“Of course it is. He’s part of you, and I want to know every part of you.”
“I went to this grief group for widows after it happened. I was the youngest one there by decades, but those ladies helped me a lot. They taught me that grief is love with nowhere to go. They helped me accept that I’ll never stop loving him. I might love someone else someday, but I’ll always love Tony, too, and it’s okay to let that happen.”
“I’m glad you were able to get that kind of support when you needed it.”
“They also said that when my Chapter 2 came along, which is what they call the first significant relationship after the loss of a spouse, that I’d know he was the right one for me because he would understand that I’ll always love Tony, and the new guy wouldn’t be threatened by that.”
“Does this, with me, count as your Chapter 2?”
“I think it might.” After several nights in bed with him, I’m completely addicted to him and the way he makes me feel.
“I promise I’ll never be threatened or annoyed by the love you have for Tony, Carmen. I think he must’ve been a really special guy to have a woman as fantastic as you are care so much for him.”
“He was,” I whisper as I blink back tears that are equal parts sadness and joy. I never dared to dream that I’d meet someone like Jason. I thought I’d had my one chance at great love, that it was too much to hope for more.
“I always want you to feel like you can talk about him with me.”
Smiling, I decide to lighten the mood. “You can talk about Ginger with me, too.”
He scowls. “No, thanks. I’m good.”
I laugh as a lighthearted feeling of pure joy comes over me. That feeling has been close at hand during the week we’ve spent together. I want to hold on to it with everything I’ve got, even with so much still uncertain. I’m sure about one thing: I’m falling hard for my sweet, sexy doctor, and falling has never felt so good.
While Jason goes for a run, I decide I have to call Josie. One of the things she and I have in common is our heritage. She, too, is half Cuban and half Italian. Her parents left Cuba around the same time as my grandmother did, and the two families knew each other in Havana. I also have texts from my parents and grandmothers, who’re wondering where I’ve been all week.
I can’t exactly tell them I’ve been in bed with Jason every chance I’ve gotten . . .
Josie picks up on the first ring. “Hi, sweetie. How was your first week?”
“It was good.”
“They already gave you a special project with one of the doctors? What’s that about?”
I tell her about Jason and what happened in New York.
“I saw him on the news! Was that your doing?”
“Along with my cousin Maria, who set him up to work at the clinic and suggested we contact Desiree Rivera. Maria gets most of the credit for that.”
“It was a wonderful story. I’d heard about the fancy doctor helping at the free clinic. Agnes said people were lining the streets.”
Agnes is her next-door neighbor and source of all information. “He got a good turnout. He treated more than two hundred patients.”
“That’s incredible. I’m sure it meant so much to people.”
“It did. He wants to continue to volunteer there at least one day a week if he’s able to stay in the area.”
“The Miami-Dade board would be crazy to pass on him.”
“I agree, but it’s up to them.” I’m suddenly overwhelmed by anxiety as I try to find the words to tell her about my personal relationship with Jason. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
“Is everything all right?”
The poor woman is conditioned to expect disaster. “Everything is fine. It’s just that . . .”
“What, honey? What is it?”
“Dr. Northrup . . . Jason . . . He and I have been, well . . . I’m sort of seeing him.” My face burns with mortification over the stumbling words as I’m gripped with sadness so profound it touches the very deepest part of me.
“Sweetheart, that’s wonderful news. I’ve so hoped you would meet someone special.”
“Oh. You have?” I’ve never once spoken to her about the possibility of me dating again or anything close to that topic. While everyone else in my life has been eager to set me up on dates,