“Right,” I manage, filing my questions away for later. “And I’m feeling like this might be a similar situation where I’m thinking about changing my plans for someone. Hence my freaking out.”
Dad purses his lips and takes his glasses off. “Look. It isn’t like wedon’twant you to come home. But doing your master’s is objectively a sensible option, Nick or no Nick.”
Not that I really needed much confirmation, but getting any at all is relieving.
“Besides,” Mom adds, “we only spent two weeks with him, but it’s clear Nick cares a lot about you. And you about him.”
“You’re right.”
Smiling, Dad picks up the phone, tilting it sideways so both he and Mom fit in the frame. “You wouldn’t be thinking so hard about this if you didn’t feel so stronglyabout Nick. Yes, it might seem like you’re questioning a choice that’d bring you closer to him, but doubt is normal. It’s what you do with it, how you think about it, andwhatyou do that matters.”
“It feels right. But I really want to know if itisright.”
“It’s both,” Mom says, and Dad chuckles.
“Well, maybe it isn’t just Nick that’s getting you to reconsider staying in the US,” he says. “You’ve always wanted to go to university there, and let’s face it—you don’t get nearly as much of a leg up with a foreign degree back here as you used to.”
Ouch. And they don’t even knowwhymy job offer got downgraded.
“Okay. Thanks for listening to my rambling.” I offer a small smile. “I think I know?—”
“Not so fast. Let’s reinforce it.”
I chuckle. Typical Dad.
“Do you want to be close to Nick?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have any immediate prospects back here?”
“No.”
“Did you apply to grad school before you met Nick, and did you do so because it’s a program you want to study?”
“My god, yes,” I say, laughing. “I get it now.”
Mom beams back at me. “Good. Now tell Nick your plans. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”
My parents and I sign off, and then I’m left alone in silence, grinning to myself and counting down the minutes until Nick gets back to his room. From a quick check of his schedule, he’s just left practice, so he’ll need time to get showered and settled.
Maybe an hour, at most?
I glance at the clock. That brings me to ten p.m., and I set an alarm to time myself—I’d spiral in anticipation otherwise. I’ve made my decision, and what’s left is to give Nick the good news.
And then my eyes drift to my finals schedule I printed out and stuck above my desk. My first exam isin two weeks.
Nick’s been in a pissy mood for a while, but I’mreallyhoping that lifts, and that he reacts well once I tell him my plans.
Maybe I’ll take a little trip and surprise him. If I don't have to leave him hanging before I graduate, why should I?
Smiling to myself, I pace around my apartment. This is gonna be a long, long wait.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
NICK
Anaheim can suck it. Lansing is in the Cactus League now, and the former league toppers are gonna fall, courtesy of us.
