. The echoing snick of the door shutting behind him drove home that we were standing together, only a few feet apart for the first time in two years. It felt unreal.

“I can’t believe you teach here,” he marveled. “Robbie never said anything.”

“I’m just substituting. This is my first day, so he probably didn’t know.”

I was still wrapping my brain around the fact that I was talking to Pete. I’d imagined what it might be like to run into him or Renn or Archie again, even Robbie or Gage. But it was one thing to suppose how it might go down, and another to experience the mind-bending reality. I collected myself, leaning my knuckles against one of the chest-height lab tables.

“Well, you’re a sight for sore eyes. You look amazing.”

I peered down at my well-fitting charcoal gray slacks, black button down and black heels. My hair was longer than the last time he’d seen it, recently highlighted, and braided in a loose rope down my back to show off the silver statement earrings that had been a birthday gift from Teddy two months ago. I guess if you had to run into a ghost from your past, it was lucky if it happened when you looked your best.

As I spun to face Pete, I saw his fingers hovering over his phone. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly, putting it back in his pocket. “Just sending a text telling them I’ll be in a little later than planned.” I couldn’t help but wonder ifthemincluded Renn.

My mind raced with questions I was too afraid to ask. “I’ve gotta be honest, Pete. I’m kind of in shock here. I don’t even know what to say.”

He laughed. “Yeah. This was not how I was thinking this afternoon would go down when I came to talk about Robbie’s chemistry grade.”

His nephew seemed like a safe enough topic. I could talk about Robbie without being tempted to ask about…anything else. “I’m curious about why he’s in school here. Did you leave Pasadena?”

He shook his head. “Nah. We all usually live in the house still, me included. But I kept my apartment downtown. After everything that happened, Re—Um, we decided it would be best for Robbie to have a fresh start. We used the address for my place to get him enrolled here.”

“Ah. Cool. And it sounds like it’s going well.” Things had to be improving if Pete was the one covering teacher conferences.

“Thank God.” Pete chuffed. “Robbie seems to be through the worst of his teenage asshole phase. He’s even talking about apprenticing in the shop next year.”

“That’s great.” I left it there, painfully. With Pete standing right in front of me, it was difficult not to interrogate him. Were he and his nephews getting along? How did Gage take the news about his paternity? Was Renn okay? Did he miss me?

Pete gave me a sideways smirk, like he could read my mind but had no intention of satisfying my curiosity. He knew as well as I did who should answer those questions.

“How have you been, Sadie?”

Like Pete, I hesitated to fill in the blanks. I had a career I loved. I’d been Zach and Teddy’s surrogate. I was still running. I was happy, healthy, and thriving.And missing Renn every second of every day.

“I’ve been good. I moved to North Hollywood, but I’m enjoying the chance to teach in this part of the city.”

I sounded ridiculous, even to myself. “Should we talk about the weather next?” Pete asked, and I laughed, some of the tension finally broken.

“It really is good to see you,” I reiterated. “But I meant it that I have no idea what to say. I know I left kind of…abruptly. I hope you understood.”

He nodded. “Completely. I was there, remember? I don’t want to say too much, but the truth is we are all in a better place now, and I doubt we would have gotten there if you hadn’t come into our lives, intohislife.”