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“Oh, thanks,” Jenni mumbled. “I guess I’d better get out there and do my job.”
Tory looked a bit puzzled by the tone of Jenni’s response, so Jenni retreated. “I’m sorry, Tory. Didn’t mean for that to come out like that. I think I am just overtired now and can’t really take it all in. I think I just need to sleep for days.”
As they walked out together, Jenni felt as if she was sick.
Just hearing Caleb’s name again and knowing that he didn’t wait to say hello, even if it meant her coming face-to-face with his date for the night, made her unbelievably sad.
She knew she had wanted to talk to him and hear his congratulations herself.
Now she never would. And it was all her fault.
Again.
Dee ran up to them. “Jenni, I was looking for you, you look pale.”
“I’m fine,” responded Jenni, thankful to know Caleb was no longer on the premises. “Just a bit of a wonky tummy. Too much excitement, I guess, especially with that list and all.”
“So sorry about that,” Dee said. Putting her hands on Jenni’s shoulders. “But you handled it with, what’s the word? Aplomb. What a great night! I don’t expect you in tomorrow. I hope you know that. We’ll clean up here, and I will see you on Monday.”
Jenni said good night again to Tory and a few others, then busied herself with the clean-up, happy that the crowd cleared out quickly.
She picked up her program, her purse, and her strappy black shoes, and placed the sensible flats firmly on her feet for the walk out to her car.
It was a warm night, and summer was definitely in the air. She sat in her car for a long time, trying not to cry but eventually letting the tears flow freely even as she put the car in gear and made the drive home.
She had waited too long to acknowledge her feelings about Caleb Prescott. She knew that. But he was unavailable and now that the gala was over, she wouldn’t have to worry about him again. Best to focus on the next project.
Too bad summer was always a slow time for them at work.
She’d come up with something. She had to.
She pulled into her apartment parking lot, opened her door, and stood looking at the few stars she could see, given the light pollution of the city.
Hatteras has so many stars,she thought.I want to see them again.
Chapter Sixteen
May melted into June as the memories of the gala, while still raw, were at least tolerable in Jenni’s mind.
Assuming she was at fault for everything that had happened was a sensation she’d become used to. She just lived with it.
After a few weeks, she decided to leave Raleigh if only for a day or two.
She was now sharing an early morning cup of coffee with her mom.
Remembering the vow she’d made to visit her parents in person, she had arrived last night after work and decided to spend the night.
Her parents lived in Apex, a well-kept Raleigh suburb. Not quite a retirement community, but it wasn’t the house she had grown up in. They had downsized a few years earlier and as far as Jenni could tell had settled easily into a new neighborhood and had made new friends.
Jenni had planned to spend the Independence Day holiday with them, but two things happened to, once again, rearrange her plans.
“So, you and Dad are really headed off to Texas for the fourth?” she asked as she and her mom rocked in unison on the front porch. “I never thought you’d get Dad traveling over a holiday. How did you twist his arm?”
“Grandchildren.” Her mom winked. “When your sister mentioned that the kids were old enough to enjoy all the festivities, and especially the fireworks, your father was totally on board. You know he loves those kids to bits, but he’s been waiting for them to grow up.”
Her mom took a bite out of the ham, egg, and cheese biscuit she’d carried out from the kitchen. “He wants to do grandfather things with them. I guess now, at five and seven, it’s time. He’s more comfortable with them now than he was when they were just babies and toddlers. Plus, we haven’t seen them in almost a year, and on the last visit, they drove all the way here.”
Jenni remembered her sister practically collapsing after that road trip and vowing she wasn’t going to travel with the kids ever again. At least for this visit, she would get her wish.
