Just Yesterday Read Online Free PDF Page A

leaving advertising.”
    “I did it.” I nod, feeling both proud and foolish at the same time. “I quit.”
    She stares at me, brown eyes wide. “You quit?” I can tell that she is struggling with how to react.
    Grace is, after all, a very practical person. “Are you working? Do you have another job?” “Kind of.”
    The look on her face tells me she thinks I’m crazy.
    “I’m freelancing right now. Photo shoots. Print ads. That sort of thing. I did an assignment last month for a local magazine that I’m hoping will pan out.”
    She continues to stare, not quite getting it. “Isn’t that what you were doing at the advertising agency?”
    I nod and try to explain. “Yes and no. I just got tired of being on someone else’s clock and working on assignments that someone else wanted me to do.” I shrug. “So I quit.” My voice sounds nonchalant as I speak, hiding the fact that I’d agonized for months before finally gaining the courage to step out on my own.
    “So what does Joanna think about it?”
    I’m impressed that she remembers Joanna’s name. “She’s very supportive.”
    Grace nods slowly, her smile unwavering, not quite reaching her eyes. I am beginning to feel like she is just going through the motions, asking the polite questions. “And how’s that going? You and Joanna.”
    I smile, uncertain how to reply. How honest did I want to be? “Good,” I finally say. “I’m very fortuŹnate. We just celebrated our ten-year anniversary.”
    Her face falls, momentarily wistful. “Wow. That’s incredible, Liz. Congratulations.” Her expression is earnest. “Really. That’s great.” The soft huskiness of her voice begins stirring memories.
    I am surprised by the depth of her sincerity and have mixed emotions. I had expected to feel a certain triumph in being able to tell her that I was in a long-term relationship. Instead I feel hollow. I suddenly want to tell her the truth. That the relationship has been over for three years. That we just decided to split up. But I bite my tongue. Grace isn’t a best friend with whom I can talk and share my deepest feelings. She is an ex-lover. For whom even today I still have feelings. Pride will never let me tell her the truth.
    “Thanks.” I mumble the word uncomfortably. “What about you? Are you still with —” Damn! I’d forgotten her name!
    “Dana,” she supplies the name smoothly. “No. Not really.” She shrugs her shoulders, suddenly far away. “We don’t really see each other much anymore. She has her work. I have mine…” She lets the sentence drift off, and I find myself surprised by her honesty.
    The waitress comes by, interrupting again and asking Grace if she needs anything else. “Just the check, please.” Grace smiles sweetly, her business voice trilling.
    I wait until the waitress is out of earshot before cocking my head to one side and grinning. “They treat you like royalty here. Do you come here every day or something?”
    Her cheeks grow a light shade of crimson, and her lashes drift downward. “I guess. Something like that.” Her smile is nearly bashful, and for a brief instant I am reminded of the Grace of fifteen years ago. The one who looked at me so shyly and without guile. She’d been so innocent back then.
    The spell is broken as she glances at her watch and nearly jumps out of her seat. “Damn. I’m running late.” Her brow furrows. “I hate to do this, but I have to go.”
    I stand up just in time to receive her hug. “I’m really sorry. Do you mind picking this up? Next time we’ll have dinner on me, okay?” Her smile is brilliant as she steps away briskly.
    A moment later she is gone, the sound of her heels on the tiled flooring echoing in my ears. I fight the urge to run after her and ask when I’ll be able to collect that dinner. Foolishly, I want something concrete. Something to hold on to.
    As I drive back to the hotel, I feel my emotions swinging back and forth. It was so good to see Grace, and