Chapter Twenty-Five
Devyn
Ispend a lot of time at the newspaper office, giving Barney a much-needed break. At first I thought I’d be stepping on toes, but after my investigative work and subsequent article about Rick’s accident, I’ve been welcomed with open arms, and nothing I say or do is taken the wrong way or in a negative light. There’s a camaraderie and spirit of teamwork I didn’t feel at the Times, and I’m only met with enthusiasm when I offer article ideas, editing suggestions, and gentle reminders to stay on deadline.
While I might have made faster progress career-wise at the Times, the friendships I’m developing at the Herald are more important to me. I can still get ahead, still make a name for myself in the industry reporting on news people have the right to hear, but without the ruthless attitudes that some of my peers couldn’t seem to shake no matter how friendly, helpful, or noncompetitive I was.
It made it easy to pick up the slack during the holidays when I didn’t have family to visit. Talia and Beau invited me for New Year’s Eve, but they’re still exploring their relationship, and I didn’t want to be in their way. She understood, and now that the excitement of New Year’s Day has faded into a boring normalcy, I’ll drive into Cedar Hill to see her soon.
Father Will emailed me and told me my mother surfaced and he’d given her the money I left behind.
Barney liked the idea of a series featuring middle-class, minding-their-own-business type people who have gotten hooked on Sweet, and I wrote about my experience with my mom first. I’ve interviewed several people since he gave me the okay to run with it, and it breaks my heart that here, too, in Old Harbor, Sweet has brought so much misery to the small city’s population.
I haven’t heard anything from Rick, but I didn’t expect to. When I talk to Talia, she doesn’t have any news, either, which means he’s not talking to Beau. I wish he’d talk to me. He’s been alone since the accident, and he doesn’t need to be.
Since he told me to go to hell, we’ve been separated for longer than we’ve been together, and I’d laugh if it wasn’t so sad. I was worried about Talia and Beau getting serious too quickly, but it seems I should have been worried about myself. I jumped in with both feet like I usually do, not sparing one second to see what was on the bottom, and I got hurt.
Nothing new there. Move along, nothing to see.
I’ve been spending the evenings at the office instead of my apartment, a habit I should break. I don’t need to be here past five, but sitting among the cubbies helps me feel not so alone, even if they’re empty.
I miss Rick, and as the days go by, I’m beginning to think we’re done, no matter how much time I’m willing to give him.
Two weeks after New Year’s Day, I’m sitting at my desk, trying to work on an article, and I can’t type another word. My eyes are too blurry with tears, and instead of trying, I rest my head on my arms and let myself cry. It’s an indulgence I very rarely give myself. There’s no reason to cry. We didn’t work out, and I wouldn’t have told Talia I liked living in Old Harbor if it wasn’t true.
I’ve had too many changes and not enough time to work through them.
Someone opens the door to the bullpen, and I sit up and wipe my eyes. The door should have been locked, but Old Harbor isn’t like Cedar Hill, and I don’t feel like there’s danger lurking around every corner.
I should have known better.
This is danger of a different kind.
Rick meets my eyes from across the room. He’s dressed in his usual jeans and button-down shirt, a dressier wool jacket than the leather one I’m used to him wearing. His hair is longer, half his scar hidden by his beard.
He looks tired, but I don’t get up to go to him.
He says what’s a completely normal thing for him to say.
“What are you doing here?”