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Jonah comes back from bowling a spare, and we’re finished.
Christian stands and offers me a hand and I let him pull me up from my seat.
“I’m going to head to the ladies’ room to freshen up,” I say.
“Great, I’ll let everyone know our plans,” Christian says.
I glance at Jonah and simply get a quirked eyebrow.
I turn and head for the restroom.
But as I’m washing my hands and touching up my lipstick, it occurs to me that I don’t need more time with Christian. I know what I need to know.
He’s a great guy. He is someone who could give me some amazing opportunities if I wanted to be on the world stage as more of a leader. He actually has more power and influence in some ways than Torin does. Torin has the ability to enact policy and programs directly, but Christian is part of the government of a much bigger and more influential country.
If all of that—world politics, and influencing policy at the highest level—is what I want, then Christian is someone that I should be interested in getting closer to.
If love, and chemistry, and all of that really isn’t important to me—as I’ve told myself all these years—if I’m truly willing to give all of that up to do something for the greater good, then why not trade a guy like Torin, who isn’t interested in marrying me, for a guy whoisinterested in me romantically?
It would at least be worth going on a few dates, right? It would at least be worth getting to know him better. It would at least be worth pursuing.
But something has changed.
I could say it’s happened over just the last few days, since Torin presented me with this opportunity to go out and consider someone other than him as a partner.
But the truth is, it’s been happening for the past almost year.
Ever since Jonah found me by the fountain. Ever since we started to become friends. Ever since he became the person I feel the safest with, the mostmewith.
And definitely ever since he kissed me.
I’ve actually let myself consider something else.
Something other than what I’ve taken for granted all this time.
Something other than what I thought was inevitable.
And now I can’t stop.
Instead of a straight path in front of me that was paved a long time ago with only one direction to go, I’m now standing at a fork in the road.
Chapter22
Jonah
* * *
“So Linnea and I were just talking about going and getting a drink someplace that will make it a little easier to talk.”
I tuck my hands into the front pockets of my jeans and give Christian a nod. “Okay.”
Christian Waite is a really good guy. Nice, charming, seems to really care about people, seems enamored with Linnea.
He’d be perfect for her.
I really fucking hate him.
“And I’d appreciate it if maybe you’d hang back,” Waite adds.