Page 84 of Finding Jack
“I’m fine.” I waved a piece of uni at her. “Know why? Because I’m a self-aware adult. I really am fine with this being a friendship with Jack. It’s not a big deal. You have my full permission to jump in and pull me out of the deep end if you see me drowning, but I’m splashing around in the shallows and otherwise focusing on my career. It’s fine. I’m fine,” I repeated. “But thank you.”
“You said you’re fine a lot in that speech. You know, the way people repeat stuff when they’re trying to convince someone? Like themselves, maybe.”
“I. am. fine.”
“Okay, great. So I’m imagining things, and there aren’t so many red flags in this situation that it might as well be a 49ers home game?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“Good to know.”
“Can we eat sushi in peace now?”
We did, talking about work instead. When she got up to take a shower, I texted Jack.Excellent dinner. Thank you.
He sent a thumbs up emoji, and just to prove to Ranée that it wasn’t a big deal, I didn’t answer him.
The next morning I got another text from him.I’ve got a surprise for you this afternoon.
What is it?I demanded.
Oh, sorry. Wasn’t clear. I have a S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E for you.
Is it a pony?
No. Don’t bother guessing. You won’t figure this out.
Of course I spent the whole morning texting him pictures of my guesses. By lunch, I could confirm that it wasn’t a monkey, Thighmaster, shave ice machine, or T-rex suit.That was everything I wanted,I texted.Better return whatever it is.
Too late. Surprise in motion.
Interesting.
Ranée might try to pin my good mood for the rest of the day on her wrongheaded interpretation of our friendship, but I loved surprises. I would have been just as cheered by the promise of a surprise from my mom.
Ranée called me about an hour before I was supposed to get home. “Hey, so, uh…I want you to brace yourself. I just got a text from my brother. He says he’s in town, he wants to know if he can stay at our place. And…he brought company.”
I’d been standing at my office window, staring out while I took her call on a short break, but her announcement dropped me into my chair like she’d shoved me there. “Wait, what? Sean drove down from Oregon and he brought company? Who is it?”
Jack. It had to be. This was the surprise that must be “in motion.”
“Your guess is as good as mine, but my guess is pretty good.”
I cursed.
“You’re not happy about this?”
“I wasn’t prepped for this!”
“Doesn’t matter, right? You guys are just friends?”
“Not now, Ranée.” And I hung up on the sound of her laughing.
Jack was here? And coming to my house? How…what…Why?
Chapter 30
I left work at 5:00 exactly. I had way too much work to be doing that. We had a huge software update rolling out in a week, but I left anyway and beat Ranée home. I didn’t know what to do once I got there. Maybe get dinner ready? Or shower and do my hair? Or…
