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“I have Thanksgiving off, but I might forfeit it.”
“Oh, no, don’t do that. You can bring me dinner.”
“The community usually does a big dinner for the crew who works holidays. If I stay home, I won’t enjoy myself while you’re working.”
“Can we discuss this at a further date?” she asked. “You need to pack a bag.”
“I’ll do that.”
She cleaned up their mess from the day and bagged up the smelly fast-food trash from their late lunch. Jake’s phone rang again.
“It’s my mother,” he said, trying to be kind.
She listened to his conversation, and it appeared Roberta wanted him to come to get food she’d packaged up for the two of them.
“Aw, that’s so sweet of her. And I’m hungry again,” Geri said.
They kissed goodbye, making arrangements to meet at her house later that night. When she got home, she recognized the thrill and anticipation that they’d be together, and once again, she got anxious, worried that she was taking on more than she should with school coming up and the job. Did she really need a boyfriend?
Entering her apartment gave her the answer when she acknowledged that being there alone meant being without Jake. It was no longer just being free to reach another goal. If she wasn’t with Jake, she was alone and lonely. Lonely was a new adjective for Geri. She was too busy, or too active, or too involved to ever be lonely. Jake had ruined that for her. It was an enigma, really. She didn’t even know Jake. What was it about Jake? And then the epiphany: Jake completed her.
“Darn it!”
What it meant was that now that she’d had that completion, she’d be empty without him.
“Ugh.” She got out her phone and sent him a text.
What’s taking you so long?
She was falling in love with Jake Saint. They’d painfully separated Monday night after spending a glorious twenty-four hours together. He’d arrived at her house with six huge food containers of all Big Mike’s specialties. Lasagna, meatballs, pasta salad, vegetable salad, eggplant parmesan and layer cake.
“Are you kidding me? This is enough for a family.”
“We won’t have to worry about food tomorrow,” Jake said. “What’s left can go to the station on Tuesday.”
They dished up plates of food and put the rest away. While it was heating in the microwave, Jake gathered her in his arms.
“So, did you miss me?” He kissed the top of her head.
“You were only gone for forty-five minutes.”
“Just answer me. Why did you ask me to come back?”
“I was hungry,” she teased, threading her arms around him.
“Ha, no, really, Geri. I felt the shift.”
“I realized that I didn’t want to be alone anymore. You did that. I was content to be just me and my goals, and then you came along and ruined it for me.”
He laughed, holding her tightly. “I don’t want to be without you, either. I’m so lucky you’ll even look at me.”
“Jake, what are you talking about? You’re wonderful.”
“I think you’re amazing,” he said. “I love everything about you.”
“You do?”
“Yes, I do. I think you’re beautiful, smart, ambitious. You make me want to attain more than just the fire academy. You’re getting your degree; I should work on mine, too. At least start out at community college.”
