Someone Else's Secret: A Novel by Julia Spiro

Author:Julia Spiro [Spiro, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-30T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

GEORGIE

Georgie relived the moment in the kitchen with Brian again and again. She was distracted at work all week, moving slower than she usually did, her head in the clouds, daydreaming. She kept waiting for him to come into the café or to see him at the club, but a few days passed, and she didn’t see him. She was working in the back office one day and came out for a quick break when Emma breezed by her.

“You just missed your boyfriend, Briiiiaaan,” she said with a smile. Georgie deflated. She was always so unlucky. Why hadn’t he asked for her this time? she wondered. “He was with that blonde girlfriend of his,” Emma added, as though she’d read her mind.

Even Lucy noticed that she wasn’t focused at work.

“Whatever’s got you down, kid, cheer up,” she said later that afternoon. Georgie was embarrassed. She hadn’t wanted anyone to feel sorry for her or for it to be so obvious that she was upset. But she was. Her pining for Brian had only expanded. He was all she thought about.

“Thanks,” she said to Lucy. “Sorry, I’m fine.”

Lucy cocked her head and gave her a look as if to say, You’re not fooling me. She had a way of doing that with all her employees: knowing them without really knowing them.

“Let me guess,” Lucy said. “Boy troubles?”

Georgie considered a response. She felt that she could tell Lucy.

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I think I’m in love with this guy, and I’m not sure he loves me.” The words poured out of her, and it felt good. She’d finally said it. And when she did, she knew that she meant it. Her feelings for Brian were real.

“Oh, sweetie,” Lucy said, sitting on the corner of her desk. Georgie was on the floor sifting through another box of papers. “Nothing hurts as bad as love. Trust me, I know. Which is why you should avoid it completely. It’s never worth it.” She patted Georgie on the shoulder and left her alone in the office.

It wasn’t the response that Georgie had hoped for, not even close. Sometimes she felt like all the adults in her life discouraged her from pursuing the things that excited her most. Why was everyone so scared of love? They were all wrong, she thought.

A little while later, just as she was about to head home for the day, Emma popped into the office.

“Patio time,” she said, waving her hands, her fingers splayed. “Come on!”

Georgie walked with her to the back patio, where the staff were all camped out, drinking beers. “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga played through a portable speaker.

She sat next to Emma and Vera at the table. Someone slid her a beer. It was the same dark-brown kind she’d had last time. She still didn’t like it, but now she knew what to expect.

“Okay, G.” Vera leaned in. Georgie liked it when Vera called her that. “Tell us what’s got you so down.” Francesca pulled up a chair. They all wanted to listen; they all wanted to help.

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