Twenty-two
TWENTY-TWO
Cierra
“I can’t believe it’s over.”
The moment the words spilled out of me, I took in my coworker’s sympathetic expression. She understood.
It was Wednesday, the final few minutes of the last required day for faculty members at school. The students had finished their last day on Monday. And I guess, technically, it was simply the last couple of minutes for Raelynn and me, considering many of the other members of the faculty had left.
We should have been in those ranks.
But Raelynn and I had decided to take on some additional tasks on our checklist that weren’t entirely necessary to complete before we left for the summer. We figured it was better to put in the extra work now, so when we returned next school year, we’d be able to ease ourselves in without the additional tasks.
When I asked her if she wanted to tackle them now, Raelynn jumped at the chance. It would be a couple of months before we were back here with each other, and we were both looking to have some time to wind down with one another.
While Raelynn and I got along well enough while at work, we didn’t typically get together in our personal time. We were several years apart in age, and our interests outside of work were vastly different. Our lives were, too.
But just because we didn’t see each other on a regular basis outside of work didn’t mean I didn’t want to take the time to say an appropriate goodbye to her.
“Yeah, it was a great year. But it flew by, don’t you think?”
I nodded. “So fast. It feels like we were just arriving here and welcoming that first class into the library only a month or two ago. How are we already at the end of the year?”
Her joy hadn’t faltered. “While there’s a part of me that’s sad it’s over, I can’t say I’m not looking forward to my summer break. Now, I can focus all my effort into finishing the planning for my wedding and honeymoon.”
And that right there was more proof of how different we were. Raelynn might have been five years younger than me, but she was already engaged to be married. For a long time, certainly since I’d turned thirty last summer and throughout this school year, I’d been envious of her.
I wasn’t too proud to admit that I’d had bouts of jealousy, wondering why I hadn’t found someone to share my life with yet.
But now I no longer had to feel that way. Now, I understood why it had taken so long. Because I was being spared the heartache that so many other women experienced with failed relationships. As much as I’d hoped for something meaningful sooner, I could look back now and be grateful for the wait.
I had Greyson.
Everything I’d experienced since meeting him—and especially after we’d officially gotten together—had been extraordinary.
If I had needed to wait another five years to meet and be with him, to get this version of such a wonderful man, I would have endured those years. He made it all worth it. Greyson made me believe that there was a chance I’d wind up like Raelynn in a couple of years, that I’d end up like Naomi. Maybe I’d be planning my wedding at some point, too.
“It’s going to be so much fun for you,” I said, beaming at her at the same time I considered the possibilities for my future. “I can’t wait to see the pictures, because I bet it’s going to be gorgeous. And I’m sure you’re going to look absolutely stunning.”
Raelynn couldn’t contain her excitement. “Part of me is relieved we decided on a destination wedding. It’ll be like getting an early start to the honeymoon. And I can’t wait for that, mostly because I’m just ready to be married to him.”
Seeing that enthusiasm forced my mind to wander. I knew how things felt between Greyson and me now, knew that I was feeling things for him that I hadn’t been able to bring myself to share. If I knew I was going to be marrying him this summer, there wasn’t a question I’d be just as exhilarated as Raelynn was now.
Would it be the same for me in two or three years, though? Raelynn and her fiancé dated for just over three years before he proposed. Based on the way I felt at this moment, I couldn’t imagine anything ever dulling that spark between Greyson and me. I could only hope things would get better.
“I’m so happy for you, Raelynn. It’s going to be the best time of your life, so you better enjoy every second of it.”
Nodding, she insisted, “Oh, I intend to. And maybe by the time we get back here next school year, you’ll be telling me that guy of yours put a ring on your finger.”
If he asked me today if I’d marry him, I’d accept his proposal in a heartbeat. Maybe that was crazy. Insane.
But not one thing existed in my relationship with Greyson that made me wary of envisioning a future with him. Even if I could picture that future, I thought it was a bit far-fetched to believe he’d propose so soon. “I think that might be a bit unrealistic. We’ve only been together for a short time.”
Her head dropped to one shoulder as she shrugged. “Hey, you never know. Anything could happen.”
She wasn’t wrong about that. My best friend’s relationship had progressed at lightning speed, and they were deliriously happy.
I hadn’t anticipated meeting someone this year, let alone someone like Greyson. So, even if I assumed it was unlikely things would move forward at such a speed, I understood that I didn’t have a crystal ball. Plus, Raelynn was being optimistic, and there was no reason for me to not share in those positive thoughts with her.
“I guess we’ll see, then,” I told her. “I’ll look forward to swapping stories about our summer when we return to school at the end of August.”
“That sounds fantastic.” Just as I was about to say something, my phone rang. Raelynn and I had finished up the work we’d needed to get done together—I still had a handful of menial tasks that’d take me another ten minutes—and she was ready to leave. “I’m going to go while you get that. Have a wonderful summer, Cierra.”
I moved toward my purse so I could grab my phone. “Thanks, Raelynn. I hope your wedding day is magical. I’ll see you in a couple of months.”
Offering a wave, she turned to leave. I fished out my phone and smiled at the name I saw on the display. I quickly answered. “Hi, Naomi. I was just thinking about you.”
“Good thoughts, I hope,” she returned.
I smiled. “Always. Are you officially done?”
“I’m walking to my car as we speak. What about you?”
There was an edge of relief in my best friend’s voice. No doubt she was tired from all that she’d had going on over the last couple of weeks. “I just finished up the last of my work with my paraprofessional. We were talking for a few minutes before leaving.”
“Oh. Well, you can call me back, if you want.”
I shook my head as I moved through the library and worked on getting the last few things finished. “No, it’s okay. She just walked out when we heard my phone ringing. How does it feel to be done?”
The sound of her car door being opened and shut came through the line before her labored breathing and grunts did. It was like she was hauling a massive load of stuff across the center console and situating it on her front passenger seat. “I’m so relieved. I’m taking the next couple of days to just decompress, but I want some time to catch up with my best friend. A random phone call once every other week just isn’t cutting it. And I want to meet your new guy.”
I wanted that, too. I just hoped Greyson would be open to it. “I’ll talk to him about it tonight, figure out some times that’ll work with his schedule, and we can plan something soon.”
“Very soon, please,” she pleaded with me.
I made my way to the computers the children used and shut down the last of them. I’d meant to do it yesterday, but I wound up leaving before I’d gotten the chance. “I promise. You and I don’t have to wait until he’s available to get together, though. We’ve got our mornings and afternoons free while the men in our lives are working. I’m happy to come by for a visit whenever you’re ready for me.”
“Maybe Friday. We could do lunch.”
With the computers for the children off, I moved to mine at the front of the library. Time to power that one down, too. “Lunch on Friday is perfect for me.”
“Great. We’ll figure out the details later. Now, why exactly were you thinking about me before I called you?”
I closed down the programs I had open on the computer, and once I’d logged out of everything, I shut down that computer. “I was thinking about how quickly your relationship with Colt progressed, how fast you two fell for one another and got engaged.”
“Oh?” Her voice had pitched, a curiosity in her tone. “Have you fallen in love, Cierra? If you tell me that you’ve received a proposal, I’m going to lose my mind.”
Laughter spilled out of me. “Don’t worry. I do not have a ring on my finger.”
“So, what’s going on?”
I swallowed hard. I was pretty sure I had, as she’d asked, fallen in love. “I might be in love.”
Her excited squeal came through the line. “Ah, I’m so happy for you. I don’t care what you’ve got going on, you can’t cancel with me on Friday.”
With the last of my tasks accomplished, I started gathering up my things to leave. “I promise I won’t.” My phone beeped before I could continue, and when I pulled it from my ear, I saw Greyson’s name on the display. Concerned that something might be wrong, I said, “Oh, Naomi, that’s Greyson calling me. I’m going to take this call, but I’ll reach out either later tonight or tomorrow to finalize Friday plans.”
“Sounds good. I’ll talk to you later.”
I said goodbye and answered Greyson’s call. “Hey, you.”
“Hi. Are you okay?”
His question caught me off guard, my body tensing. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
There was a moment of hesitation before he answered with an edge of anxiousness. “Well, I… I was just making sure your day went okay. I thought I would have heard from you by now.”
I had been doing that.
Ever since the whole situation with my garden happened, leading Greyson and me to believe Richard Lynch was trying to make a statement, I’d been calling my guy when I left school. He’d given me a key to his place, so I could go there after school until he finished at work on the days I didn’t have self-defense classes. Even though today was one of those days I’d be meeting him, it was still earlier than usual, so I’d have some time to kill before heading in for training.
He’d been expecting my call, and clearly, it had worried him enough that he hadn’t heard from me yet.
I leaned my hips against the desk and sighed. “I’m sorry. Raelynn and I stayed a little later to get a few extra things done, so we won’t need to worry about them when we come back next school year. We just finished a few minutes ago, and she left, but then Naomi called when I was shutting down the computers, so I was chatting with her when you called.”
“Oh. Do you still have her on the other line?”
“No. But I am planning to get together with her for lunch on Friday, and I’ll warn you now that she wants to meet you, so it’d be nice if I had a few days in mind to give her. I’d love for you to meet her.”
Greyson’s voice had changed, the uneasiness I’d heard earlier gone. “As long as it’s not during my work hours, I’m good with whatever you decide. I’ll be happy to meet her.”
“Thank you.”
“Pretty lady, I’d do anything for you.”
I closed my eyes and allowed the warmth to spread through my body. How I’d landed such an incredible guy, I didn’t know.
Maybe he was my reward.
Maybe, after what I’d done to make a difference in Briana’s life all those years ago, I was getting this wonderful gift in the form of a man who treated me the way Greyson did.
I pushed off the desk and moved to gather my things. “Alright. I’m going to need both hands to carry my stuff out, but I’m leaving now.”
“Okay. Are you heading back to the house?”
“Yes.”
“If you don’t mind, can you give me a call once you’re there?”
As much as he tried not to let it show, it was difficult to miss. Greyson worried so much about me. “You know I will.”
With my promise to call as soon as I got back to his place, we said goodbye to one another. I dropped my phone in my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and lifted the box of my things in my hands.
Then I turned around to walk out of the library until next school year.
But I’d only managed to take two steps in that direction when I looked up and saw that I wasn’t alone.
Richard Lynch was there.
And he looked like he was no longer interested in just toying with my mind.