Page 79 of Wildflowers and Wide Receivers

It shouldn’t come as a revelation to me that no one else did.

Just him.

Breaking me from my thoughts, Isaac steps into my line of sight. “Your glass is empty, so I got this for you,” he says, holding out a glass of champagne. He too is wearing a tux, but in typical Isaac fashion, he has on a black vest, and his tie is black-and-red polka dots. It’s endearing to me, but that’s the extent of my affection for him.

“Thank you,” I tell him and take a sip. In many ways, this glass feels like he is holding out an olive branch too. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I guess we haven’t really talked that much lately.” He lets out a sigh. “I try to come every year. There’s a group of us who gets a table.” He turns and looks toward the far side of the room, where he must spot his friends. “You look beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you, and I guess I haven’t really tried to speak to you much either,” I tell him, owning my part of how we ended.

“It wasn’t you. It was all me,” he says, running his hand over the back of his neck. “You never gave me any inclination that we were going to be more than what we were. I guess my pride took a hit because I was hoping we would. I’m sorry about that night in the restaurant. I think about it often, and I was out of line.”

“No, you were fine. I definitely needed to hear what you were saying. You weren’t wrong. I had stalled, and I needed that kick in the behind to pull myself back together.”

“I hope we’re still able to be friends. I know it was a little awkward at first. It was never my intention to make you uncomfortable at work.”

“So you did see and hear how the staff were treating me.”

He looks away sheepishly, and there’s my answer.

“Were you hoping that I would leave the practice?”

“No. But I’ll admit, I was licking my wounds a bit. It was Laurie who ripped me a new one. Her exact words were, ‘Get your professional shit together.’” He chuckles. “She wasn’t wrong.”

I am definitely taking Laurie out as a thank-you. I had no idea she’d done this, and although I know we’ve become friends outside of work, this now makes it so much more.

“I do love her,” I tell him.

“Apparently, she loves you too. Friends?” He holds his hand out.

“Friends,” I tell him, slipping mine against his for the shake. “Don’t think that I didn’t notice you have a date tonight, too,” I tell him as our hands drop.

He turns and looks toward where his date stands. She’s speaking with a few people I don’t know and smiling from ear to ear. She appears to be in her thirties. She’s wearing a red dress, which I assume is to match him, and she’s really pretty. I’m happy for him.

“Yeah. Interestingly, I met her the day after things ended with you. It did take me a bit to get out of my own way, but once I did, things have been good.”

“I’m glad to hear this.”

And that’s when I feel heat at my back and know who it is without even having to turn and look. Isaac’s eyes slide up over my shoulder and land on Jonah. They widen just like they did back in the office, and the moment Jonah lays his hand on me, I see it register with Isaac.

I turn and give Jonah a small smile.

“Jonah, this is Dr. Isaac Bradley. He’s a colleague of mine. Isaac, this is my friend Jonah Dallmann.”

I know Jonah recognizes the name, but he doesn’t give anything away. Instead, he reaches his hand forward in greeting.

“It’s nice to meet someone from Sophie’s work. She’s talked about a lot of you.”

Isaac’s gaze dances quickly between the two of us.

Isaac cringes a little and then laughs. “I’m really hoping that’s a good thing. Big fan of yours, by the way.”

“Thank you. I mean that,” Jonah kindly tells him.

“How do you two know each other?” Isaac curiously asks.

I glance up at Jonah, but he lets me answer. “We first met about two and a half years ago through mutual friends.”