Page 18 of The Marriage Narrative
Grace was still scrolling, eyes moving quickly as she read every single line. She’d graduated from college with degrees in I/O psychology and had a high-paying job in the private sector but was also incredibly suited to being a COO.
Zinnia and Fiona exchanged a tense look—an agreement to let her finish.
While they waited, she fidgeted with her bracelets, tapped her foot,andchewed on her bottom lip. She didn’t know what she’d do if they truly weren’t with her on this. Nowthatwas something she’d never imagined.
Grace set the phone down with a sharp inhale as if she were coming out of a trance and fixed her unwavering gaze on Zinnia.
Chapter 6
Jordan
From the endof their meeting until now, Jordan had received over a hundred messages and not a single one was Zinnia’s answer.
His inbox was flooded byevery single memberof his family pressuring him about the showandhis friends threatening to stage an intervention because he’d cancelled all their plans for the foreseeable future.
At least he didn’t have to worry about work. Tantivy’s newly promoted store directors were already making him proud. Phil from Tantivy1 and Coco from Tantivy2 immediately started a group chat to discuss the transition and jointly decided to add him to it. They talkednonstop. He nearly jumped out of his skin every time his phone went off but couldn’t bring himself to put it on silent. If they needed him, he wanted to be there.
Somehow, he defied the stress making him feel constantly wired and fell asleep around two a.m.
Naturally, he dreamed about Zinnia and her answer,Groundhog Day–style.
She said no, grew wings, and then flew into the sunset. Shesaid yes, but then her friends chased him down with a car. She said maybe, gave him exactly four hours to win her hand, and started the timer.
Two hours into his dream quest, his phone went off three times at six a.m. and woke him up.
ZINNIA:Jordan. Good morning.
ZINNIA:So, I talked to Grace and Fi
ZINNIA:Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
He groaned while rubbing his face. Beta Carotene jumped onto the bed with a solidthump.
“Hey, buddy. Ready for breakfast?”
He got a purring head-butt in response.
Jordan had never been a cat person. He’d gone to the shelter to get a dog. But while standing at the intake desk to begin the aggressively thorough canine application, he’d spotted a crate labeledCAUTION: SILENT BUT SPICY.
He’d stared at the pointy-eared orange fluff.
The giant pointy-eared orange fluff had stared back.
He’d asked the receptionist, “Is that cat available?”
One meet and greet later, Beta Carotene had a forever home.
JORDAN:Good morning/news
ZINNIA:Are you free today for a really late lunch meeting? So late it’s technically early dinner but I’m calling it lunch for personal reasons.
ZINNIA:Because it just so happens that I am.
Jordan’s cool sheets shifted around him as he sat up, instantly awake. Her response hit him like a shove in the back—she obviously wanted to move forward in a specific way, but time was breathing down his neck. He barely had enough left to finish his lengthy disappearance to-do list.
Beta Carotenechirped. Huge cat. Tiny voice.
“Don’t worry, you’ll like her. She thinks you’re cute.”
