I still love you. I hope you love me too.
Regards,
Troy
There is also another piece of paper inside the envelope. It’s a trifold brochure of a banquet hall that he once mentioned in passing that he wanted us to consider for our wedding reception. This is insanity. He can’t possibly think that there is any chance in hell that I’m marrying him. I put the letter and brochure back in the envelope and stuff it in my junk drawer in the kitchen. I’ll deal with this later. Right now I have to get in study mode.
My study pals Owen, Paige and Keisha and I are seated cross-legged on my living room floor with our students materials spread out across the floor when the doorbell rings and my anxiety ratchets up a notch. After the letter I just read, I’m not sure what kinds of shenanigans Troy could be up to. Would he just pop by like this, wanting to talk things through?
“Is someone else coming over?” Owen asks with a concerned look on his face.
“No, I don’t know who it is.”
Owen is kind of the patriarch of the group and keeps us on point. We’ve been friends ever since medical school, and he’s kind of like a big brother to me. He monitors me as I answer the door, which makes me feel a little less nervous.
I look through the peephole and notice there’s a delivery man holding an enormous bouquet of flowers in his hands.
“Who is it?” Owen asks.
“Flowers,” I say.
I answer the door and sign for the flowers.
“Hold on a second, y’all.”
The group goes back to snacking on egg rolls as I read the card attached to the flowers, which reads: Tacos or Steak?
My entire body starts to tingle and a smile spreads across my face.
It’s Jason.
He’s okay.
“Those flowers are incredible,” Paige says. “What are they, freesias? I can smell them from here.”
“Are they from the asshat?” Owen asks harshly.
All three of my study buddies know that Troy and I broke up and they know it was bad, they just don’t know the details. I can’t seem to tell anyone what happened. Outside of Dena, only Jason knows.
“No,” I say as I try to restrain my giggles. “They’re not.”
I grab my cell phone off the counter so I can respond.
“One more second,” I tell the group.
Me: Tacos
Jason: I know you like meat, so I wasn’t sure.
Me: I take it you’re okay?
Jason: Fantastic. Doctors took good care of me.
Me: What did you get done?
Jason: Pins and rods.
Me: Where’d you have it done?
Jason: Mercy West.
My hospital is one of the best in the area. I’m relieved he could get a decent surgical consultation and procedure.
Me: Thank you for the flowers. You didn’t have to though.
They look expensive.
Jason: You’re welcome.
Me: When do you want to have tacos?
Jason: Thursdays are our scheduled date night.
I look over at the gang and for the first time wish like hell that I could reschedule this study group. I’d rather see Jason any day of the week.
Me: I can’t tonight.
There’s a long pause before he responds.
Jason: Did you replace me with someone else from the agency?
I think he’s playing with me. Sometimes it’s hard to tell via text.
Me: No:)
Jason: Then why can’t we have dinner TONIGHT?
Because I haven’t heard from you in three weeks.
Because I can’t just bail on all the important things in my life when you call.
Because I need to protect my heart from you.
Me: I’m studying with friends.
Jason: Next Thursday?
That’s so far away, but I don’t want to seem too eager and suggest something sooner.
Me: Cool.
I need to remember. We’re just friends.
Jason: Cool:)
Twenty-One
ADRIENNE
This has been the longest week of my life
I don’t think that I’ve ever looked more forward to a night out with a man as much as I do this one, and that’s both thrilling and frightening for me. According to the agency’s protocol, the second date was supposed to be my pick, but since he initiated asking me for tacos, I thought I’d just follow his lead.
By Monday night I wasn’t sure if there was going to be a date at all, I hadn’t heard from him, but I was adamant that it wouldn’t be me who would reach out. I was already getting too invested. Too excited. I needed to pull back some. We were just friends who were sticking to a commitment we made. This is not an actual date.
On Wednesday night, I received another bouquet of flowers from Jason with a card that simply stated the address of