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“I already knew,” Jamie admitted.
Shannon was silent for a beat, and her mouth fell open. “You knew? And you didn’t tell me instantly?”
“He told me last night. And then I passed out.”
This put Shannon into a fit of giggles. “So you did faint from this news.”
“I’m glad you’re so amused by this.”
“So …” Shannon stared silently, waiting for a response.
“So, what?”
“So, what did he say?”
“That it was because of me.”
“I knew it!” Shannon pumped her fist in the air and began dancing around Jamie’s kitchen.
“Your dance is a little premature, don’t you think?”
She spun around, shimmying her hips back and forth. “Why would it be premature?”
“They just broke up, and I have a boyfriend.”
“Pfft! You and Max have been dating for like a minute. You and Duncan … you’re having a baby together.”
“So.”
“It’s Duncan, Jamie.” She stopped dancing and gripped Jamie’s shoulders. “Duncan!”
“Your point?”
“You want to be with him. And I know he loves you, Jamie. I just know it.”
“I think he actually does.” Jamie couldn’t quite believe that herself. “But he hurt me. I wasn’t good enough for him then, so why am I suddenly good enough for him now?”
“Because you’ve changed. Your faith has changed you. Duncan wanted someone who believes the way we do. That was why he couldn’t be with you before.”
“Well, it still hurts. It hurts that he blew me off. It hurts that he chose someone he thought was better than me. It hurts that he never tried to share his faith with me. And I’m not going to dump Max because Duncan is suddenly single.”
“Isn’t it better to end things now before you get too serious, rather than let him get more attached and hurt him more later?”
“Who says Max and I won’t last?”
Shannon was silent again. “Come on, Jamie. Is Max who you really want to be with?”
“Maybe.” She knew Shannon could see right through her.
“Okay, well, you keep telling yourself that. In the meantime, I’m going to pray for you, for all of you, that God would work everything out the way He wants. His plans are always best.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She glanced at the fridge. “Now, can I make you a nice healthy dinner?”
Jamie smiled at her health-conscious friend. “That would be amazing.”
As Shannon prepared a delicious vegetable stir-fry, the girls chatted about their photography business and baby stuff. Shannon didn’t press her about Duncan anymore that night, but he was stuck in Jamie’s head. She couldn’t shake the image of his eyes filled with tears at the hospital. And whenever she thought about the kiss they shared last night, her stomach did more flips than gymnast Simone Biles during her floor routine.