Page 26 of A Journey For Jasmine

“It is,” his mother said. “What will you do when she reaches out?”

“As she said, a drink and conversation don’t have to be complicated.” He could see the hope in his mother’s eyes. “Don’t read more into it.”

“I’m not. You’re trying. It’s more than you’ve done before. You’ll get there when you’re ready.”

“That’s right,” he said. “When I’m ready.”

He turned and left and wondered if he’d ever really feel that though.

8

The Next Step

“How was your weekend?” Violet asked Jasmine on Monday morning. She’d come straight from the greenhouses with a list of things she needed to do and talk to Rose about. Rose liked to take flowers that were in abundance and use them dried out in some of her pieces. Jasmine would normally do that process for Rose now, if not Violet, but it was done here and not at the plant.

“The same as always,” she said.

“Life sure is boring here,” Violet said. “But boring has its place and sometimes is needed.”

No one knew all that much about Violet. She wasn’t from the area but moved here for a part-time job. She’d worked part time for months before she was offered a full-time one. If Jasmine wondered how Violet could afford it, she never asked and wouldn’t.

It was one thing she liked about her staff—that they kept a lot of their private lives to themselves.

What Jasmine said to Wesley and Mona that night was about the same amount she’d said to other people before. Even her employers.

It wasn’t worth ever bringing up details or things she felt she missed out on in life. She had to move past all that.

“It does.” She wondered if she should tell Violet about Friday night and thought, sure. She needed to tell someone. Poppy would come check on her at some point and get an update, but she didn’t want to seek one of the owners out either for a personal reason. “I got a guy’s number on Friday night.”

“You did?” Violet asked. “Who and where and why didn’t you ask me to go with you?”

She smiled at Violet’s eager questions. She had gone out with Violet in the past, but on Friday she just wanted to see how things went using one of Poppy suggestions. It worked. She wondered if she’d not been alone if Wesley would have come to talk to her. She was guessing that would be a big fat no.

“I went to have a glass of wine and some nachos at the bar at Mona’s. It was a last minute decision when I left here to swing by. I didn’t even go home first.”

“Oh,” Violet said. “Guess it was meant if you got someone’s number. Who is it?”

“It’s the new owner of the marina. Mona’s son, Wesley.”

“The one you said was hot?” Violet asked. “Poppy was talking about it.”

She wasn’t surprised. “He is hot. But he’s nice too.”

“What’s his story?” Violet asked.

“I really don’t know. When I got home on Friday night I realized that I talked more about myself than him. His mother was talking to me earlier too and never said anything.”

“You didn’t think to ask her?” Violet asked.

“No. I wouldn’t do that. The only thing I can figure out is that he’s single now. Was married before. My guess is it was a bad breakup or something. There is still a tan line and grooves from where his wedding band was. He looks down at it or touches it all the time.”

“Ouch,” Violet said. “Not sure I’d want to get mixed up in that.”

“I don’t know there is anything to get mixed up in,” she said. “We had a good time at the bar. I got his number after I said we should do it again. I didn’t give him mine.”

“Why?” Violet asked. “Especially since you said you brought up doing it again.”

“Let’s say I could tell he was hesitant, even though he had a good time. I don’t want to push him. I said I’d reach out.”

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