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There was a beep in my ear, and when I looked at my phone, she had requested permission for a video call.
I swore under my breath and accepted. “What, girl?”
“Show me what you’ve packed.” She was busy doing something and not paying much attention to the screen.
“I haven’t started packing yet. I had a long day yesterday and came home to cancel this damn thing.”
“Why?” She leaned close to the phone and flinched as if it’d burned her. “Did you go out partying? You look hung over.”
“No. I just drank an entire bottle of wine. That’s all.”
“With who? Because if you tell me, you drank it alone, I’m going to judge you.”
“I did. But I had reason to.”
She stared at me, waiting for this explanation.
“They fired me yesterday. And then, with all the money I spent on the trip… I really need it all back. I have bills to pay.”
“Wait, what?” she yelled into the phone. “No, no, no, no… We are not doing that. You’re going to find a new oneafteryou return home. You’ll find another job. What you do is too important not for people to be looking for someone. You’ll make it through. If you can swim after diving in shallow water with Lamont, girl, you can survive anything.” Her reference to my ex lightened the load that I seemed to carry. “If you don’t have a job in a month, I’ll loan you what you need. It’s not the end of the world. You’ve been really excited about this blind date, and honestly, I think I am, too.”
“I’m going to go so that I can cancel in person since there’s no way to reach him now.”
“That seems odd.” She put her hand on her hip and pondered the reasons.
I could see all her thoughts as they changed the expressions that registered on her face.
“Do you know his name?” Tia asked.
“I do. Hardison Curie.”
“Oh… Have you seen him?”
“I’ve seen his profile photo.” I saw an email from Love Catered, and I checked it. It was my itinerary. I rolled my eyes at the details hating that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my stay as I thought I would.
“He’s fine,” she teased.
“Wait… what?” I clicked off the email to see Tia staring into the phone screen so hard that I thought she’d come through it. “Girl! Did you look him up?”
“I did. I’m surprised you haven’t. Oooh, and he’s a military man.”
“How do you know?” Before I could even switch screens, she’d sent me a photo of him in his uniform. “Hot damn…”
“Yeah, I vote not to cancel. And then, when you get there, see how much of his military training you can use for sex!”
I shook my head, laughing. But the truth was, he was sexy as hell. That photo he’d put on his profile didn’t do him justice. Maybe canceling was a bad idea.
“Maybe he can’t answer because he’s on a mission!” Tia excitedly rattled off quickly.
“Maybe.” She had a point, and he became less creepy when I stalked his social media page Tia sent me the link to. Seeing him like this made him seem real and less like athingI had to do.
His dark brown skin seemed smooth, and I wanted to touch it. His smile was so infectious I knew I was smiling, too. Not that he could see. And those arms…
“Stop drooling, Ember, and go pack.”
What she said. I couldn’t imagine walking away from his eyes that seemed to beckon me close. I felt the urge to surrender, and I hadn’t even met him yet. Maybe not going was easier than telling him the truth face to face. I knew I was a lot of things, but a coward, I was not. I wouldn’t leave him hanging, and I knew it.
Standing up, I moved to my bedroom, where I packed everything Tia suggested. I had no idea what the weather would be like, so I couldn’t be over-prepared.
I could manage one night before I got back on a plane to come home. If he threw me out before that, I’d manage that, too.
