Chapter 38
“It’s just as dismal as you said.” Tyson’s hopes dwindled as he scrolled through the available jobs posted online. He and
Jenna were cozied up on his sofa while the Braves game played on the TV.
“I don’t seem like front desk material?” Jenna said.
“You’re overqualified for everything.”
“There is a general manager position open.”
“I doubt Dollar General pays a living wage.” Perhaps the salary would be enough to make ends meet elsewhere, but not on the
island. He stifled a yawn. The sleepless nights were taking a toll.
“It’s getting late and you’re tired. I should go.” She started to ease away.
He held her fast. “Game’s almost over.”
“You need your rest.” Her gaze sharpened on him. “Are you still having nightmares?”
“Some.” Nearly every night, but who was counting?
“You can’t go on like this forever, Ty.”
“I know. I’ll look into some counseling if it doesn’t get better soon.” These days he felt like a zombie when the morning
alarm went off, and he was dragging a bit through the day.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
At the crack of a bat they glanced at the screen where the Braves runner on third brought in the tying score. It was the bottom of the ninth.
They high-fived each other as the station broke for a commercial.
“Did you check out the management position at the visitors’ center?” His mom had mentioned the opening.
“It’s been filled. Same for the office manager position at that occupational therapy place Alex suggested. Speaking of Alex,
he seemed pretty confident about that silly bet you guys have going when I spoke to him yesterday.”
Ty snorted. “Overconfident, you mean. I won’t mind taking five big ones from him on auction day.”
“Five? What happened to three?”
“Like I said, overconfident—and I found the big-screen TV I want. It’ll take up half that wall. Be like watching the game in person.”
“You guys are ridiculous.”
“Alex is ridiculous. I’m clever.”
She chuckled.
“Something funny?” He poked the ticklish spot on her side.
“Hey. Watch it, buddy.”
He would’ve pushed his luck but decided she felt too nice curled against his side. He pulled her closer instead and ran his
fingers through her silky chestnut hair as the Braves brought in another run, ending the game eight to seven.
“Good game,” she said.
“Good series. I like their chances for the playoffs this year.”
“I do too, but it’s early yet.”
It was so much easier to talk baseball than the subject at hand.
But Jenna had to give an answer on the Parks and Rec position tomorrow, and the job started a week from tomorrow.
How had time passed so quickly? As much as Ty hated it, the right answer seemed crystal clear.
He set the laptop aside and turned to her. “Jenna, you should take the job.”
Her brown eyes dimmed as she held his gaze. “I don’t want to leave you.”
The admission made his dopey heart buck. “We’ll figure it out. We’re both committed to making this work.”
She was quiet for a long moment, seemingly considering what a long-distance relationship might look like. “It wouldn’t have
to be forever.”
“Absolutely. Maybe something will open up here that would be perfect for you. Or maybe I’ll move to Alexandria after all.
These aren’t decisions we have to make right now.”
With a quiet sigh she let her head fall to his shoulder.
“I really do think you’ll love that job. And Nancy seems like she’d be a great boss.”
“I know. I should be more grateful instead of focusing on the drawbacks. It’s just that . . .” Jenna raised her head and met
his gaze. “We just found each other.”
The way she looked at him made his skin go warm. “I don’t know how it can feel that way when we’ve known each other for years,
but it does. How did these romantic feelings just hit us out of nowhere?”
She bit her lip as her eyes shifted away. “I don’t know.”
He knew her well enough to know when she was holding something back. “What?”
“What what?” A pretty pink flushed her cheeks.
“There’s something you’re not telling me. What is it?”
When her gaze found his again, she looked a little sheepish. “Those feelings didn’t really hit me out of nowhere. Remember
back in high school? That prom kiss?”
“Yeah . . .”
“I might’ve caught some feelings for you after that.”
A startled chuckle escaped. “What?”
“Just for like two minutes!”
“You were into me and you didn’t even tell me?” The whole idea delighted him. He couldn’t erase the grin from his face.
“Because you got back with Danielle Collins three seconds after that kiss!”
“You were jealous.”
“No, I wasn’t. Well, maybe a little. But I got over it quick enough.”
He couldn’t stop staring at her. Couldn’t stop marveling over this new information. “I can’t believe you never told me.”
“I can’t believe I’m telling you now.”
Laughing, he pulled her into his side, gazing down at her with eyes that surely told her he now returned every ounce of affection.
“I’m going to hold that over your head every chance I get.”
“Don’t I know it.”
He gave those pouty lips a little kiss, the whole thing still sinking in. When he drew away they were both smiling. “I love
that I’m still learning new things about you. I want to learn everything there is to know.”
Her expression softened. “Me too. But being apart will make that harder.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out. I’ll talk to Mom and Dad and see if my schedule can be shifted to free up some weekends.”
“That would be nice. Then you could come see me, or I could come here.”
“See? This is totally doable. In between we’ll FaceTime and text. I’ll call so much you’ll be sick of me.”
She turned her lower lip down. “But I won’t be able to kiss you over FaceTime.”
“You’ll just have to save them up for the weekends.” Brave talk, but he’d gotten used to having her here. To being together
every day. He only had to walk across the street to see her.
She regarded him for a long moment, sadness lingering in her eyes. “All right,” she said finally, her tone resolute. “I’ll
take the job.”