Page 14 of Stuck Together

“So, yesterday.” Derek took a bite of his sandwich, eyeing me the entire time. “Was that the first time you saw you since that night?”

“Yep.” I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed while Derek laughed. “Glad you think this is funny. Somehow I have to figure out how to close this client deal while maneuvering the awkwardness of being reacquainted with an ex-girlfriend.”

“And not just any ex-girlfriend. The one who took your virginity.” Derek grinned and shook his head.

This was a nightmare. I was good at compartmentalizing my feelings and work. I could do this. All I had to do was keep Madison at a distance and only talk about work. She was my past. What happened between us was a long time ago. Surely, she was over it. She had to be. Too much time had passed for her to still harbor ill will toward me.

Keep telling yourself that, fool.If I wasn’t over it, then chances were she wasn’t either. Dammit, this week was going to suck.

Chapter 5

Madison

Wednesday morning camefast, and I hardly had time to think about how I was going to handle this much time alone with Logan. Seeing him Monday brought back all the feelings and emotions I’d spent the last decade or more trying to suppress. Every ache I’d felt after he disappeared on me came back with a vengeance.

I kept telling myself, all I had to do was get through the next three days. If I could survive this trip alone with him, then working with him long term would be a piece of cake. Maybe if I said that lie enough, I’d finally believe it.

When I arrived at the office, Logan was waiting out front leaning against the car. I was five minutes early, yet he looked irritated in a way I’d expect him to look if I’d been late and holding him back.

“Good morning, Logan,” I said with a smile, determined to make this trip as pleasant as possible.

He didn’t say anything in response. He just nodded, popped the truck so I could stow my bags, and got in the car.

“So, no to a pleasant trip. Got it.” I said under my breath, then slipped into the passenger seat without another word.

We had been on the road for about thirty minutes when a light dusting of snow fell from the sky. We’d just left the densely populated city of New York and the ground was already turning white. While it was beautiful, and a part of me was ready for a good snow fall, the weather forecast said not to expect more than a light dusty. If the prediction were right, this would all be gone by tomorrow morning.

Logan still hadn’t said a word to me, and his silence made for an awkward car ride. With at least five more hours before we arrived at our destination, I wasn’t sure how much more of this silence I could endure. We were grown adults now. Despite our feelings about what happened, surely, we could put it behind us and work together.

Based on his response Monday and his silence now, he clearly didn’t want me working for him. I can't say I was exactly happy about it either, but a job is a job. Right?

Regardless, I needed this job. And despite him, I was grateful to have it. Not only did it mean I wouldn't have to move, but it also meant I didn’t have to start over. Getting a job as an advertising executive paid a lot more than a copywriter, and if I played my cards right, I’d be able to make up for the past six months and recoup most of my savings.

I needed to stay focused on the bigger picture and not let myself fixate on Logan or how hard this was on him. He made his bed and now he had to deal with it. I wasn’t the one who walked away. That was on him.

Plus, if the rumors I’d heard about him were true, I didn’t want anything to do with him anyway. Keeping him at a distance should be easy.