Free Fallen Elements by Heather McVea

the sofa. “I’ll walk you to the
door.”
    “Did you get the flowers?” Jenny asked as
Ryan helped her on with her coat.
    “I did. They’re in my room.” Ryan took
Jenny’s hand in hers. “It was a nice surprise after a crappy
week.”
    Frowning, Jenny buttoned her black, high
collar winter coat. “We can have dinner tomorrow night and talk
about it.”
    Ryan nodded. “I’d like that. How’s seven at
the Laughing Pint sound?”
    Jenny leaned in and quickly kissed Ryan.
“Sounds good.” She looked over Ryan’s shoulder toward the living
room. “Sleep over at my place after?”
    Ryan blushed. “Perfect.”
    Ryan closed the door behind Jenny, and turned
her attentions back to her meddling roommate. “Could you have been
ruder?”
    “Is that a challenge?” Nicole had settled on
an episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and had
fully reclined in the chair.
    “Why can’t you just get along? God knows I
haven’t always been a fan of the men you’ve dated.” Ryan flopped
down on the sofa.
    “I don’t trust her.” Nicole paused the
program and turned her attention to Ryan.
    “But you’ve never really talked to her
to even know that.” Ryan laid her head back on the sofa, exhausted.
The early morning, travel, alcohol, and snippy roommate were
catching up to her.
    “I can sense these things.” Nicole
insisted.
    Ryan wanted so badly to point out how
horrific Nicole was at sensing shortcomings in the men she
dated, and what made her think she was any more astute once
removed?
    “I know I don’t always have the best
intuition with the men I date.” Nicole began, and Ryan quickly
lifted her head up, wondering if she had inadvertently spoken out
loud.
    “Go on.” Ryan cautiously encouraged.
    Nicole scrunched her face up a bit before
continuing. “Calm down. This isn’t a Doctor Phil moment. I’m just
saying sometimes perspective is best achieved from a distance.”
    Ryan shook her head. “I know exactly who
Jenny is.” She stood up and walked toward the stairs. “And for the
record, I’m not going to marry her. We have fun together,
and -” Ryan stopped before she said too much.
    “And the sex is good.” Nicole offered.
    “I wasn’t going to say that.” Ryan stood with
her hand on the banister.
    “Sure. Whatever gets your head on your pillow
at night, friend.” Nicole teased.
    “No, really. I was going to say the sex is great .” Before Nicole could counter, Ryan dashed up the
stairs, satisfied she had defended her position admirably.
     
     
     

Chapter 5
    Ryan had spent nearly an hour getting ready
for her interview. She was wearing a pair of dark gray boot cut
slacks with low, black patent leather heels Jenny had talked her
into buying several months ago. She had also bought a slim fit dark
purple button up dress shirt, and wore it now as she exited
Nicole’s borrowed Subaru. Taking deep breaths to calm her nerves,
Ryan walked across the parking lot toward the administration
building of Howard County.
    Though the county had several facilities,
Ryan was meeting Donnie Hammond, the Senior Community Liaison
Director, at the main location in Columbia, Maryland. Howard County
was located southwest of Baltimore, and Columbia was between
Baltimore and Washington, D.C., making it a commuter community for
both metropolitan areas.
    The office complex itself was a non-descript
six story building with an expansive lobby area and atrium. Ryan
made her way to the third floor, and checked in with a woman in her
late thirties who offered Ryan a cup of coffee. Anxious her nerves
would get the better of her and cause a spill, she politely
declined.
    “Ryan Myers?” A wiry man in his late fifties
stood in front of Ryan. He was over six feet tall, wearing a pair
of black slacks and a light blue dress shirt.
    Ryan stood up, and extended her hand. “Mr.
Hammond?”
    The gray hair man smiled warmly. “Donnie,
please. May I call you Ryan?”
    The man had managed with his casual manner to
put