Run, Girl (If You Can)

Chapter 145: Business Trips

Keeley was surprised that Aaron didn\'t try to spend more time with her over Christmas break since it was the best time to hang out with her until she got a week off of school in March. He actually turned her down when she asked to come over and use his TV, saying he was swamped with work.

She wasn\'t upset about it but she had to wonder what was going on. Aaron always made time for her. What was so important about this particular work project?

He still texted her every day in brief snatches but it wasn\'t the same. Valentina was still out of the country and once Jennica got back from spending Christmas with Cameron\'s family, they only seemed to grow closer. She spent half of her nights at his place and was consumed with preparing for her auditions.

Drowning in boredom, Keeley ended up hanging out with Ryan most days after he got off work. They played board and card games, went to the movies, went bowling, and got dinner in the week and a half before school started again.

Aaron\'s busyness continued throughout January; she didn\'t see him at all until he invited her to dinner after getting back from yet another business trip at the beginning of February.

"Who\'s been taking care of Dinah while you\'ve been gone?" she demanded as she found herself encircled by his arms in a tight hug.

"You haven\'t seen me for over a month and that\'s the first thing you have to say?"

She looked at him expectantly and he sighed before answering. "She has timed feeders that can last a while and the litter box is self-cleaning so I\'ve been having Aiden go over every few days to check on things."

Appeased, she released him and they walked inside the restaurant. "Why have you been traveling so much lately anyway? You\'ve gone on at least four different trips in the last month."

"I\'m working on some new acquisitions. It\'s a busy period but hopefully it won\'t be like this much longer."

Good. It had been weird not seeing him after getting used to his constant presence back in December. She would never admit that to him though.

They got caught up on each other\'s lives and Keeley actually enjoyed herself. Aaron wasn\'t the most entertaining person she knew but at least he wasn\'t a block of wood anymore. Conversation flowed naturally between them at this point.

"I\'m going out of town again next week," he confessed. "I\'d like to get together again after that though. Will you be free?"

"Midterms aren\'t until the beginning of March so I\'ll have some time. Just keep me posted and we\'ll figure something out."

He dropped her back at her apartment building and she waved him off in a fairly good mood. It had been really nice seeing him. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder.

When she arrived, a tanned Jennica was standing in the living room in a tropical-printed sundress with her suitcase beside her.

Keeley launched herself at her friend. "Jen! How was the Bahamas?!"

Aaron wasn\'t the only one with business out of the country; Cameron had to go to Nassau for a week and took his girlfriend with him because she needed a vacation before audition season began.

She beamed. "It was amazing! I spent most of it on the beach by myself though because Cam was busy with things inside the resort, poor thing. At least we were able to spend a few hours a day doing things together. Oh, and you won\'t believe it—we went swimming with dolphins! I have to show you the pictures."

And thus the next hour of Keeley\'s life was spent listening to her friend gush and show off all her trip pictures. There was one in particular that caught her eye—Jennica and Cameron were standing with their arms around each other on a beach as the wind blew through their hair.

Their bright grins and crinkled eyes clearly portrayed how crazy they were about each other. They looked like newlyweds on a honeymoon.

A pang hit her. She and Aaron never even looked that happy on their honeymoon. She was the one with the big smile and hearts in her eyes while he was relatively expressionless. And he hadn\'t invited her on a business trip even once.

It was stupid thinking about the past; that Aaron was dead and gone. This one was at least considerate enough to keep in contact while he was away and they were only friends, not husband and wife.

"So…things are getting pretty serious between you, yeah?" Keeley asked.

Jennica shrugged though a soft smile played on her lips. "I\'d say so. I think he\'s planning to propose on Valentine\'s Day."

"Seriously?! How do you know?"

"Well I don\'t know for sure," she admitted. "But we have talked about marriage and he mentioned that I need to not schedule any auditions that day so I\'m pretty sure he has big plans."

It shouldn\'t have been surprising. Those two had been glued at the hip since the beginning. When you know someone is the one you don\'t need to wait…or so Keeley had heard.

She and Aaron had dated for two and a half years before discussing marriage and didn\'t officially get engaged for another year after that and things still hadn\'t worked out. Love and time didn\'t necessarily have anything to do with each other.

"Cameron\'s a good guy; I\'m happy for you," she said truthfully even though she was still bitter about her own failed marriage.

If anybody could have a happy and successful relationship, it was those two. They always seemed to be on the same page.

"Thanks! So…do you have any plans for Valentine\'s Day?" Jennica asked with a wink. "Any cute guys in your department ask you out? I know Valentina already has a date with that TA she liked."

"Nah, I\'m just going to get pizza with Ryan. He couldn\'t find a date either so we\'re commiserating together."

Her friend eyed her suspiciously. "Are you sure that isn\'t a date?"

Keeley snorted. "With Ryan? No way. We\'re too buddy-buddy for him to even think about asking me out for real."

She looked like she wanted to say something further but let the matter drop.

What was so wrong with two single people hanging out on Valentine\'s Day and mocking all the other couples? It was better than staying home and bingeing old Project Runway clips on YouTube, which was her plan before Ryan asked her if she wanted to hang out.