Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 111400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
“Hello?”
“Hi, Cole, it’s Jessalyn Wells returning your call.”
“Hey, Jessalyn. Thanks for calling back.”
“Sure thing. Your message said you’re looking for an appointment later this week. So is this in addition to Mariah’s usual Tuesday appointment or in place of it?”
“This would be in addition to Mariah’s usual appointments, and actually . . .” I hesitated, wondering if this was weird. “She wouldn’t even be there. It would only be me.”
“Oh?”
“There’s something I’d like to ask you about—something I need to approach Mariah with and I’d like to get your opinion on the best way to do it. I don’t think it will take long.”
“Oh. I see. Is it something we might discuss over the phone?”
“No, I think I’d better come in. This is a pretty big deal, and I really want to make sure I understand what the steps are.”
“I understand,” she said. A few clicks of her keyboard. “How’s Thursday morning at ten?”
“Fine,” I said, scribbling it down on a piece of paper. “I’ll be there, thanks.”
On my way home from work that evening, I called Cheyenne.
“Hello?”
My heart thumped harder at the sound of her voice. It had barely been twenty-four hours since I’d seen her, but it felt like longer. I wished I were driving home to her. “Hi, beautiful.”
“Hi. How are you?”
“I’m good. Just on my way home. How are you?”
“Good. Tired. My kids wore me out today. I think they stored up all their energy over the weekend and unleashed it on me today in the classroom.”
I laughed. “Aw, give ‘em a break. Remember how tough those weeks were leading up to Christmas break? They can’t concentrate.”
“I still have to teach them.”
“How many more school days until vacation?”
“Eleven.” She sighed. “I’m not sure any of us will make it.”
“I think you should play hooky this week. Take a day off and spend it with me.”
She laughed. “Don’t tempt me.”
“I’m serious. I’m off Wednesday and Thursday.”
“Lucky you. I wish I could, but I just took two days off last week. My principal would probably fire me if I took another so fast.”
“Then I’d arrest him. Throw him in jail.”
She giggled. “Her.”
“Whatever.”
“I’ll think about it. What about this weekend? Any plans?”
“I told Mariah I’d take her skating at the park Friday evening.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“I’m thinking that’s the night I’ll tell her about us.”
“Oh. That’s—that’s sooner than I thought.” She hesitated. “Are you nervous?”
“Yes, which is why I made an appointment to talk to her therapist on Thursday morning. I’m going to ask her advice.”
“That’s great.” Cheyenne sounded cheerful again. “I bet she’ll have some really good insights.”
“I hope so.” I paused. “I miss you already. Is that weird?”
“Not to me. I miss you too.”
“When can I see you?”
“Can you escape later?”
I thought for a moment. “What’s tonight, Monday? No, I can’t—it’s my mother’s bowling night. And tomorrow night I take Mariah to her therapist’s appointment, and afterward I’ve got a pickup hockey game. Maybe Wednesday?”
“Sure. Oh wait—is that the second Wednesday of the month? I can’t. That’s my book club night. And I can’t skip—I’m hosting.”
“Oh.” Aggravation was making my shoulders tense up.
“How about Thursday?” she suggested.
“That should work. I’ll clear it with my mom and let you know for sure.”
“Great. Maybe I’ll take you to dinner this time. Or we could meet up with Griffin and Blair.”
“That would be fun. Although what I really want is to get you alone. I guess it’s too much to ask to have you all to myself somewhere I can take all your clothes off, huh?”
She laughed. “Not too much to ask. It’s just the logistics that make it hard. It will be easier when you’re in your new house.”
I groaned. “You’re saying I have to be patient?”
“Yes. But the inspection is this week, right?”
“Thursday.”
“And how soon after can you close?”
“About a month, maybe less since no one has to move out. But there’s a lot of bullshit with the mortgage lender, the escrow company, the title company, the appraiser . . . it’s not fast.” Unlike the pace at which I was falling for her.
“It’s okay, Cole. I’m not going anywhere. We just have to be a little patient.”
“You’re too good to be true,” I said.
“Not really.” Then she laughed. “I just know that you’re worth the wait.”
On Thursday morning at ten a.m., I sat down on the couch in Jessalyn’s office and told her why I was there.
“I think this is great. Really,” Jessalyn said with a kind smile. “And even if it takes Mariah some time to accept or adapt to the idea of sharing you, it’s going to be good for her.”
I took out a small spiral notebook and pen. “So what tips do you have for making sure I do this the right way?”
Jessalyn, a young woman with dark skin and hazel eyes, looked impressed. “Wow. You’re taking this really seriously.”