Page 27 of The Girl He Loves

I shake my head. “He would have said something about that.” I swipe my hand across the space in front of me. “Never mind. It’s over. He’s gone, and I got what I wanted.”

Jayne wags her brows and says with an exaggerated English accent, “Yer boots knocked.”

Time for a subject change. “I have bigger problems, anyway. Josie heard back from the lawyer. He said the courts are backed up, and an expedited expunging will take a minimum of three months. I shared that news with my counselor, so I’m officially not on the list for a student teaching position this fall.”

Josie stops swinging her legs. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could have turned it around faster. Have you made a decision about graduation?”

I shake my head and choke back tears. “You know what bugs me? Even if I get my record expunged, I still have to disclose it on job applications.” This was a fun fact Josie shared with me yesterday as well. “Jamison said I have to decide soon. Class registration is next week, and we need a plan.”

Jayne asks, “Is there another degree you might want to pursue instead? Something else you might like to do?”

My throat gets clogged with emotion, and a tear trickles down one cheek. “I wanted this,” I say hoarsely.

Jayne moves next to me and throws her arms around my shoulders in a side hug. “I know you did. Until you get this thing worked out, you’ll always have a job here. Don’t let that be a stressor.”

Josie says, “We started the paperwork anyway. Brinn said he’d donate to a campaign if we thought it would help.”

“How much do I owe you?”

She waves me off.

I push away from Jayne and toss my box cutter on the table. “Stop. Y’all can’t keep rescuing me]. My parents buy me tires, Jayne gives me a job, Dax fixes my dishwasher, Josie gives me a huge discount on my divorce, Paisley gives me her furniture after she moved in with Hank when she could have sold it. I can’t continue to be a charity case.”

Josie huffs. “I think you’re confusing family, friendship, and love with charity.”

“I want to do this on my own,” I say.

Jayne looks confused. “Why, when you have people around you who want to help? Only those who have no one are forced to do it alone. Sadly. And when given a choice to have support or not, why would you choose not to?”

I slump against the back wall and duck my head into my hands. Through my fingers, I say, “I just need to prove to myself I can do it.”

Josie says, “And the fact that you’ve been doing it every day alone for the last what…three years, isn’t proof enough?”

I look up at her. “Says the woman who walked away from her cushy life and law degree to find her brother. How many odd jobs did you work? And how much help did you take from your family? None, right?”

She leans against the wall with me. “Yes, I see your point. I did turn my back on my family. But strangers helped me along the way]. That’s how I got some of those odd jobs. When my car broke down on the side of the road when I was moving here, I took a ride from two unknown guys. I took help.”

Jayne smiles. “The fact that she ended up marrying one of those guys who gave her a ride is an oddity. None of us are asking you to join us in wedded bliss or the shacking up equivalent.”

Josie nudges me with her shoulder. “All that to say, we’re here if you need us. Jayne's come this far in her company because you helped her run this business while she started the online portion. I think we keep going on about it because we’re afraid you won’t ask. Hell, I’d do your expunging for free, but I know you won’t let me.”

I did feel a little foolish, digging in my heels. Yet, I needed to prove to myself I was capable. I reach out and take Josie’s hand. “I promise to ask for help and not let pride win.”

She smiles. “That’s all we want.”

We do a group hug. I’m very thankful for these women. I want them to know that.

“I’m lucky to have you all,” I say.

“I feel the same,” says Josie. Jayne echoes her.

My phone alarm jingles, jolting us from our reverie.

“How could I forget?” I say. “That’s my reminder for my appointment with Tyler’s neurologist.”

Thankfully, I set reminders two hours out. I have a forty-minute drive to north Orlando for the appointment. It’s a meeting to go over his current medication and sleep study results. Thankfully, Tyler doesn’t have to endure it.

The drive is quick; I mostly do it on autopilot. I sign in at the front desk and make one wish for the day, that the news is better than good. Then I think of Dax, wondering if he makes wishes regularly like I do.

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