slips from my fingers and shatters right at my feet.
“Oh no. Don’t move. I’ll get the mop.”
While Casey is gone, my mind turns over her words. She’s fixing up Anya and Vin this weekend?
It doesn’t matter, remember?
He’s not your boyfriend.
He’s not your anything.
I sigh heavily. After I sent him a package of weaponized penises, we’re probably not even friends. Maybe he’ll like being set up with Anya. She’s pretty and will be happy to go out on dates with him.
She doesn’t have to measure her life in between cancer screenings either.
Casey comes back with the mop. I pick up the pieces of the broken mug carefully, depositing the broken shards in the trash, before mopping up the coffee on the floor.
There’s a knock at the door.
“Can you get that?”
Casey hands me the broom. “Sure. I actually need to get ready to leave anyway.”
The door slams a minute later and I hear her come back.
“Who was it?”
“Flower delivery. These are so pretty.”
I turn to see a huge bouquet of roses on the counter.
“Who are they from?”
Casey shrugs. “There’s no card. Maybe you have a secret admirer.”
I smile weakly. “It’s probably just my mom. She’s planning to visit soon.”
As soon as Casey turns to go back into the living room, I scowl at the flowers. Vin really thinks he’s so clever. My cheeks warm remembering how he’d said I had roses in my cheeks. Clearly the penises haven’t deterred him at all.
Which is a terrifying thought.
But the reasons I pushed him away two years ago are no longer valid. Mya has an established working relationship with the Lavin brand now. They trust her and she delivers every time. They wouldn’t drop her company just because I had a relationship with Vin, even if things didn’t work out.
Plus, I’m almost at the point where I can trust that I have a future to spend with someone.
When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, it was seven years ago. I was partying my way through college without a care in the world.
Imagine my surprise when a routine doctor’s visit turned up a small lump in my right breast.
I followed every one of my doctor’s orders. I underwent a lumpectomy and met with my doctor every three months after that. I was sure that if I followed the rules my brush with cancer would be a distant memory. Because that’s how things work, right? You follow the Yellow Brick Road until you reach the end.
I’d been going to my cancer screenings for two years when a routine scan found another tumor.
Any hope I’d had that cancer was done with me died that day. I was told by my doctors that I was lucky. Due to its location, my new oncologist thought it was a piece of the original tumor that got left behind. The tumor was so small and because we’d caught it early, my prognosis was excellent. But hearing the words it’s back from your oncologist doesn’t make you feel lucky.
I was terrified.
But it was also a wakeup call. I got serious about finishing school, switching my major from Sociology to Nursing. Overnight I went from party girl to serious student.
From optimist to realist.
I’ve lived each day since then fully aware that it could come back again. Keeping men at arm’s length was easier than having to explain what my appointments are for or answering questions about my scar. Then I’d have to deal with the pity or even worse, the guy who would stay with you just because he feels bad about leaving the “girl who had cancer”.
I’m happier alone, living each day as it comes. Planning a future feels like tempting fate to knock me down once more.
Vin is the first man I’ve met who makes me want to take a chance. He won’t pity me because of what I’ve been through. I smile. No, he’d probably tell me to make cancer my bitch.
And something tells me that if fate knocks me down, he’ll be right there to catch me.
“Ari, did you hear me?”
When I look up, Casey is standing right in front of me. It’s obvious by the way she’s waving her hands around she’s been trying to get my attention for a while.
These damn roses are throwing me off.
“I’m sorry. I’m a little distracted.”
“It’s okay. We probably shouldn’t have just barged in like that. You’re really okay?”
“I’m really okay. Quick, let’s hug before I change my mind.” I open my arms.
Casey laughs but gives me a quick squeeze. Although we