Chapter 87

I put the key in the lock of my apartment and turned it as relief swept through me. Pushing the pile of mail on the inside of the door out of the way, I walked in and flicked on a light.

The apartment was exactly the way I'd left it, with one exception. It smelled like yummy food, and someone was clattering in my kitchen.

A second later, Kit appeared, coming around the corner so she could see the door. She had a spoon in her hand.

"Good timing," she said. "I made us both some dinner. Put your stuff down and come to the table."

I could have cried again, the relief and gratitude I felt almost overwhelming. Instead, I did as she had suggested, noticing she'd made a large stew and there was something baking in the oven, too. Something chocolaty and divine-smelling.

"You are the world's best friend," I declared as I sat down, and she put a bowl in front of me.

"Yes, but you've been through hell by the sounds of it, and we all agreed you couldn't come home to an empty flat after everything else. I've also got tomorrow off. Happy to come shopping with you if you need to replace a bunch of stuff."

I nodded and took the first spoonful of food, burning my mouth. It tasted good, and for a few minutes, we focused on eating while I made a list of items I was going to need to buy the following day.

I'd already grabbed a new phone, but I needed to look at my contract and see if the phone insurance would cover a better one. I also needed a new toothbrush and a few other basics. And I was going to need more clothes.

As I thought about the credit card bill I currently had, I let out an exasperated sigh. I was going to have to spend more money again, and I would have very little to show for it.

"Want to talk about it?" Kit asked a moment later before going to the oven to check on the contents.

I got a peek at the chocolate muffins in there before she decided to give them a little longer. It gave me time to think about her question, and by the time she'd sat down again I knew I did. Over the last week or so the biggest problem had been that my usual friends, the people I already trusted completely, hadn't been there.

Alma and Kai had both been lovely to me, but it wasn't the same as sitting down with your best friend and talking over all your fears, worries, hopes, and the things you wished you'd said and done.

As we cleaned up, I began my tale, telling her everything and holding nothing back. It took the best part of an hour, the muffins finished and two of them eaten long before I was done. Kit was the perfect listener, sitting with me and only occasionally asking a question to understand what had happened.

"No wonder you feel so emotional," she said when I was done. "That's several adventures rolled into one. Are you sure you don't want to be with him anymore, though, Juno? It sounds like you really care about him."

Biting down on my lip, I tried to decide if I could tell Kit everything that had happened with Greg and why I truly didn't feel ready to trust Jack. I wasn't ready. At all.

"Too soon," was the only answer I could give. It was too soon.

Kit stayed with me only long enough for us to finish cleaning and put the leftover stew in pots. She took one home for her the following day, and then I made my way to my bedroom to sleep.

Before I could do so, a call came on my temporary phone. Recognizing my agent's number, I picked up again.

"Before you ask, I'm home. I'm safe, and my best friend's just made me dinner and chocolate muffins, so I'm also in a good mood," I said.

Harry laughed, not saying anything else.

"Well, I hopefully have more to put you in a good mood. The contract is all done and signed. Thank you for adding your signature somewhere over the Atlantic. And I've got some interview requests for you. The band asked if you'd help promote the single over the main release period."

I bit my lip, already feeling fear tighten my throat. Would Jack be there?

"There's only one where the band will actually be performing. Figured you wouldn't want to actually see the band much. The rest want to talk more in general about your writing. Now that you've been seen with Jack and you've got attention in the US, I think you should do them all."

"You'd think I should do them all anyway," I replied.

"Yes, I suppose that's true, my dear, but my point still stands. You should do them."

I chuckled at Harry's insistence that the interviews were good for me. Thinking back to the last TV interview I did, part of me wanted to say no anyway, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Send the schedule to my email, and I'll take a look at it and make sure I can fit them in."

"Good. I'll say yes to them all provisionally," Harry replied, hanging up before I could request that he didn't.

I swore and went to fetch my laptop. If I was already going to be accepting these interviews, even if only a tentative acceptance via my agent, I needed to quickly make sure it was possible.

It took me a while to open my email system and find the attachment, but it wasn't as bad as I feared. They were all in a short window, four weeks from now.

A few mentioned the band, but one said it would just be Kai, and the other Harry had technically warned me about. I wasn't sure about approving it at first, but after a few minutes, I decided I'd be brave. I blocked off the time in my calendar and then put the laptop aside again.

It was in four weeks' time. That was enough time to heal my heart a little and move on. After all, I'd barely even known Jack more than two weeks. Anything could happen in another four.

But despite these assurances in my head, I had the sinking feeling it wasn't going to be that easy. It was a goal now—to spend four weeks doing anything but think of Jack. To focus on the rest of my life. And in about a month's time I'd know how successful I was.