57. Chapter Fifty-Seven

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Beth

D ozens of ideas flow through my thoughts as I head the upstairs to Catherine's apartment. For the first time in ages, I feel energized by something other than a romantic interest. It's such a rush to really want to get to work on a project.

I fumble with my purse when I get to the door, dropping my key onto the floor.

"Damn," I murmur as I bend down to grab it.

So far, I've managed to keep it in the same pocket of my purse, so I've never lost it.

I'm careful to make sure I put it straight back there once I'm inside and the door is locked.

I zip that pocket and head toward the living room.

There's some kind of upbeat TV show blaring so I know Catherine's still in there.

She glances up from the couch. "You're home."

"You sound like you could use some junk food and aspirin."

"Ugh, don't tempt me," she mutters, laying her head back down and groaning.

There's a bottle of water on the floor next to the couch, but I'd bet anything she hasn't eaten yet.

I don't bother asking again, I just go into my room and come back out with a party bag of plain salted chips. I crack them open and put them in front of her.

"You have a hangover. Egg white omelette and fat free yogurt are not gonna help. You need salt and fats and actual food."

She frowns at me, but she hugs the giant back close and sits up slowly.

"I knew you'd be a bad influence."

"Hey, I brought you the least junky junk food I have."

She laughs and then grimaces. "My head is pounding."

"I'll get you some painkillers."

"I don't have any left," she admits.

"You've already had some?"

"No. I ran out on my last period. I just forgot until this morning."

"I have some," I tell her, opening my purse and digging around.

I find the half-full pack and pass it to her. "You can keep those. I have more in my backpack."

"Thanks," she mumbles.

I pick up her water and pass it to her when she's ready to take the pills.

"You'd make a good nurse."

I shake my head. "Are you kidding me? I'd never remember half the words for the medications and equipment they need to use."

"I meant you're a good sister," she clarifies. "Looking after me when I'm the one who's supposed to be looking after you."

"I'm fine," I tell her, feeling like I mean it this time.

I might have been covering up my pain with Gio to begin with, but I can see now that letting it out was what made me feel better. I shouldn't shut Catherine out of that. She was quick to say yes when I asked her for help, and she's been trying to get me to open up since I got here.

"I feel better after talking to my friends. I think it's what I needed. I know I shouldn't feel bad about myself for what happened," I admit. "I still kind of do, but not as much. I know it wasn't my fault."

"It wasn't," she confirms. "And I'm glad your friends helped you to see that."

"Me too. Do you need anything else?"

"I think I have everything I need," she says, smiling as she dips her hand into the chip bag.

"I'll be in my room studying."

"You're not thinking about going back to school?"

"Not yet. I just want to be prepared for when I do."

"Okay."

I leave her to nurse her hangover with my junk food, only feeling a little guilty that I didn't tell her the whole truth. I'll tell her once I know. Right now, I can barely make myself believe I have a check in my purse for a job I'm not qualified for, but that I'm insanely excited about.

It's not quite the same thing as building and running my own restaurant from the ground up, but it's close enough. Maybe helping other people do this stuff could become what I do for a living.

I'd probably need to switch to a business degree, and that would mean telling my parents.

The thought of that kills my enthusiasm, just a little.

I can imagine the looks on their faces.

There's no way in hell they'd support that idea.

I close my bedroom door and put my purse down on the bed.

Taking out my phone, I pick out some music and set it onto the speaker on the nightstand.

The check is sticking out of my purse now, and I realize I didn't even look when Gio gave me it.

I have no idea what he's paying me.

It doesn't matter, I decide as I shove the check back down into my purse.

I'm not even going to look at it until the work is done.

I move around the bed to where my college stuff is and I grab a notebook and pen out of my backpack, putting them on the bed while I haul out my laptop.

It's an older model, and heavy enough to be a pain in the ass.

I can't count the number of times I've dropped the damn thing.

Lucky for me, it's pretty much indestructible.

I give it a good tug and it comes out of the bag.

"Okay," I murmur as I put it down on the bed.

I've got my supplies. I just need to start organising my thoughts, researching as I go.

Smiling, I open the notepad, pick up the pen, and start writing down the stuff that's essential.

The sudden darkening of the room makes me pause.

I guess it must be late afternoon now, but it's still too early for the sun to be going down.

Turning to go back to the light switch, I catch sight of a dark shadow outside the window.

My heart leaps into my mouth.

What the hell was that?

I freeze in place, staring out there. The shadow isn't looming any longer, but I can see something, almost hidden from sight, like whatever just moved past is still out there.

"It's a bird, you freaking scaredy-cat," I mutter to myself as I move closer to the window.

I'm still a little shaky, but I'm determined to get rid of the feeling by seeing for myself that I got jumpy over nothing.

I push the drapes back farther and my breath catches in my throat.

It's not just a bird outside my window.

It's my ex-boyfriend.