Sour

by Jennifer Woodhull

  With the beginnings of a plan in my head, I finally drift off to sleep.

  L

  The next morning, I’ve got a spring in my step when I get out of the shower. I throw my stuff in my bag and get showered. As I’m pulling a polo shirt on, I hear my phone buzz.

  Jordan.

  He never calls me on the weekend, so I answer.

  “Noah, I’m glad I caught you. Are you back in Charlotte, yet?”

  “No, I took a couple of extra days, remember? I’m in Vegas—heading back this afternoon so I can be back at the office tomorrow morning, though. What’s up?”

  He tells me that Grandma Peterson, the woman I spent so much time courting to carry our products and who I thought was totally on board, is also being pitched by our biggest competitor, Loggerhead.

  “She liked the product lines, and she liked us. I think we can beat them out.”

  “Well, I’m glad you’re confident and I hope you’re ready. Loggerhead is meeting with her Tuesday. Her office has given us a two-hour window tomorrow morning to pitch, on-site at their headquarters in Atlanta. I need you to get down there and beg, cajole, deal, and charm until we get that account.”

  Fuck!

  That means I’ll have to head to Atlanta and leave Elle to head back to Charlotte alone. It’s not an ideal scenario, given how we left things last night.

  “Noah, are you still there?”

  “Yes, I’m here. Sorry. I can change my ticket—head to Atlanta this afternoon.”

  “Good man. I’m sending the margins over. I’m counting on you to make this happen. Don’t let me down.”

  I hang up, toss the phone onto the bed and rub my palms down my face.

  I decide I’ll start some coffee and go in to talk to Elle. We can still have brunch and maybe talk about taking things slow—whatever would make her more comfortable.

  I walk into the living room and when I reach for a coffee pod, I see a piece of folded paper on the coffee machine. It’s one of the hotel note cards, and my name is written on the outside of the fold.

  When I read it, my heart starts to pound, and my throat feels tight. I clench the note in my fist and go to Elle’s door. I don’t knock, I just fling it open. The bed is unmade, and the closet is standing open. When I walk into the bathroom, her makeup bag is missing. Her suitcase, like her, is nowhere in sight.

  I smooth out the note, and read it again, but this time, the words are blurry. I sit on the edge of the bed where Elle slept the night before and lean back. I catch a whiff of her pillow and my throat burns.

  I’m alone and the woman I love is gone.

  Chapter 25

  Elle

  Nervous doesn’t begin to cover what I’m feeling when I walk through the airport to the airline lounge where Ian asked me to meet him.

  I left Noah a note to let him know I was taking the earlier flight. I told him I needed some space to clear my head, but really, I wanted to be able to talk to Ian without chickening out. When I called him this morning and told him that I’d thought about our conversation from the night before, he was thrilled. He had to go to the airport early for his international flight, so I told him I’d just meet him when I got here.

  “There she is, looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as ever! Come on in, let’s have an old chin-wag, shall we?”

  When we sit down, I tell him what I’ve been thinking about.

  “Like I said last night, Elle. I’d love to bring you on as Executive Director of Marketing, I’ll double what Sean’s paying you, and I’ll pay all your expenses to get to Sydney. You’d have a team of six people to start, and if you need more, we can look at that—whatever you need to make big things happen.”

  “It’s an incredibly generous offer. I’d be an idiot not to take you up on it.”

  “Totally agree, ay. So, why aren’t we shaking on it? What’s holding you back?” He looks down to the table, where I’m mindlessly folding the corner of my napkin.

  “The fella that was with you this week, Noah, was it? Is he the reason you’re not all over the chance for more money, a bigger title and the chance to come to work for a charming, handsome fella like me?” He leans one forearm onto the table and cocks up his eyebrow and I can’t help but laugh.

  “Something like that.” I shake my head.

  “Tell you what, then. Come work for me, and we’ll call it a trial period if that makes you feel better. If you want to come back to the States, good on ya and we’ll part friends. I’m going to do my best, though, to entice you to stay. What do ya say to that, ay?”

  I look down at my hands again, then meet Ian’s eye. I take a deep breath and hold my right hand out. “I say, when do I start?”

  I’m nervous, but at the same time, I feel less anxious than I have since the shock and awe of Noah’s proposal.

  He’ll be home later this evening. That gives me plenty of time to plan out what I want to say.

  L

  Back at home, I head over to my parents’ house to break the news to them that their daughter is moving literally halfway around the world.

  When I pull up, Andy is getting out of his car with a bagful of groceries. “What’s up? I thought you wouldn’t be home until late.” He deposits a kiss on my cheek as I take one of the grocery bags from him and carry it inside.

  “Took an earlier flight. Lots to do this week.”

  He looks around me and his brow furrows. “Where’s Noah?”

  “He’s coming back later.” My heart pangs at the mention of his name.

  Andy looks down at my hand where I’m carrying the bag of groceries and grins. “So, you said yes? That’s great news, Elle! Mom and Dad are going to go nuts! Congratulations!”

  I stop dead in my tracks and look up at my little brother. “You knew? How?!”

  “Oh, well…,” he scans the space above his head looking for a lie but can’t seem to find one. “Look, Elle, Noah has talked to me a little. He was nervous, but he really does love you. I’m glad you two are finally together.”

  “We’re not.”

  “Huh? But, the…,” he points to the ring.

  “No, I told him I needed some time to think about it. The whole thing is weird, and if we get together, it would just be a passing thing. We’d have an expiration date, Andy, and if we got together, if I got to experience really being with him, and we broke up, I don’t think I’d survive.”

  “How’d he take it?”

  “Well, we still have some talking to do, but he’ll get it.” It’s a lie. Noah, the eternal optimist that he is, seems sure I’ll see things his way.

  “So that’s what you’re here to tell Mom and Dad?” Andy opens the front door and we walk through to the kitchen.

  “Not exactly.”

  Mom is sitting on a kitchen stool, looking through recipes on her iPad when I walk in. I reach up to hug her and when she kisses my cheek, I lose it.

  “Elle? What’s wrong, honey? Tell Mama all about it.” She gives me a swift tug and pulls me onto her lap, which she can still do despite the fact that I’m twenty-seven, because I’m a miniature person and she’s a giant.

  I keep my arms around her and bury my face into the side of her neck. The smoky floral scent of the perfume she’s worn all my life, Chloe, hits my senses and suddenly I’m seven years old, crying on her lap after the popular girls at school called me Strawberry Shortcake.

  “Adulting is so hard, Mom. Why does everything have to be so complicated?”

  “Well, honey, bigger risks mean bigger rewards. When you’re young, it’s choosing between a concert and a party. As you get older, well, shit gets real.” She squeezes me and I laugh.

  “Have you done one of those professional psych evals lately? You might be overdue.” I kiss her on the cheek and hop down to start putting the groceries away.

  “Oh, I haven’t had one of those in ages.” She chuckles.

  As I’m folding up the reusable grocery bag, M
om looks at me and exclaims. “Ariel! Is that an engagement ring?”

  I look down at my left hand and my mouth gapes open.

  Damn this thing is hard to get used to. I’ve forgotten I’ve had it on like twenty times in the past twelve hours.

  “Oh, no, Mom, seriously, it’s not what you think. I got it in Vegas.”

  “You got engaged in Vegas?!” She runs around the counter to grab my hand, and this second exclamation has brought my dad out of his den.

  “What are you yelling about?” My dad looks from mom to me and back.

  “Honey! Elle got engaged! Look!” My mom thrusts my hand up in the air with vigor that would make Katniss Everdeen volunteering as tribute pale by comparison.

  “No, no, no!” I shake my head and wrench my hand away from Mom’s. “I told you, it’s not…it’s a fake.” That’s not a total lie. Noah may think he wants to marry me, but I know that it’s just some weird moment he’s having, like a third-life-crisis or something.

  “Why are you wearing a fake engagement ring? Is someone bothering you? Because if they are…,” my dad’s face is full of concern.

  I step forward and hug him. “No, Dad. Not at all. It’s from our trip to Vegas for work. Look, that’s not what I’m here to talk about.”

  A little while later, I’m sitting at the dinner table with my family, explaining the job offer. I drag a butter cracker through Mom’s famous spinach dip from the platter in the center of the table and take a bite.

  “So, when do you two kids leave?” Mom asks as she follows my lead, picking up a cracker.

  Her question stops me mid-chew. “What do you mean, ‘you two kids’? I’m just one person.”

  “Oh. I just assumed that Noah would be going with you,” she shrugs as she looks at Dad who’s nodding in agreement.

  “No. In fact he doesn’t know yet. I’ll tell him when he gets home later.” The fact that my mom and dad exchange a look doesn’t escape my notice.

  Andy verbalizes their concern. “Elle, I don’t think he’s going to take that very well. You guys have spent every day together for years. When he finds out he’s losing you,” Andy holds my gaze and narrows his eyes. “He’ll be crushed.”

  Mom and Dad agree, and I explain, because apparently an explanation is necessary, that I need to do what’s best for my career.

  “Well, sweetie, I’m not going to lie, it’ll be strange having you so far away.” Dad shakes his head and cleans his glasses. “I can’t say I’ll like that, but it’s an amazing opportunity, so of course we support you. Who knows? Maybe we’ll do our next vacation down under.”

  I stand and walk around the table, wrapping my arms around my dad, then my mom and brother get in on the act. My family may be a little over-the-top, but I love our crazy little clan.

  L

  Back home, I type up my letter of resignation and wait for Noah to text me that he’s back. When it’s finally time for his flight to have gotten in, I grab my phone to call and see if I can come by and instead see I have a missed text.

  NOAH: Jordan called. I had to fly to Atlanta to save the Peterson deal. I’ll probably be here through Tuesday. Hate it. Was hoping we could talk some more.

  I pick up my phone and pace back and forth across the living room. Part of me just wants to call him and tell him everything. Another part wants to call Ian and call the whole thing off. I also consider running away to join the circus, or possibly the French Foreign Legion. It’s still a thing—I looked it up.

  I’ve never been so torn, confused, or afraid the decision I was making was the completely wrong one as I am right now.

  Finally, I must the courage to reply.

  ME: I was hoping we could talk too, but it can wait until you get back. You just focus on charming Grandma Peterson.

  NOAH: I can’t wait to get home. Miss you already.

  His words make my heart ache. He’s the person I run to when I’m feeling lost, but now, he’s the person that’s at the center of all my uncertainty.

  I reply that I miss him too, and we’ll talk when he gets back.

  I lay in my bed for about an hour before I give in to the idea that sleep just won’t come. I relent, get up and start pulling clothes out of my closet that I plan on packing for my trip in a couple of weeks. Mom said she’ll keep an eye on my place until I can figure out just what the hell I’m doing.

  I realize as I’m packing that Australia is literally across the world and I have no idea what season it even is there. A quick search online tells me that it’s Spring there now. In September. I put the sweaters and heavy coat back where I found them and pull my cotton dresses and light tops to the front of the closet. I wonder if they’ll sell my brand of toothpaste there, or if I need to stock up on the deodorant I like. My online search also tells me there are bugs there that are easily as big as I am, if not bigger. Many of them can kill you. Lovely. So, should I take bug spray, or buy some there? My pale skin is not made for sunshine, so I should definitely take as much of my favorite sunscreen as I can carry.

  Sunscreen.

  I’m reminded of Noah putting sunscreen on for me before the pool party at the hotel, the same party where I met Ian. Thoughts of Noah gliding his hands across my skin remind of the night we played truth or dare; the night we kissed…and a whole lot more. He used more than his hands on my skin that night. He was so attentive, so sweet, so…loving. I could have all of that, for a while, anyway.

  Eventually, though, it would all come to an end.

  This plan is much safer. I just need a little distance. Noah will get this out of his system, and we can go back to the way things were—the way things ought to be.

  Chapter 26

  Noah

  I’m working on one of the biggest deals of my career. As excited as I am about landing the biggest shark in our business, Grandma Peterson, it’s taking everything I’ve got to stay focused.

  I was supposed to be back in Charlotte on Tuesday night. After the Peterson team talked to us, the team from Loggerhead sweetened the deal. They agreed to let us pitch a counter-offer on Wednesday afternoon, which will put me home on Thursday.

  I’ve exchanged text messages with Elle, but we’ve missed each other every time we’ve tried to talk on the phone. She wanted to come over when I got back, so we could hang out and I said yes faster than she could even get the words out. That all got pushed back thanks to work, and now I’m counting every second until I can lay my eyes on my girl again.

  Somehow, I make it through the second-round pitch. All this pent-up sexual frustration I’m feeling from having been so close to finally being with Elle the way I want to must be working to my advantage. In the last meeting, I charmed, even flirted a little, and made them an exclusive product and pricing offer they couldn’t refuse. I walked out of the Atlanta headquarters with a three-year, multi-million dollar contract that I’m pretty sure gave Jordan wood when I called to tell him about it.

  On Thursday morning, I’m on my way to the airport, flipping through my email from the back of an Uber when I see a message from our human resources portal notifying me that one of the managers on my team has applied for a new position. I’m not surprised. Debbie and I have talked about her career ambition, and when she made it clear she wanted to move to something with a bigger title and higher pay, I agreed to help her any way I could. When I click on the link, though, I’m surprised to find that the HR department has made an enormous mistake, because the job that Debbie applied for is currently occupied by the one and only, Ariel Bailey.

  From the boarding area, just before they call my flight, I check my watch and Debbie should be in the office, so I dial her desk phone.

  “Hi, boss. Heard you crushed it in Atlanta. Congratulations!” Her chipper tone makes me feel even worse because I’m about to explain that the job, or at least the title and description, were a fuck-up and disappoint the shit out of her. My boarding group is called, so I pause the conversation to use the pass
on my phone before continuing down the jetway and finding my seat.

  “Thanks. So, listen, I saw you applied for an open role. Bad news about that, I’m afraid. It’s a mistake. I’m not sure what job is supposed to be open, but the one you submitted for is definitely not available—it’s Elle’s job.” The silence is beyond awkward on the other end of the phone and I hope to God she’s not about to cry. “Deb, you okay?”

  Her tone is tentative when she finally responds. “Yeah, it’s just…well, I thought of anyone you would know already.”

  “Know what, exactly?”

  “About Elle…ya know, her job and all.”

  “Debbie, you’re not making sense. Explain yourself.” I’m trying not to be impatient, but between the sleepless nights, the stress of this week’s pitch, and being away from Elle, my fuse is shorter than usual.

  “She left. I thought she’d stay on for a couple of weeks, but I guess the new company wanted her as quick as possible and Donovan was okay with it, so…,” she trails off.

  A sudden twinge of pain stabs at my left temple as her words sink in.

  “What do you mean she left? Left where? What new company? What the hell is going on?”

  “I heard she took some job out of the country. She’s gone, Noah.”

  My pulse is pounding in my temples, now, and I’m sure everyone around me can hear it as it thumps out of control.

  “What do you mean, gone? Gone how?”

  “She left the company…the country, too, I guess. I heard she went to work for some foreign department store.” Debbie keeps talking but I can’t understand a word coming out of her mouth.

  After half-listening to her for a few minutes, I blurt out, “I have to go. Talk tomorrow.”

  I end the call and immediately dial Elle’s cell phone. It rings three times, then four, then voicemail. I hit the red circle without leaving a message. Instead, I send her a text. As I start to type, it all sinks in. My throat clenches, hot and dry as I type.