Jordan
Chapter Eight
Over the next year and a half, Nicole spent a lot of time with Michael, and although she hadn’t forgotten about Jordan, she felt as though her world didn’t revolve around him anymore, and that was a good thing because she knew their paths were headed in different directions. If she spent much time at all thinking about might have been, it was only because the heart wants what the heart wants. It didn’t seem to understand that sometimes things are beyond its reach.
She’d even gotten to the point she spent the night at Michael’s more often than not, and nobody, especially Sarah, was surprised when he proposed. He’d brought her to the Red Lobster again, more for the sake of reminiscing than because the food was the best in town. It wasn’t. But this was the place they'd had their first date.
Nicole had sensed what was coming when he'd slipped down on one knee and offered her the ring. The whole restaurant had broken out with cheers, and she'd found herself giving him a "yes" even though Jordan yet lingered in the back of her mind and in her heart. Perhaps that should have been a warning, but she did know one thing: Michael was a good man who loved her. He would treat her right, and they could make a life together. Part of her knew it wasn’t the life she sought; it never would be, no matter how much she might want things to be different.
After making love until almost dawn, she called her mother from Michael’s bedroom as she heard him in the shower getting ready for work. He hummed randomly as always, and Nicole found comfort in that.
Her mother answered on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Good morning, Mom,” Nicole said, trying not to grin so much. Her mother would definitely pick up on that.
“Nicole? Is that you?”
“Yeah.” She ran her fingers through her hair and tried to pat it down. That was one of the good things about having long hair.
“Is there something wrong? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for classes?”
Nicole laughed at her mother’s worried tone. If there were anything to frown over, her mom would find it. “Everything is fine. I just had something I wanted to tell you. Michael proposed last night.”
“Oh, my baby.”
Nicole could hear the emotions running high in her mom’s voice. “Are you crying?” she asked, incredulous.
“No, of course not. Is this what you want?”
Nicole paused, and an image of Jordan floated through her thoughts. He wore the same clothes as on that weekend PE trip, and he smiled and waved at her like nothing had changed--like she hadn’t changed. She nodded, even though her mom wouldn’t be able to see it. “Yeah, Mom. I love him. I really do.”
“Then you need to come over this weekend so we can plan the wedding, and I won’t take "no" for an answer. You hear me?”
Nicole stifled a giggle. “Yes, Mom.”
She hung up as Michael slipped back into the room. He wore a white dress shirt and a navy Armani suit with suspenders underneath. As he leaned over to kiss her, she caught a whiff of his aftershave—Obsession. Their lips touched, and he lifted his head to look at her.
“Good morning, wife-to-be.” His hand stroked her cheek lovingly.
“Good morning, husband-to-be.”
He peered at her and shook his head. “Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready for class?”
She stretched lazily. “What time is it?”
He consulted his watch. “Almost 8.” He walked over to the closet to get his dress shoes.
“Crap!” Nicole snapped, immediately throwing the covers back and climbing out of bed, searching for her clothes. “I have a test this morning.”
Michael watched her via the bureau mirror. “Yeah, well, you’d better get something on, or I’m coming over there, and we’re both going to be late because what I’m thinking right now is going to take all morning.”
She threw
Chapter Eight
Over the next year and a half, Nicole spent a lot of time with Michael, and although she hadn’t forgotten about Jordan, she felt as though her world didn’t revolve around him anymore, and that was a good thing because she knew their paths were headed in different directions. If she spent much time at all thinking about might have been, it was only because the heart wants what the heart wants. It didn’t seem to understand that sometimes things are beyond its reach.
She’d even gotten to the point she spent the night at Michael’s more often than not, and nobody, especially Sarah, was surprised when he proposed. He’d brought her to the Red Lobster again, more for the sake of reminiscing than because the food was the best in town. It wasn’t. But this was the place they'd had their first date.
Nicole had sensed what was coming when he'd slipped down on one knee and offered her the ring. The whole restaurant had broken out with cheers, and she'd found herself giving him a "yes" even though Jordan yet lingered in the back of her mind and in her heart. Perhaps that should have been a warning, but she did know one thing: Michael was a good man who loved her. He would treat her right, and they could make a life together. Part of her knew it wasn’t the life she sought; it never would be, no matter how much she might want things to be different.
After making love until almost dawn, she called her mother from Michael’s bedroom as she heard him in the shower getting ready for work. He hummed randomly as always, and Nicole found comfort in that.
Her mother answered on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Good morning, Mom,” Nicole said, trying not to grin so much. Her mother would definitely pick up on that.
“Nicole? Is that you?”
“Yeah.” She ran her fingers through her hair and tried to pat it down. That was one of the good things about having long hair.
“Is there something wrong? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for classes?”
Nicole laughed at her mother’s worried tone. If there were anything to frown over, her mom would find it. “Everything is fine. I just had something I wanted to tell you. Michael proposed last night.”
“Oh, my baby.”
Nicole could hear the emotions running high in her mom’s voice. “Are you crying?” she asked, incredulous.
“No, of course not. Is this what you want?”
Nicole paused, and an image of Jordan floated through her thoughts. He wore the same clothes as on that weekend PE trip, and he smiled and waved at her like nothing had changed--like she hadn’t changed. She nodded, even though her mom wouldn’t be able to see it. “Yeah, Mom. I love him. I really do.”
“Then you need to come over this weekend so we can plan the wedding, and I won’t take "no" for an answer. You hear me?”
Nicole stifled a giggle. “Yes, Mom.”
She hung up as Michael slipped back into the room. He wore a white dress shirt and a navy Armani suit with suspenders underneath. As he leaned over to kiss her, she caught a whiff of his aftershave—Obsession. Their lips touched, and he lifted his head to look at her.
“Good morning, wife-to-be.” His hand stroked her cheek lovingly.
“Good morning, husband-to-be.”
He peered at her and shook his head. “Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready for class?”
She stretched lazily. “What time is it?”
He consulted his watch. “Almost 8.” He walked over to the closet to get his dress shoes.
“Crap!” Nicole snapped, immediately throwing the covers back and climbing out of bed, searching for her clothes. “I have a test this morning.”
Michael watched her via the bureau mirror. “Yeah, well, you’d better get something on, or I’m coming over there, and we’re both going to be late because what I’m thinking right now is going to take all morning.”
She threw
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