Am I nervous to talk to this woman?
I don’t get nervous, but maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been thinking not-so-friendly things about her boyfriend. It’s hard to help with the way he wears his baseball cap backward and the sleeves of his flannel rolled up, showing off his really freakin’ hot forearms. When I’m letting the dog out late at night, I find myself looking in the direction of his property. Wondering what he’s doing. Wondering if this woman standing in front of me is over there. Then I question if he smiles behind closed doors with her.
“Wow. I like you.” She laughs.
“That makes…” I pause to count on my fingers. “A total of three people in town so far. I’m doing excellent.”
She extends her hand to greet me. “But I’m not dating Griffin. He’s my brother.”
“Well…” I draw out, taking her hand in mine. “Foot in my mouth, I guess. You must be Poppy. It’s really nice to finally meet you. I can’t wait to remember this interaction for the rest of my existence.”
She waves me off, laughing to lighten the mood. “Oh, please. Don’t stress about that with me. You’re funny. It’s nice to have a bright face around here. I was just coming by on my lunch break to grab some treats for the kids.”
I move to the back counter, grab the bag Lily left out, and pass it to her. “I heard you’re a teacher. That’s really amazing.”
She beams with pride. “It’s the greatest job in the world. I hate to cut this short, but I need to head back. Maybe we can get together for lunch one day to chat more.”
“I-I’d love that,” I practically stutter, in shock that she’s a stranger who actually wants to get to know me more.
“Perfect! I’ll get your number from Lily after school and text you. Have a good rest of your day,” she says with a wave.
“You too,” I tell her and watch as she walks out.
I can’t help but admire her for being able to do what she loves and for having nothing holding her back. It’s a feeling I can relate to, as I’m also finally doing what I love.
It brings an intense feeling of contentment, peace, and fulfillment I never thought I could achieve after my divorce. Maybe it’s the joy of being in a place where no one knows my past. No one’s seen me on a billboard with whiskers painted on my face. No one’s seen me on the news besides my ex-husband waving and looking perfectly put together.
If I hadn’t made this decision to come here, would I still be curled up in my sister’s apartment with no leads on a place to live?
Emotions are fighting to break through to the surface, but I will not cry over him right now. I am choosing happiness, and I am damn proud of myself for holding my head high. It's not easy, but I've found that focusing on the things that bring me joy—like my new job and the friends I've made—helps me stay positive.
It feels like I am becoming the person I have been deep down all along, the person who was buried under the weight of a failing marriage. I'm rediscovering my passions, my strengths, and my independence, and it's a truly liberating feeling.
I have new friends, a new town, and a job that I am obsessed with.
The past feels so far in the rearview mirror that I can’t even see it anymore.
I think I like who I’m becoming.
CHAPTER 15
A MOOSE?
Griffin
I had the longest day for the first time in a while today, and my body is really feeling it.
After the lunch shift, I ended up staying later than intended, feeling frustrated as I tried to finish some work in the back office. The bookkeeping, scheduling, paychecks, and sourcing supplies seemed to come at me faster than I could handle. The little things I need—like the paper roll for receipts, napkins, and other essentials—didn’t arrive on time, adding to the feeling of being overwhelmed.
It’s exhausting.
The weather is making everything feel even more challenging. It feels like a monsoon with relentless rain that has been ongoing throughout the day. I wish I was exaggerating. This weather is truly wearing me out, and I’m feeling more exhausted than I have in a long time.
I pull a cold beer from the refrigerator and make my way to my porch. It’s completely covered and all I want is to enjoy this drink and listen to the rain.
My mind travels to the conversation I had with Tucker andNan at the bar a few days ago. Only for that same conversation to be brought up an hour later when Lily showed up at the bar with Nan persuading me to start a karaoke night.
In what world do they think I would be okay with that?
