“A year I’ll never get back. I’m not giving Evan the satisfaction by putting his company down on my resume. I don’t want anyone calling him for a reference or to confirm my employment.”

“Where I come from, that's called cutting off your nose to spite your face.”

“Ew.” I leaned back in my seat and took a breath.

Sensing my anxiety growing, Bells switched gears. “But the nightlife… and living on Park Avenue, that must have been amazing.”

I smiled at her efforts, already feeling more at home, knowing that at some point, I was going to have to call my father to let him know I was back in Boston. It wasn’t pressing—he and his wife, Bonnie, began traveling sometime after I entered my junior year. Both were retired realtors, who now wanted to focus on property investments. After I’d gone to New York, dad rented out the house since none of us were ever in town anymore.

“It was. And I enjoyed it. But the best option for me now is to finish my degree at Boston U and figure things out from there.”

“Well, we can start with takeout Thai food tonight… a bottle of merlot and a night of pouring your heart out.”

“That sounds amazing.”

***

Before the week was even over, I exhausted any and all energy I had left. And it was only Thursday. My only solace was that there would be no last-minute business dinner or event Evan would be dragging me to.

That was all over. I was free to do what I wanted—be it everything or nothing.

But even now, between racing back and forth on campus trying to get re-enrolled and apartment and job hunting, with the immense pressure of finding both soon, I was starting to second guess my rash decision of leaving Evan.

And that was sad.

I sank onto Bella’s sofa, which had been my bed for the past three nights. “How am I supposed to enroll in classes if I don’t know what work schedule I’ll have?”

“I don’t know how you’re going to do it. I mean having a side job in college is normal, but you’re going to have rent and tuition to cover. You need something no less than full time and decent pay.” Bells called back from the kitchen just a few feet away.

“Luckily, I have a year’s business management experience. I can figure this out.” I plastered a smile on my face, trying to keep myself from losing it.

Her expression brightened. “Well, while you’re figuring that out, I think I might have like—amazing news. But we need to act fast if you’re interested because once word gets out, there is going to be a line a mile long.”

I shook my head, hating when I got the after-details first. “What is it?”