you come home from work, or make you scream when you—”
“And I think that metaphor has gone quite far enough,” I interjected. “I’m not expecting my garden to fulfill all of my needs—but it’s a big part of the plans I’ve had for a long time. When I came down to Florida, I promised myself that I wasn’t looking for a relationship. I wanted to be self-sufficient and prove that I can get by on my own, without my family’s help or my father’s name.”
“I remember that well,” Jenny remarked dryly. “You didn’t tell me your real last name until you’d been in Harper Springs for almost a year. And you only did it then because your parents were coming down to visit.”
“I’ve apologized for that, like, a million times.” One side of my mouth twisted up. “I explained why I did it—and it made sense. It still does. I like being independent of the Baldwin legacy. I didn’t do it to hide my true identity from you.”
“True, but I’m not finished using that temporary deception for guilt purposes.”
I ignored her. “Anyway, the fact that I ended up getting involved with Deacon despite my firm resolve not to was a big mistake. I should have trusted my first instincts and stayed the hell away from him.”
“I think you’re rewriting history, Emma. When it came to you and Deacon, there wasn’t any choice. You were like two sides of a magnet—the attraction was undeniable.” Jenny sighed, a dreamy expression glazing her eyes. “And who can blame you? Dr. Foxy is pretty damn irresistible.”
“Which side are you on, Jen? Are you trying to remind me of how hard I fell for Deacon, or are you pushing me toward something serious with Noah? I can’t tell. Or is it that you don’t care about the who, you just want me paired off?”
She smiled smugly. “That’s not at all true. I loved you and Deacon together. You were so fun and so obviously right for each other. He had this . . . thing when he looked at you, like he either wanted to pick a fight or rip off your clothes. Or maybe both. Yeah, I’m leaning toward both.”
“So, you think I should wait for Deacon to come back to Florida?” I leaned to the side, resting my hand flat on the bench. “Just bide my time until he’s saved the world—again?”
“Nooooo.” Jenny wrinkled her nose. “Deacon totally fucked up when he left the way he did. He lost his right to your—ah, affections. And your loyalty. Oh, and mine, too, dammit! He was stupid. That’s why you need someone else in your life, now that you’ve gotten over him. And Noah is the perfect man for you at this time. I mean, he may be your forever guy. It’s possible. But he’s got a lot going for him. Here are the top three reasons that Noah is the better choice, in descending order.” She began counting off Noah’s attributes on her fingers. “One: he’s a super-hot, sexy football player who makes a lot of money but isn’t obnoxious about it. Two: he’s already into you, whether or not you want to admit it. And three: he’s here in Florida, and not off on the other side of the globe taking care of sick babies.”
I finished my salad and slid the glass container back into my canvas bag. “The fact that a man’s most appealing trait is his proximity doesn’t say much for my picks, Jen.” When she began to speak again, I held up a hand. “I know you mean well, and I know you want the best for me. But I’m serious when I say that what I want is just to be single for a while. I have my cabin, my land, my garden, and the hospital. I have amazing friends who worry that I’m going to end up old and alone.”
“I don’t think that at all. I’m not even saying that you have to date someone.” Jenny crumpled up her empty bag of chips. “If you remember, what I said was that Noah’s feelings for you go beyond friendship, and that it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if he made his move when you’re in Tampa next week. I didn’t say you should move in with him or commit your life to him. I’m just thinking that if I was single and footloose, and a guy like Noah was into me, I might tap that for at least a