Page 22 of Forever Only Once
I’d already put myself out there by giving him my number. And yet he hadn’t contacted me. It had to be for a reason. Once he got home, maybe he’d realized exactly what a huge mistake he’d made. Or perhaps he was a serial killer and now knew my phone number, along with my likes and dislikes, and was planning to chop me up into little bits later.
I cringed. I really needed to get those thoughts out of my head. They weren’t healthy.
“Knock, knock,” Paris said from the doorway. I jumped, dropping my fork onto my desk.
“You scared the crap out of me. Thankfully, I forgot my dressing, or this would have been a huge mess.”
I laughed as I said it, cleaning up my strewn lettuce and carrots.
“Sorry, I thought you saw me. You were off in your own little world.” Paris knelt down by my desk and handed me a cucumber slice.
“Thanks,” I said, wincing.
“No problem. I was going to see if you wanted to get lunch since I was out for a business meeting all morning. I don’t have to be back for a couple of hours. But it seems you already have your lovely lunch.”
“I didn’t know you were doing business meetings now,” I said, ignoring the swipe at my lunch. She was right, after all.
“Not all the time. But we’re on the hunt for someone to replace Jeff, and that means I get to go and do more of his work. On top of mine. Thankfully, my boss seems to get that and gave me a couple of hours off.”
“I would love to get lunch with you, but I kind of used my lunch hour to work with a student.”
Paris smiled, her expression turning warm. “That’s wonderful. I mean, not the fact that you’re not eating, but that you’re such a great teacher. I don’t know if I would have the patience.”
“You learn it. Or…you just don’t teach. At least, you shouldn’t if that’s not in your skill set.” I shrugged. “But that doesn’t matter. I love what I do, even though I’m tired right now, you know?”
“No, I don’t. Because you didn’t tell me about the rest of your date. I mean, you mentioned the whole accidental run-in thing, which, oh my God, how amazing is that? However, I don’t really know much more.”
“There really isn’t much more to say outside of what I already told you.”
After I had gotten home, Paris called again, this time on a four-way chat with the other girls so they could ask me exactly what had happened. Apparently, I had been a little too mysterious when I hung up with Paris during dinner. They had all been a mix of surprised, worried, and excited.
Considering that I was going through all of those same emotions, it was understandable.
“I think you already know everything,” I said finally.
Paris raised a perfectly sculpted brow. “Really? So, there’s been no contact since?”
“No,” I said, my stomach clenching. And thank you for reminding me that he hasn’t called or texted.”
“First off, it’s been less than forty-eight hours. And you have his number, as well. You could call him. After all, that is what this pact is about, right? Taking our futures into our own hands and forging our own paths. Along with friends.”
I shook my head. “I was already on that path. It didn’t work out. A literal organ was taken from someone’s body.”
“That is a problem. But that’s not something we should focus on right now. Besides, it wouldn’t have worked out between you and Stavros anyway.”
“Why is that?”
Paris had the grace to wince. “Apparently, he is getting back together with his ex-wife. I didn’t know they still had a connection outside of their daughter. I thought I knew everything. My research is clearly flawed. By the time we get to the next people on the list, including your next date—if this thing doesn’t work out with Cross—then I will have my research down better.”
I just shook my head, holding back a laugh. “I don’t know. I feel like if I text or call him, it might ruin the bubble of what we shared. You know?”
“Maybe. Or perhaps you’re missing an opportunity. I don’t think you’re ever going to know until you try,” Paris said honestly.
She tucked her hair behind her ear before she added, “I’ll let you be. But just know that part of the pact is possibly pushing you in the right direction. You took that oath, too, you need to be a part of it.”
“There wasn’t an oath.” I paused. “Was there?”
Paris just smiled brightly.