“I can’t believe it, but I’ve made up my mind.Whew!”Vesna sang out.“Let’s celebrate my decision to chase love not money and to you being home.Oh and to true love.”Vesna mimed making a toast.“I’ll make us an Aperol spritz to celebrate.It will feel like I’m at a café in Paris—something you’ve probably done dozens of times.Paris.”She snapped her fingers and bounced to her feet.“I’ll suggest that Ryan and I should go to Paris for our honeymoon.I’ve always wanted to go.”
“Mr.Billionaire could probably fly you to Paris for the weekend at your whim.”Ayana’s inner devil—the one the Family insisted she harbored due to hersmart mouthandoutlandish ideas—didn’t want to shut up about the absurdity of Vesna’s crazy scheme—first mail-order bride; now floppy-haired, dreamy-eyed soul mate, woodworker—Ryan.
In line for soup.How could a staple create such chaos-thinking?Up until a couple of hours ago, Ayana had felt like Vesna was grounded and practical and strong—not someone who would hand over their heart and future into a man’s carelessly indifferent hands.
“Cam probably has adventures every weekend, but now he wants to buy a ranch in Montana.That’s what intrigued me,” Vesna said from the kitchen.
Ayana heard the pop of a cork.Good thing because Vesna wouldn’t hear her mutteredBSoath.“Girl, you have weekly appointments at Spa Blissed Out for nails, brows, facial, massage and cupping, and whatever.Ranch Montana will have none of that.”
Never let it be said that she wasn’t practical, even though she did give offmermaidvibes.One of the reasons she’d cropped her long hair—less noticeable to men or anyone asking about her.At least the Family hadn’t believed in the technology to take pictures.Her job with the cruise ship company had made her feel safe.No way would the Family travel to Europe, especially aboard a high-end cruise.
“True.It doesn’t matter now.”Vesna returned with two flutes brimming with bubbling bright orange liquid.“But Ryan has no aspirations to go rural.He’s actually in the process of moving home to Savannah.”
Relief coursed through Ayana.Long distance would kill the soul-mate idea.Vesna liked attention.She sensed Cam did as well.That had been one other black mark against the match.There could only be one star in a relationship.
“He inherited a little house with a workshop from his grandparents outside of town so he can pursue his carpentry business.”Vesna sipped and smiled.“I can transfer or get a new job or start my own accounting and bookkeeping business.”
Ayana choked on her drink.“Don’t you think you should give it a week before quitting your job and moving north with your new pretty Jesus, Ryan, or booting Big Bucks?Shouldn’t you at least meet Cam before calling it game over?”
What was she going to do if Vesna moved?The apartment was in her name.All the furniture was hers.Affordable apartments in Atlanta were scarce.Vesna was her only contract in the city, and now that the job was over, it had been time.She’d stayed too long, but she hated being blindsided.She was a planner.Always.
“Sometimes you just have to leap into love.”
“And maybe crash.”
“You are so cynical.”
“Guilty.”
“And why are you suddenly standing up for Cam?I took a screenshot of your face when you heard about my mail-order-bride scheme.I could make horror-movie memes.”
“No,” Ayana said quickly.
She’d have to delete those screenshots.She’d made her way across country over the years, and she had no intention of leaving any social media breadcrumbs.
Vesna laughed.“You are so ridiculously photogenic and yet camera-shy.Okay.No horror memes.That will be my gift to you since Ryan and I are already strategizing the move.”
“So you’re just going to leave Cam hanging?”Ayana demanded, not sure why she was arguing against what to her seemed like two evils—arranged marriage or running away with a woodworkingsoulmate Vesna had known a few days.She’d been texting with Cam for weeks.
I’ve been texting with Cam for weeks.
“I can’t spend the weekend with Cam in Denver.That would be like cheating.”
Ayana stared at Vesna, feeling the pieces of her tenuous life shift and slip.Again.
“It’s gonna work out great.Cheers.”Vesna clinked glasses, sloshing liquid on Ayana’s hand as well as her current knitting project, a triangle bandana type of scarf with an intricate Celtic knot border.
“Well, you should at least cancel Cam then,” Ayana said, sipping at the champagne and mentally calculating her next move.She’d need a job.And a new place to live if Vesna was really leaving.She couldn’t afford the full rent.
She lived and traveled light.It was safer.And she had savings, but she didn’t want to have to dip into them.She’d be fine.She was a survivor.
“You know,” Vesna said, idly, her smile growing.“You could go to Denver.”
“Me?”Ayana nearly knocked over her drink that was now half empty.She already felt a little buzzy on her empty stomach.
“Why not?Put yourI don’t need a manto the test.”
“That’s a test I’d win every time.”
