34 Molly This had to be the longest work shift ever. I had so many strong emotions churning through my system and this bar and grill was the last place I wanted to be. Finally, Avery arrived and hurried over to me. “Is something wrong? Your text sounded urgent.” “No, not really. I just need to talk to you.” I led her to an empty table in the back where we could have a bit of privacy. Once we were seated, I said, “I hope I didn’t pull you away from anything important.” “Of course not. I never do anything important anymore,” Avery answered flippantly. I gave her a warm smile. She was struggling with her current situation, and I wanted to help her feel better about herself, but right now, I needed the focus to be on me. “What’s up?” she asked, giving me her full attention. I leaned i

