Page 72 of If My Wishes Came True
Sunny laughs. “She talks like a guy, I know. Sam’s one-in-a-million. But underneath the unfiltered banter, she’s got a heart of gold. You’ll see.”
“That’s good to hear. Because my sister might move to Chicago, and I’m thinking of setting them up as friends. They’re both single, and I think they’d have a lot of fun playing wingwoman for each other.”
“Wait,” Sunny says. “So, if you want Sam and your sister to hang out because they’re both single…does that mean what I think it means? Are you dating someone?”
Her voice is full of hope, which makes my heart swell. I haven’t told Sunny or Dex about Hunter yet, but they know I have a complicated history when it comes to love. It’s so sweet they’ve both been rooting for me to find it.
“As a matter of fact, I am,” I say with a beaming smile. “His name is Charlie, and he’s my next-door neighbor. He’s amazing, and we have the best chemistry. It’s still early, but…I think he might be the one, Sunny.”
All I hear on the other line are sniffles.
“Sunny? Are you crying?”
“It’s the pregnancy hormones,” she tells me before blowing her nose. “I’m just so happy for you, Jenna. You deserve this.”
“You know what?” I say. “I finally feel like I do.”
The next morning, after I roll out of bed, I’m on my way to the kitchen to make coffee when something catches my eye: another photograph slipped underneath my front door.
Charlie.
I pick it up, smiling. This one’s of Denver, and it’s breathtaking—an urban landscape that’s a striking contrast to the magnificent mountains behind it. Overhead, a sunset paints the sky in pretty purple, pink, and orange hues.
I flip over the picture.
Missed you so much this weekend. Can’t wait to see you later.
And below his signature, the postscript reads:Open your door.
Beaming, I follow his instructions and find the most beautiful bouquet of wildflowers, in colors that match the sunset in Charlie’s photograph. Right away, I text him to say thank you.
I can’t wait to see him tonight. But first, I have an important day of work ahead of me.
I eat breakfast, get dressed, and drive north on Lake Shore Drive to my client Nadine’s high-rise condo. Since I moved to Chicago, we’ve been working together on small projects throughout her home. She recently split with her partner of ten years, but got to keep the apartment in the settlement, and wants it to look more like her. Nadine’s style is quirky and eclectic, and she loves bright colors, which makes her a lot of fun to work with.
“Jenna, sweetheart, come in,” she says in her heavy New York accent. “Do you like matcha? I have matcha, and I have coffee—but it’s not the good coffee I like from Sutton’s. They were out this morning. Can you believe it?”
“Shame on them,” I say, suppressing a giggle. “Matcha’s great, thanks.”
“Alright, follow me,” she says, hurrying into the kitchen. After she pours my tea, she turns to face me. “So how do I look?”
I smile. “Fabulous, as always.” Nadine is petite, like me. Her hair is cut short and dyed jet black, and she has on bright red lipstick to match her eyeglass frames. She’s wearing kelly green pants with a royal blue sweater, and a canary yellow scarf draped over her shoulders. It’s a vibrant ensemble, yet somehow, it works on her.
“But do I look any different?” she presses.
I examine her more carefully as she stands, posing with her hands on her hips. I don’t notice anything out of the ordinary. My eyes land on her face. Botox maybe? But surely she doesn’t want me to ask her about that…
When I shake my head, Nadine laughs. “I’m another year older. Just turned fifty.”
“Oh my gosh, happy birthday! You look amazing.”
“New decade, new chapter,” she says, handing me the cup of matcha. “Come. Let’s take a look at the guest bathroom and see how we can spruce it up.”
We decide on a beautiful blue Spanish tile and potted plants to bring the space to life, along with updated fixtures and some art on the walls. After we’ve made a plan, Nadine walks me back out to the living room.
“You know, Jenna, I have a neighbor who’s looking for a good designer, and I’d love to recommend you. But you must be up to your eyeballs in requests after Lola Piper tweeted about you.”
I laugh. “Yeah, it’s been an interesting few weeks, that’s for sure. But going viral forced me to think about what I want my career to look like, long-term. And…I made a decision.”
