It's a Waverly Life Read Online Free PDF Page B

was a popular burger place called the Vortex Bar and Grill. The entrance is literally a giant skull, and the restaurant’s slogan is “Because it’s not too late to start wasting your life.” We even came across a couple tattoo parlors along the way. (Jake suggested I get my name inked across the back of my neck.)
    McKenna took a sip of her Diet Coke. “So how did you leave it? When’s the next chapter of this budding romance going to take place?”
    Andie nodded. “Inquiring minds want to know.”
    I bit my lip. “I’m not sure. He has a crazy schedule with the NBA season in full swing, and I’m not exactly flush with cash these days to go flying all over the place. But when he kissed me goodbye, it definitely didn’t feel like the end, for either of us. We just never quite defined the terms.”
    “You didn’t talk about it?” McKenna said.
    I shook my head. “Honestly now, I have no idea what to expect.”
    “Did he bring it up?” Andie said.
    “I think he started to on Saturday morning, but I changed the subject.”
    McKenna looked up from her plate. “Why?”
    I picked at my salad. “Because…I saw a picture of him with another girl.”
    They both raised their eyebrows.
    “It was framed, on the mantel in his living room. And it was recent .”
    “Not his sister?” Andie said.
    “I don’t think so.”
    “Cousin?” McKenna said.
    “I doubt it. She had her hand on his arm.”
    “Hmm…” Andie said.
    “Exactly.”
    “Hmm…” McKenna said.
    “Andie already said that.”
    She laughed. “I know, just processing. You didn’t ask who it was?”
    “I was too scared of what the answer might be.”
    McKenna frowned. “Waverly, we’ve already talked about this. You can’t let fear stop you from getting close to him.”
    “I know, I know. And we did talk about some personal stuff, so I’m making progress. I think that was just a minor setback in an otherwise great weekend.”
    “So he knows you really like him?” Andie said.
    “I think so.”
    McKenna narrowed her eyes. “Did you tell him so?”
    “I may not have used those exact words, but I’m pretty sure he knows. I mean, he must know, right?”
    She shook her head. “You’d better make really sure he knows, Wave. I know you think of him as some sort of superhero, but he’s not a mind reader. Guys never are, even the smart ones.”
    I picked up my phone to check the time. “Oh man, I’ve gotta run. I need to be at a meeting in fifteen minutes.”
    Andie waved a hand in the air. “No problem. You don’t have to be here for us to keep talking about you. Scoot.”
    I stood up and gave them each a quick hug, then bolted out the door.

     
    I was conflicted about my new life as a freelancer. On the one hand, visiting the San Francisco Sun reminded me of how trapped I had felt when I had a regular job. I hated getting up early, especially on Mondays, and I could never take a nap in the middle of the day (one of my secret all-time favorite activities). But Jake had been right to suspect that a small part of me missed my former agency. Wandering the busy floors of the Sun made me nostalgic for the structure of an office, the camaraderie of being part of a team, the pride in leading a team. Plus I hadn’t realized how much I’d miss the simple daily interaction with other human beings. It had only been a few months, and I was already contemplating getting a cat just to have someone to talk to. Yikes. So I was grateful for the Wednesday afternoon staff meeting at the Sun . It wasn’t entirely necessary for me to attend, given that my column had nothing to do with news, but I wanted to make a good impression, and no one seemed to mind when I showed up every now and then.
    “Hey, Waverly, how’s it going?” Ivy looked up as I approached her desk. “Got bored at home?”
    I crossed my arms and leaned over the low wall of her cube. “Exactly. What’s new?”
    She patted a huge stack of forms on her desk. “You’re looking at it.