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“Almost makes it seem worthless to plan for anything, doesn’t it?” Isabel sipped her wine.
“I don’t know about that.” Jackson leaned back in his chair. “I think the things we do plan lead us to other things, and maybe we didn’t plan those other things, but they are a result of what we did plan. For example, you are planning to open your resort and because of that planning, you’ve made a list of locations. Being here in Maplehaven has caused you to amend that list, but you wouldn’t have a list at all if you hadn’t been planning to open a resort in the first place. You see?”
“I do. And some theories would suggest that in parallel universes I open resorts in all of those locations.”
Jackson smiled. “I remember something else I always liked about you.”
Isabel arched an eyebrow in interest. “Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
“Your ability to make any conversation way more fun. I can honestly say I haven’t talked about parallel universes with anyone else on a date.”
“Unique creature right here, Doctor Hunky.” She framed her face with her hands then shook her head.
“Why the head shake?” he asked.
“I was thinking about the last guy I dated. Scott.” She tapped her finger on the base of her wineglass. “I brought up parallel universes with him once, and he told me I should just worry about this universe. I told him I wasn’t worried about other universes. I was only wondering if in another universe he and I hadn’t met or we did meet, but all the ways in which we could have met might be different. He wouldn’t even entertain the thoughts with me.”
“Sounds like a guy with little imagination.” And a guy Jackson would like to see trip down a long flight of stairs.
“Yeah. Scott was more of a realist. He had to see something concrete to believe it.”
“Maybe in another universe, he’s a cult leader, spinning nothing but made-up stories.”
Isabel barked out a laugh and quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. “And maybe you’re a reality TV show star who has to be the center of attention.”
“I assure you,” Jackson said, “that universe does not exist.”
“How about the one where I’m a professional wrestler?”
It was his turn to laugh a little too loudly. “I might like to visit that universe.” Because seeing Isabel in some sexy wrestling costume that showed off her amazing body sounded like a field trip he definitely would pay big bucks to see.
Clapping to the left of their table made them both look up. Jorden approached, a wide smile on his face. “Seeing you two sit together at a table makes me feel as if I’m in the high school cafeteria again.”
Jackson held out his hand to shake Jorden’s. He’d always liked the guy. Jorden was their age and they’d all been in the same social circle back in high school.
“If Mrs. Lipton appears and tries to give us a geometry quiz,” Isabel said, glancing around them, “I’m out of here.”
Jorden squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll escape through the kitchen and I’ll be right behind you. She was so tough.”
“And still around,” Jackson said. “Christian told me she stops at the store on his farm to buy produce once a week.”
“Of course she’s still around,” Jorden said. “She’s staying alive off the souls of young students she’s consumed over the years.” He shivered. “She always scared the shit out of me.”
“That’s because you never did the homework,” Isabel pointed out.
“That’s because I never knew what in the hell she was talking about in class so when I went home, I was completely clueless about the homework.” Jorden arrowed a thumb back to the kitchen. “Fortunately, cooking doesn’t involve a ton of geometry so I’m managing okay.”
“I use geometry all the time,” Jackson said.
“Of course you do.” Jorden rolled his eyes. “You were probably using geometry as a toddler.”
“Speaking of toddlers,” Isabel said, shooting Jackson a quick glance to say she’d save him from the you-are-a-such-a-nerd ball-busting Jorden had been gearing up to do. “How are your babies doing? They were so cute at Jackson’s birthday party.”
Jorden put a hand to his heart. “I never pictured myself as a father, but damn, it’s so much fun. And being a parent with Diana is the best. It’s not always easy, but the good times far outweigh the bad ones.”
Happiness radiated off the guy, making it clear Jorden enjoyed his life in Maplehaven with his wife and kids. To date, the only thing that had brought Jackson a level of happiness like that had been discovering artifacts on digs. He glanced over at Isabel and wondered if there was more happiness to be grabbed during his time in this universe.
And was he already living happily with Isabel in other universes?
