Page 64 of Wildflowers and Wide Receivers

He then surprises me even more by pulling a small charcuterie board out of the refrigerator he’s wrapped in plastic to keep fresh. He places it on the large island, and I move to join him.

“So fancy.” I smile, and he blushes a little, sliding my glass over to me.

“Vivi wanted to help. She picked out these flowers for you too, so you’ll have to take them home with you tonight.”

“She’s so sweet. She could have been here tonight with us. I don’t want you to ever think that I don’t want her around.”

“I don’t think that. I just wanted to spend time with you. Alone. I want to get to know you better, and sometimes kids can be a truth buffer. The conversation stays light because of the little ears.”

“I understand completely. We actually get sensitivity training on how to talk to the parents and how to talk to our tiny patients.”

“I should say that surprises me, but after the past two years, it doesn’t.”

Picking up the glass of wine, I take a sip and am met with a burst of flavors.

“Mmm, this is good.”

“Thanks. Camden on the team recommended it. He’s more savvy when it comes to things like wine.” Jonah picks up his glass, and his brows rise as he swallows, agreeing with me.

“Well, tell him he has good taste.”

He smiles. “Nah, that will just make his head bigger than it already is. You should have seen the look on his face when I asked for a suggestion in the first place.” He loves talking about his friends. To be in the situation he found himself in and to be surrounded by so much support. I’m happy he has his teammates. He’s lucky. “So tell me, what have you been up to for say . . . ever?” he asks, grabbing a piece of cheese and tossing it into his mouth.

I laugh. “Well, the past twenty-seven years of it, I have been in school.”

He grimaces, and this makes me laugh even more.

“Did you always know that you wanted to be a doctor?”

“Yes.” I then tell him the story that sealed my fate. “What about you? Have you always wanted to play football?”

“I have. My dad left us when we were fairly young, so John kind of filled that role. He was older, and I always thought he was the coolest. He loved football, so of course I did too, and this was a way for me to spend time with him. He would have been happy for me no matter what I ended up doing in life, but once football became my dream, it became his too. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”

“I feel that way about my dad too.”

“You mentioned he’s in Minnesota?”

“Yep, Minneapolis.”

“You never wanted to move back there to be with him?”

This would be the time to tell him about the interview, to let him know that it is a real possibility, but I can’t find the words for some reason. As the expression goes, “Don’t borrow tomorrow’s troubles today,” and that’s what this is. All I know for sure is that I have an interview. Nothing more. I guess when I have something to discuss with him, we’ll do it then, but for now, I just want to be here with him.

“That was always the plan.”

“And it’s not now?” he asks, tilting his head a little to study me.

I think about how to best answer this.

“I certainly haven’t closed that door. My dad, he’s my family. But for now, I’m working here and living here.”

His eyes drop down to the food as he thinks about this, and then he nods his head at whatever conclusion he comes to.

“I understand that. Football isn’t forever. My plan was always to find my way back to Boston to be with John and Ashley.”

Which makes me wonder, if I did end up back in Minneapolis, and we became a more permanent thing, would he eventually come with me?

“Boston is cold.” I frown at him, just thinking about how many times we’d watch the news and hear about those frigid nor’easters.