Page 13 of Rules Of Engagement: St. Louis (In The Heart of A Valentine #17)

“By yelling ‘hello nurse’ like you’re in a cartoon?”

“It worked, didn’t it? He came over here, introduced himself, and now I know where he works. That’s more progress than Journey has made in her entire dating life.”

Journey looked up from her hands. “I make progress. I had a perfectly nice conversation with the substitute teacher last week.”

“About lesson plans,” Frankie said flatly.

“Lesson plans are important!”

“So is getting your back blown out every once in a while.”

“Frankie!” Journey’s voice went up an octave, but she was laughing now.

I watched my friends banter back and forth, laughing at their teasing.

“So what about you, Miss Mysterious?” Frankie turned her attention to me, her expression shifting into a curious mask. “Catch us up to date about what’s going on with you. And don’t bullshit us because we’ll see straight through it.”

I considered bullshitting anyway, but the truth was, I was tired of carrying everything alone. I wasn’t encouraged enough to spill my entire situation with Christian, but maybe enough to share some of the weight. Still, I redirected.

“I saw Gerald this morning.”

The temperature at our table seemed to drop ten degrees. Journey’s expression hardened, while Frankie’s entire body went rigid.

“What did that piece of shit want?” Frankie said, annoyed.

“Money. What else?” I pushed my salad around my plate, suddenly not hungry. “He claims he needs medication that his insurance won’t cover.”

“And you told him to kiss your ass and find another solution,” Journey said hopefully.

“I gave him three thousand dollars.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Even Trisha seemed to sense the shift in mood as she refilled our coffee without her usual cheerful banter.

“Naomi,” Journey said, “why?”

“Because, even after everything he put me through, I don’t want him to die. And because he knew what to say to make me feel guilty for protecting myself.”

Frankie’s hands were clenched into fists on the table. “That manipulative son of a bitch. I swear, if I ever see him again?—”

“It’s done,” I interrupted. “I made it clear this was the last time. If he comes around again, I’ll file harassment charges.”

“You should have filed them after the first time he called,” Frankie muttered.

She wasn’t wrong, but hindsight was always clearer than the moment when you’re faced with someone’s supposed crisis.

“The important thing is that you set a boundary,” Journey said, always looking for the positive angle. “Three thousand dollars is a small price to pay for a peace of mind if it means he leaves you alone permanently.”

“Exactly.” I appreciated Journey’s attempt to reframe the situation, even if I didn’t entirely believe it myself. “Enough about my drama. We’re supposed to be celebrating your new job.”

“My job will still be there after we make sure you’re okay,” Journey said firmly. “That’s what friends do.”

And that was why I loved them both. “I’m okay,” I said, and for the first time all day, it felt almost true. “Or I will be.”

Frankie reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “Damn right you will be. And if Gerald shows his face around here again, he’ll have to deal with all three of us.”

“Speak for yourself,” Journey said primly. “I’m a professional educator. I handle conflicts through dialogue and mediation.”

“And I’m someone who doesn’t have time for bullshit,” Frankie shot back. “I handle conflicts through creative problem-solving.”

“Is that what we’re calling it now?”

“It’s what I’m calling it when I have to explain to my son why his mama got arrested for assault.”

I laughed and shook my head.

We spent the next hour talking about everything and nothing. Journey’s plans for her new position, Frankie’s latest adventures in online dating, the upcoming election, and the changing seasons. It was normal conversation between friends, and it always rejuvenated my soul.

As we prepared to leave, Frankie glanced toward the counter where Elijah, the nurse, had been standing.

“You know, I might just develop a sudden craving for coffee around shift change this time tomorrow.”

“You don’t even drink coffee,” Journey pointed out.

“I could learn to appreciate it. For medicinal purposes.”

I shook my head, smiling. Frankie’s optimism when it came to romance was infectious, even if I couldn’t imagine applying it to my own life.

Outside the diner, Journey pulled me aside while Frankie was digging through her purse for her car keys.

“Are you really okay?” she asked quietly. “I know seeing Gerald couldn’t have been easy.”

“I’m getting there,” I said. “Some days are better than others.”

“And the rest of your life? Work, family, whatever else you’ve got going on?”

I thought about Christian, about the jewelry box sitting on my kitchen counter, about the rules that I suddenly wanted to break.

“It’s complicated,” I said.

Journey nodded. “The best things usually are. Just remember, you don’t have to figure it all out alone. We’re here when you’re ready to talk.”

And that was Journey’s gift, knowing when to push and when to simply offer presence. She gave me a quick hug before joining Frankie, who was still digging through what appeared to be a bottomless purse.

“Girl, what do you have in there?” Journey asked.

“Everything. You never know when you might need emergency lip gloss or a granola bar or…” Frankie triumphantly pulled out her keys. “Car keys!”

“Have a good day!” I shouted.

“You, too!” They sang as we parted ways.

The jewelry box was still sitting on my kitchen counter when I got home, open and staring at me like a haunting. Inside were earrings and a bracelet engraved with words that violated every rule I’d established.

Happy Anniversary.

I stared at the inscription for a long time, running my finger over the script.

Our arrangement had evolved and that scared me shitless.

Quickly, I covered the top and snapped it closed, grabbed it, and shoved it in the back of my dresser drawer.

I had to pull myself together or I was going to lose my mind.