It's not fair to cancel. I don't have a day off for three days, then I have two.
Well, if I don’t hear from Truett, that's that. Settling myself in for the day, I get to it.
I jump in the shower and clean myself up. But as I wash away last night, I can't help but smile, feeling incredible as I do.
Truett Baker and I didn't just kiss. We had an incredible time together. I hate that he left just like that in the middle of the night, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me slightly insecure. But that note was lovely.
As I'm drying my hair, I get a phone call from Helena from the Seeking Curves Matchmaking Agency and I'm grateful that I have the ringer on.
"Hello?" I say.
"Oh, Story, I'm so glad you picked up. I just got off the phone with Truett. Sounds like last night was a success."
"Yeah," I say, "it really was."
"So you see some potential there?"
"I do."
We go over the details of the date. Not all of them, of course. I'm not one to kiss and tell exactly. But when she asks me when I'm going to see him next, I tell her my dilemma.
"Well, that's life," she says. "That's part of a relationship. I'm sure you'll be able to work something out."
"I hope so," I say. "It sounds like he and LA don't exactly match, which is a bit of an issue considering that's where I'm building my business."
"Don't let that be a hang-up at this stage of things. You're just getting to know one another. Be in it as best you can right now," she says, giving me sound advice. And I appreciate it, considering I don't exactly have a mom I can call and ask about this kind of thing.
Soon enough, Truett is the one who's calling me, explaining he got my number from Helena.
"I was hoping you'd be calling," I say, smiling as I pour my morning coffee. "I just got off the phone with Helena."
"Did you?" he asks. "And how did that go?”
"It was good," I tell him. "I mean, I know you already spoke with her too.”
“I want to apologize. I left in the middle of the night and I hate that you woke up like that, but I was going a little crazy, pacing your apartment."
"No, it's fine. You don't have to apologize to me."
"I really don't like the city."
"Have you even gotten any sleep though?" I ask. "You must have left here pretty early and it's only 10:00 now."
"I got a few hours. I wanted to talk to you, though."
Warmth bubbles up inside of me. "Thanks, Truett."
"No, thank you," he says. "I think I'd given up on love, but then I saw you last night."
The word hits me hard, love. I don’t want to read too much into it, but I admit it makes me feel good. Just the idea of it—the potential. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel sparks too.
He swallows. "The thing is, I can't come out tonight," I tell him. I go over the shifts I have over the next few days and the custom cake orders that are in the queue.
"Really?” He sounds disappointed. "Well, that sucks."
"I know, but I can't just put it off. My customers are counting on these cakes, and I can't flake out on my employer either."
"No, I understand," he says. "It just sucks that I won't get to see you."
"I guess that's just the reality of us living in two different places."
"Right," he says. “Damn, that's going to be hard. It's only two and a half hours’ distance and I'm off in three days. How many days will you have off?"
"Two," I say. "Two and a half. I don't think my shift at Honeybee’s is until the afternoon on the third day."
"Well, that's more than what we got now, right?" he says.
"Yeah," I say, "but."
"But what?" he asks.
"Doesn't three days seem like forever?”
He chuckles. "Yeah. I mean, it already feels like forever. I wish I was with you right now."
"I know, part of me wants to tell you to screw your issues with LA and just come back, but I really have to get these cakes done. And when I'm working in the kitchen, I have to focus 100%. I don't want to mess up. And if you were here, I think I'd be really distracted. Besides, three cakes in a day is kind of a lot."
"No, no," he says. "I totally get it, Story, I really do. I understand. I want you to give 110% to your job, to your passion. That's incredible, and I admire it so much. You do your work, and in three days, there'll be a car picking you up to bring you to Big Bear, if you still want to come."