Page 35 of A Journey For Jasmine

She walked in and sat in front of his desk. “Did you talk to Jasmine yet?”

Geez, she was persistent. And he wouldn’t lie because she’d be able to know.

“Yes,” he said.

“And?” she asked.

“And what? You asked if I talked to her and I said yes.”

“Really, Wesley. It’s like pulling teeth.”

“I’m not seventeen,” he said. “I didn’t tell you my dating life back then and I’m sure the hell not telling you at thirty-seven.”

“You went on a date?” she asked all excited.

“Yes,” he said.

“I want details. You know I only want you happy, right?”

“I know you do,” he said. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to talk to someone and it’s not like he had anyone else he could talk to right now.

Which was pretty sad, but looking back, most of his friends were actually work colleagues.

Those he had with Noelle, they were more her friends than his. Once she was gone it was too hard to be around them. It was as if their grief all fed off each other. That wasn’t healthy for anyone.

“When did you go on a date? This weekend?”

“Last night,” he said. “We met at the park. I brought sandwiches and we talked. I told her about Noelle.”

“Good for you,” his mother said. “You needed to get it out there. Best to start with that. What was her reaction?”

“She felt bad. I don’t want sympathy from anyone.”

“No one wants it. Or most people don’t. You’re going to get it though. It’s sad and unfair what happened.”

He snorted. “You’re telling me?”

“Did you tell her why you bought the marina?” she asked.

“No. I didn’t see a point. That doesn’t matter. I said you were the lawyer for the lawsuit. It dragged on for years and when it was done we had to leave. It was time to move.”

“I’m sorry I put you through that, Wesley. Looking back, I’m thinking I shouldn’t have. Or I should have settled.”

“The others didn’t want to,” he said.

“I could have talked them into it and you know it.”

“You wanted justice for Noelle,” he said. “I know that. I might not have thought it or wanted to deal with it back then, but I understand now. It feels like blood money that I’d gladly give back to have her here.”

“I would have too,” she said. “But we can’t go back in time. We can’t change anything. We can take what we’ve got and start something different. I don’t think it helps saying starting new. There is no new because that would mean forgetting the past.”

“Right,” he said. “I can’t and don’t want to forget her. I worry another woman I might date won’t be able to accept that.”

“Then that person isn’t for you. You’ll figure it out. No one says you need to look for someone to settle down. Or is that what you want?”

He didn’t know what the hell he wanted. “I’m not getting any younger.”

“And you wanted kids. I know that.”

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