To Catch A Player

I frowned. “Who said anything about Jackson?” It was a terrible attempt at deflecting the question, so I kept my head down and pretended the dough was the most interesting thing in the world.

“I did, so don’t try to be coy. Just give me all the details and I promise not to ask too many probing questions.” I didn’t believe her, or those perfectly sculpted arched brows aimed at me. “I said too many, not none.”

“Thanks for the clarification,” I told her, my voice heavy with sarcasm. Ginger didn’t respond at first and when I looked up, she was still staring at me with that knowing smirk on her face. Waiting. “Okay, fine, maybe Jackson and I have been spending some time together.”

“Some overnight time?”

I looked up, surprised and she rolled her eyes.

“Oh, come on, Reese! If you guys wanted to keep this a secret, you shouldn’t leave his car in front of your place. All night.”

Crap. That had been an oversight I hadn’t thought of. I shrugged causally. “Didn’t realize people were staking out my house for overnight visitors.”

“It’s Tulip, what else are we gonna do?” She laughed to herself and shook her head. “So… how are things?”

“Good,” I said absently, unwilling to do the whole gushing thing, even though just thinking about those three little words that Jackson spoke with such ease made me giddy with excitement.

“That smile says better than good, so spill it, sister.” I knew Ginger wouldn’t drop it until I did, so I told her some things. But not everything.

“Things are good. For now.” I was enjoying the first rush of being in love and everything that went along with that, but I was wary enough to keep most of it to myself.

“Now is all that’s guaranteed, so enjoy it, I say.”

“You think it’s that simple?” I’d never thought about it in such simplistic terms, but maybe that was my failing, making things more complicated than they needed to be. Jackson loved me and I loved him. For today, that was enough.

“I wouldn’t say it was simple, but when things are good, I try to enjoy them. Good things don’t always last, and instead of worrying my way through those good times, I decide to enjoy them. The worry will come soon enough, anyway.”

I stopped loading the dough onto the baking sheets and stared at Ginger. “That was really insightful.”

“Thanks,” she snorted. “I am a journalist and a very insightful person, thank you very much.”

“Of course you are. Obviously, you are,” I added with emphasis. “I just meant I think you hit the nail on the head.” I was so busy worrying about how things might play out with Jackson, so busy dwelling on my failed attempts at love in the past, that I was ready to toss out something, someone that was here and real. And who wanted me. “I’m an idiot.”

“We’re all idiots when it comes to love. This is love, isn’t it?” There was something about her tone and the look in her eyes that gave me pause.

My gaze narrowed and I pointed a flour-covered hand at her. “What’s going on? Are you in on this whole matchmaking thing?” It seemed like the whole town was in on it, in one way or another, but Ginger was my friend.

“Not how you’re thinking, Miss Suspicious.” She sighed and slid off the table in the corner before she made her way to me, leaning against the table right in my personal space. “I’m invested because I want you to be happy, and if this is love, then you are beyond happy. But hiding it.”

I frowned at her logic. “And if it’s not love?”

“Isn’t it?”

I threw my hands in the air and shook my head. “Seriously, woman? You’re making me crazy!”

She laughed and, wisely, took a step back. “You’re the one who’s in love and pretending it’s no big deal, so I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on. So… what’s going on?”

I sucked in a deep breath. And then another. And finally, one more. “I don’t know. We both said the words,” I whispered. “But I don’t know what that means.”

Ginger squealed and wrapped her arms around me, apparently oblivious to the fact that she would now be covered in flour. “That’s so great, Reese! I’m so happy for you guys.”

“Thanks,” I told her, feeling weird that she seemed to be more excited than I was.

“Listen to me, Reese. Jackson said he loves you, which means he does. And you love him, too, which is pretty great. That means you’re in love, and you get to decide what that means. Enjoy it for a month or two or even one hundred, until you want more. Or less.”

“Just like that?”

She gave a sharp nod. “Just. Like. That. To paraphrase a very wise princess, Reese, you just have to let it go. Let it go and enjoy the now.”