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“Yes, I do.”
“I thought you were panicking over there,” he said.
“No. No, I think I was just trying to come to grips with the fact you already told them about me.”
“Does it upset you?” he asked.
With the phone pressed firmly against my ear, I smiled, shook my head, and answered, “Not at all. It actually feels kind of special.”
I could hear the smile in his voice when he replied, “Good. Because you are special.”
As worried as I had been about Griffin and I finally having to separate to return to the real world, it seemed we were off to a great start. He was already going above and beyond to keep me feeling reassured, and I hoped my willingness to meet his mom and dad would tell him how serious I was about him.
“I miss you,” I said softly.
“Yeah, I miss you, too. Saturday will be here before you know it,” he returned.
“I can’t wait. Have you gotten the camper unpacked yet?”
“I’ve gotten a good chunk of it done, but there is one thing I still have to do that I’m struggling with,” he revealed.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t want to take the sheets off the bed. They smell like you.”
My heart exploded in my chest. “So, why don’t you take the pillow I slept on and keep that with you while you wash everything else?”
There was a moment of hesitation before he replied, “That’s a really good idea.”
“Yeah, well, at least one of us has something to help. You’re going to be able to ease into this new phase of things, and I was cut off completely. It’s kind of not fair.”
The sound of his laughter coming through the line was like music to my ears. “I promise to leave you with something on Saturday.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
“So, how are you settling in there? How was your first night?” Griffin asked.
At that, I took a deep breath and shared the truth about how I was settling in. Truthfully, it hadn’t been easy to be on my own last night when all I wanted was to be in his arms, but I managed okay. I was going to have to get used to being without him for extended periods of time, so I needed to start getting the practice.
Griffin and I talked for at least another hour, and I soaked up every word he said, hoping the sound of his voice would hold me over until I could be in his arms again.
* * *
“I’ve been dying to hear from you. You had me worried sick.”
Something warm moved through me when I heard the anguish in my best friend’s voice. I didn’t like knowing she was feeling so horrible, but it was nice to know she cared so much.
I had reached out to Janine the day I had the interview and the avalanche stranded me at the resort, but I’d only sent a text message letting her know I had a safe place to stay for the days that would follow and promised I’d reach out when I heard anything on the job front.
Today was Friday, two days after I’d moved into my new place, and I’d finally decided to give her a call and fill her in on everything.
“I’m sorry. Things have been a little bit busy for me,” I shared.
“How so? Did you get the job?” she questioned me.
“I did. I actually start on Monday, and I can’t wait.”
There was no missing the sound of genuine excitement and relief in her voice when she replied, “Congratulations, I’m so happy for you. Did they have housing available?”
