Page 58 of Wildflowers and Wide Receivers

“For it being so early in the morning, you look like you’re glowing. Nice weekend?” Laurie asks, wiggling her brows at me.

Heat rises into my cheeks. She sees it, and her eyes shine back in delight. “Very. I spent the past three days at the beach. That glow is my new tan.” I hold out my arm between us.

“You went to the beach?” she asks, her gaze shifting to one of curiosity.

“I did. Does that surprise you?”

“Kind of, yeah.”

I’m a little bit taken aback by her answer, and by the time we reach the surgeon’s office and I settle in, I can’t hold back anymore.

“Why does me going to the beach surprise you?”

Laurie sits at her station pulling up this morning’s schedule and charts when her eyes pop over to me.

“I guess it’s just in the time that I’ve known you, you’ve never taken any kind of vacation. I’ve heard you mention Pilates and your dad, but not much else.”

She’s not wrong. I’ve never been a spontaneous person. I like a plan. I like to research, organize, and I guess in a way be in control. But outside of my personality, I have been here for two years, and other than taking a few quick trips home to see my dad and a girls’ weekend with Camille, I haven’t done anything else. My fellowship year, I was way too busy worrying about my board certification exam, and well, this past year, I agree with Isaac when he said I was just passing time. My life has been on hold. I haven’t been living it.

“I guess I haven’t, but I think I’m ready to change that.”

She nods like she understands me. “My friends and I get together at least twice a month to go to whatever festival is happening in Curtis Hixon Park. It doesn’t matter what it is, from a margarita festival to a macaroni and cheese festival or a sports viewing party. I’d love for you to join us.”

“I’d love to go. Just text me when. Thank you for inviting me.”

Look at that, I’m making a new friend.

“Great. This weekend is Mimosaland and an R&B music festival.”

“Because nothing screams mimosas more than an R&B concert.” I laugh.

She shrugs. “Ehh, we’ve learned to just go with it.”

“Sounds fun.”

“And maybe you’ll tell me more about that ‘glowing tan’ you got.” She wiggles her brows.

My cheeks flush again, and I look away from her. Look at that. It’s only Tuesday, and I’ve already made plans for Friday and Sunday this weekend.

Opening up the schedule, I run over the surgeries and see that they are back-to-back all day. First up, a tibial shaft fracture. I scan the X-rays, hoping that I can do a closed reduction, where I realign the broken bones without cutting into the skin, but I don’t think it’s possible. This one is an unstable displaced fracture. Set it, pin it, cast it.

From there, I review each case and set a tentative game plan. Just as I’m finishing, my watch thumps against my arm with an incoming text. Seeing it’s from Jonah, I pull my phone from my bag.

Thinking of you. I hope you have a good day.

There’s no way I can keep a smile off my face. He makes me happy. The kind of happy where I feel like twirling with my arms spread wide, and I’m not a twirling girl. I instantly reply.

Thank you. I’m missing the sunshine already.

More like I’m missing being with the two of them, but the beach was nice too.

“Don’t think I don’t notice you smiling over there,” Laurie says, eyeing me suspiciously.

My smile grows even wider.

It’s interesting how fate keeps throwing us together. I know this past weekend was because of our friends, but before that, the timing seems to be on point to be anything other than fate. I can’t speak for him or Vivi, but for me, I wasn’t in this place that I am now.

You could always come back.