Chapter Five

By Monday, Amy’s lack of response had become a source of great agitation. Why hadn’t she called him back or texted, even if it was to say ‘Thanks, but no thanks’? Had she even gotten the message? Or had she heard and deleted it, wanting no more to do with him after his insensitive comments?

The hell with it, he thought as he made a decision, turning right instead of left on his way to the office. He cruised around the block several times, debating the pros and cons before he actually pulled into the lot.

It wasn’t Amy who was pouring out coffee, serving pastries, and ringing up sales, but a plump older woman whose fiery red hair was streaked with gray. The place was packed with local business people dressed in suits, as well as a couple of blue-collar types, grabbing their morning caffeine and sugar fixes before heading off to work.

“What can I get for you, hon?” she asked when he took a seat at the counter. Her nametag read “Peggy”.

“Coffee, black.”

“For here or to go?”

“That depends. Is Amy around?”

The older woman looked him up and down, then smiled. “That depends. Who’s asking?”

“Jamie. McCullough. Jamie McCullough.”

For a brief instant, her eyes widened almost unperceptively before she nodded and turned away. He wasn’t exactly sure what to make of that, but when she returned a moment later with a takeout cup and lid, he got it.

Or thought he had.

“It’s on the house. And she’s in the back,” the woman told him, handing him the cup and winking.

Unsure what to expect, he took his cup toward the back room, stuffing the five bucks he had out to pay for his coffee in the donation jar for the local no-kill animal shelter instead. Maybe he’d get himself a dog for companionship. They were supposed to be loyal and loving, right? He made a mental note to check out the condo’s policies on that when he got home later that night.

As he entered the back room – the same one in which he’d done inventory – Amy was leaning over the large, plank-top “desk”, comparing the contents of the two papers she held, one in each hand. When she glanced up, she self-consciously tugged off the half-moon reading glasses perched on the end of her nose. He almost wished she hadn’t because they were cute in a naughty librarian kind of way.

“Jamie.”

“Amy.”

It struck him then, how their names were so similar. She must have realized it too because the corners of her lips quirked a little. She straightened to standing, rolling her shoulders in a stretch. He wondered how long she’d been at it. Though it was still early in the day, she looked tired.

He walked farther into the room, noting the pile of collapsed boxes, the wheeled carts with piles of books, organized by section, and the stacks of boxes yet to be opened.

“How long have you been up?” he asked.

“A while,” she said vaguely. “What’s up? Is everything okay?”

“I’m not sure. Did you get my voicemail?”

A hesitation before she said, “Yes.”

“You didn’t return my call.”

“No, I didn’t,” she confirmed.

Disappointment surged, but he pressed on. “May I ask why?”

She shifted her weight and looked down at the papers as if weighing her next words carefully. “You can, but I’m not sure you’ll like the answer.”

Well, that didn’t sound promising. He was half-tempted to just agree with her and leave it at that, but a more insistent part of him -—the part that had him checking his phone every couple of hours for the past week -—wanted an answer. “Try me.”

“I like you, Jamie.” Here it comes, he thought, inwardly preparing himself for another ego-crushing blow. But several seconds later she hadn’t said anything more.

“But?” he prompted.

She shrugged. “There’s no but. I like you.”

“You like me, and that’s why you didn’t return my call?”

“Exactly.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just not getting it.”

Amy exhaled heavily. “I like you, Jamie. As in like you, like you. The timing sucks, I know. You’ve had a rough couple of weeks, and I get that, but... I don’t want to be just a rebound, you know? I mean, if you want to talk or something, I’m here for you. I’m a good listener, and I can do the friend zone thing. But going to the movies again, that’s too much like a date.”

“Oh, I see,” he said, but he wasn’t sure he saw at all.

She shifted again, biting her lip. “So... yeah. I’m sorry I didn’t call you back. I just didn’t know how to explain that.”

“You did a pretty good job just now.”

She laughed a little, blushing. “Clearly I perform better when put on the spot. Clutch player, remember?”

He smiled at that. “Well, thanks for being honest.”

“I don’t know how to be any other way.”

Jamie looked at his watch, frowning when he saw the time. “I’ve got to get to work.”

She nodded, but her eyes held a note of sadness. “Have a nice day, Jamie.”

“You, too, Amy.”