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We chat about her upcoming nuptials while she guides me through my hair and makeup routine, and pretty soon, I’ve forgotten all about the pre-date jitters.
One would think that because Noah and I had such an easy time together yesterday then texted for hours that I wouldn’t be nervous at all about tonight.
One would be wrong. The kiss was unexpected and so exciting. It made me want more. Which wouldn’t be a problem if I weren’t leaving Fate, and if I wasn’t so gun-shy about relationships on top of that.
Sure, I’m allowed a fun night with a new guy with no strings attached, but I’ve waited for so long to “just have fun” that I don’t know if I’m capable of not attaching any strings.
But talking to Jasmine relaxes me and reminds me that I’m still the woman I was before I met Logan. She never liked him, and I should have listened to her from the beginning. I can’t wait to get back to Nashville. I can’t wait for everything to go back to the way it was before Logan. Before he tried to stop me from enrolling in the rural health program that paid off my student loans in exchange for working an under-served community.
“So when are you moving back here? I miss you,” Jasmine says.
I explain again, the terms of my PharmD loan program. “After next week, I’m free to go anywhere I want.”
“Then you can leave that podunk town. Start earning some real money in a big city.”
“That’s been the plan,” I say. “We’ll see what comes up.” And what’s with me being so non-committal now? Am I changing my mind because of Noah? That can’t be the case, not after one kiss.
I could be just feeling sentimental about my town and the old pharmacy now that Jasmine has brought up money. I make enough to live on, and I’m content with that.
My mind goes back to the time that the Curries hinted that they were interested in selling the pharmacy if they can find a buyer. I’ve become oddly attached to the dusty old place. And it’s not a podunk town. Lately, it has a lot going for it.
I’ve pushed the thought aside of buying the pharmacy, knowing that I’m not capable of managing a retail staff and dealing with merchandise vendors.
Huh. It’s weird that all this bubbles up when I’m feeling someone else pressure me to leave. It’s like theAvatarthing. Something has to be entirely my idea in order for me to get excited about it.
That’s all this is.
“Uh oh,” Jasmine says, snapping me out of my train of thought.
“What?”
I purposely avoid looking at the phone screen while I brush on my mascara. “You’re having second thoughts about leaving because of that guy,” Jasmine says.
“I am not.”
“Ursula.”
“Jasmine,” I say back, lightly mocking her tone.
“I’m just giving you a hard time because I’m selfish and I miss you.”
I pause my lipstick application and look at her. “I know. I miss you too. But I’ll be home a few days before New Year’s Eve, and then it’s just us two for two days before the wedding. And after that, the world is my oyster! I’ll probably have no trouble finding a job in Nashville, and we can all go back to the way things used to be. All of us single girls. Well, you’ll be the married one. But still. We’ll have so much fun.”
Jasmine stares at me for a moment, not saying anything.
“What?”
“You look so gorgeous,” she says with a sad look in her eye.
“And that’s bad because…”
Jasmine sighs. “Because that man is going to propose to you tonight. I can feel it. And if he doesn’t, he’s a plum idiot.”
She’s going to make me cry, which is unacceptable after I’ve drawn perfectly smooth lines around my eyes.
The downstairs buzzer sends a rush of anxiety through me.
“That’s him. I gotta go!”
