I stomped out of Grant’s office, trying not to kick anything on my way out. When I pushed through the front door, I saw Jared’s Escalade parked against the curb across the street as usual, only this time he stood against his door looking extremely uncomfortable while Sasha leaned against his car on her shoulder, not six inches from him. I could see that he was trying to be polite as he kept his arms crossed, careful not to react to her flirtation, but my eyes zeroed in on Sasha giggling and touching his shirt, chest and arms with every other word.
“Nina! Hi, Sweetheart.” Jared said, my interruption a relief. He pulled me into his arms and made a show of planting a kiss on my lips.
“Hey, Nina,” Sasha gushed. “I was just telling Jared that we should double date sometime.”
“No,” I snapped, my patience far beyond its limit. Jared walked me to the passenger side and opened the door.
“I can get into the car on my own,” I said acerbically.
“Nina….” Jared smiled, amused at my mood.
“Don’t Nina me,” I said, looking straight ahead.
“Well,” Sasha called from the other side of the SUV, raising her eyebrows. “I guess I’ll see you on Monday. It was nice to finally have a chance to talk, Jared.”
Ignoring Sasha’s final attempt for his attention, Jared watched me for a moment, trying to decipher my emotions. Finally, he walked around to his side, and slid in beside me. He watched Sasha trot across the street and then shook his head. “You don’t honestly think I was—,”
“No. I don’t think you were flirting with her,” I grumbled.
Jared pulled away from the curb and nodded. “Good, because that is completely ridiculous. Not only am I madly in love with you….she’s….” Jared shook his head, making a series of disgusted faces as he tried to think of the correct description. “She’s something else.”
“That’s a word for it,” I said, crossing my arms.
“How was your meeting?” he asked.
“You mean you don’t know?”
“I kept tabs, but it was difficult to get the details with Sasha two inches from my face. Is Grant still a jackass?”
“Yes,” I nodded.
“What’s wrong?” Jared paused a moment and then his eyebrows shot up. “Oh.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. I didn’t mean anything,” Jared said, trying not to smile.
I shook my head, watching the trees pass by the window. Eli had once told us that when we made a commitment in a physical way, Jared’s senses concerning me would be heightened. I still wasn’t sure what that entailed. Jared never let on that anything had changed, but when his former urgent curiosity about the motives behind my moods or feelings had all but disappeared, I knew something was different. I cornered him on more than one occasion to explain his new attunement, but he always seemed to maneuver his way out of the conversation with an efficient and irresistible diversion.
“Do we still have lunch plans?” I asked, my attention still focused on the passing landscape outside the window.
“Absolutely. I have a surprise for you,” Jared said, taking my hand and pulling it to his mouth.
My mood quickly changed as the warmth from his lips shot up my arm. “I love surprises.”
“I know,” he said against my skin.
Chapter Two
Gone
“Carved your name. In a tree? That’s so sweet!” Beth squealed.
“Yes, in a tired, done-three-billion-times kind of way,” Kim droned, unimpressed.
I ignored her, smiling at Beth. “He brought me to a field that had a lone Oak tree in the center. We rolled out a blanket for the picnic lunch he packed. It was perfect.”
“You’re up,” Kim said, elbowing me.
“Oh,” I said, briefly glancing to the menu hanging from the ceiling. “Large coffee. Black.” The girl behind the counter nodded, and punched the buttons on the register, waiting for my check card. I nudged Beth. “Did you want anything?”
“Nah, not today.”
I rolled my eyes. “She’ll have a Large Skinny Mochachino, please.”
“I said I didn’t want anything,” Beth said, feigning annoyance. “And since when do you drink your coffee black?”
“We’re not going to have our morning coffee talk on the first day of school without coffee,” I said, “I know things are tight for you and Chad right now. Moving is expensive. It’s not a problem.”
“I’m not a mooch.”
“Southern hospitality. Isn’t that what you call it?” I winked.
“You’re a Yankee,” Beth muttered.
The girl turned to make our drinks, and Beth leaned in. “So the tree….”
I smiled. “The carving was amazing. Brilliantly detailed. I’ve never seen anything like it. He walks me to the other side, and his parents initials were carved there, too, from like…years ago.”
“No way!” Beth shrieked. She looked around, settling down before her next question. “So have you guys set a date? For the wedding?”
I looked down. “Er…no. But it was a nice lunch.”
“A nice lunch?” Kim asked.
“He didn’t mention it,” I said.
“Well, that’s a first,” Beth teased.