“He should be. Aren’t you?”
“Of course I am. I know how bad he’s wanted this and for how long.”
“You just wish it were you?”
I sighed and turned around to check the toast. “It’s not that I wish it were me instead of him, I just wish I was in that position, too.”
“I know, Luce, but you’ll get there.”
I pushed my hair out of my face. “I just thought it would happen sooner rather than later, ya know?”
Fiona nodded.
“I was on track, too. Before all this shit happened with the salon.”
“It’s only a temporary setback,” she said. “As soon as we’re working again, we’ll start saving for our own place.”
I turned around and popped my toast, deciding to settle on slightly underdone to avoid more waste. Then I screwed the lid off the jar of peanut butter.
“Besides, Aiden doesn’t have the same challenges you do.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that he’s got the cash in hand,” she said.
I dipped the knife into the jar, reaching for the extra crunchy bits that were visible at the bottom.
“If he had to save up for his own place like you do, he probably wouldn’t be signing a lease yet.”
“I know.”
“That looks nice,” Fiona said, eyeing my peanut butter toast. “Will you chuck a slice in for me?”
“Sure.” I untwisted the bread. “One or two?”
“One, thanks.”
I dropped the toast in behind me and sat up on the counter. “Anyway, don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled for him. It’s just that when he told me, I felt a little sad, too.”
“Understandable,” she said, jumping up to sit on the counter across from me.
“Maybe even a tad jealous.”
“That’s normal,” she said. “It doesn’t make you a bad person.”
“I hope I can hide it though, ya know? When he shows me his new office this weekend, I just want to put all of that stuff out of my mind and be happy for him because he deserves my support.”
“It’ll be fine.”
I took a bite of my toast, feeling lifted as soon as the sugar hit my tongue.
“Plus,” she said. “Someday when it’s time for you to open your own place, he’ll be there to support you.”
“I hope so.”
“He will be.”
“If we’re still together.”