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It’s been nothing but bliss. Weeks later and nothing has changed. I’m in awe of him, of us together. That’s basically what I’ve shared with Riley, but she ain’t trying to hear me. She wants to know what that has to do with her and our girl time together.

“Listen—when you find a man, you’ll be just as occupied as I am,” I inform her.

“Oh, so he done moved up to your man status?” she says, taking an angry bite out of a hamburger. We’re sitting outside at a wrought iron table at Bob’s Burger Joint on Hendersonville Street, watching cars whiz by.

I say, “Riley, come on, now. You know I haven’t forgotten about you. It’s just…” I try to wipe the blush off my face, but there’s no use. Judah has me smiling from ear to ear. I continue, “Being with him just feels right. He’s everything I want in a man. Everything.”

“I get that, Autumn. I do. But I also warned you to be cautious, didn’t I?”

“You did, but I’m not overly worried about him friend-zoning me like he did the others. We’ve been tight for weeks. He actually likes me. I think he may even love me.”

“Love? You’ve only known him for like two seconds.”

“And? Don’t be all cautious now. You’re the one who pushed me to go say something to him, remember. So, one could say, if it wasn’t for you, Judah and I wouldn’t exist.”

“Yeah, but that was before I knew about his health situation.”

“Riley, the cancer has been in remission for years. I’ve researched it. Some types of cancer never come out of remission. I choose to think positively. It’s all I have at this point.”

“You know what…you’re right. “She dips some fries in ketchup and says, “I’m really happy for you. And listen, when y’all get married, I’ma need my shoutout because I put y’all together.”

“Oh, now you want to take the credit.”

She chuckles. “Yep. I surely am. Anyway, where we going after we leave here?”

“I’ma swing by some stores so I can get a cute outfit. I’m going hiking with Judah and the crew on Saturday.”

“Girl, bye! It’s finna be ninety-something degrees.”

“Yeah, that’s why we’re meeting at six in the morning before it gets too hot. We’ll only be out there for a couple of hours.”

“In this heat, that’s all it takes to pass out.”

“Well, it’s no different than how hot Judah makes me.”

“Ooo…okay, girl. I guess I just need to be quiet then.”

“Yeah, be quiet and hurry up and eat. I’m ready to go.”