“Yeah.”
“We can be friends from tomorrow.”
“I agree.”
She dropped her bags and ran towards him, throwing herself at him with enough force to make him take a few steps back. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and then those fleshy lips were on his. Sweet and reassuring. Firm yet still seductive, making him forget they were in the middle of an airport. That kiss encompassed everything Jasmin. She gave him a taste of his future and he savored every second.
She was his polar opposite, different in every way. He pushed and she constantly pulled him back to her.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion: For every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction.
When he showed her the ugliness that tragedy can leave behind, she showed him the beauty in life to help him move past it. When he showed her anger and malice, she showed him kindness and compassion. When he showed her cowardice and weakness, she showed him strength and heart to forgive.
Same magnitude. Same intensity. Different response. Equal but opposite.
If there was one thing he’d learned from Newton’s Laws of Motion, it was that he needed to stay in motion. Keep moving on. Keep moving forward. That’s what he needed to do. He was going to push himself to do better, be better…until he became the man she deserved.
Part Four
Newton’s Law of Gravity:
Every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force that is directly proportional to the product of the masses of the particles and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
June, 10
Distance wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It gave them space to grow as individuals and over the last few months, Jasmin had seen a noticeable change in both of them. She was finding her feet in her job, in her life. Social interaction wasn’t as tough as she’d thought. It was trying to manage a department where some people were twice her age that was difficult. Not everyone thought she was properly qualified for the role, but she was starting to prove herself, albeit slowly.
She had moved out and even though her dad had offered to buy her an apartment, she’d wanted to gain some independence and do it on her own. Her relationship with her father was flourishing. They had dinner together at least twice a week and they grew from strength to strength. Her relationship with Kevin was a little more complicated. The first two months had been rough. Not only did they have to learn how to deal with this new long distance arrangement, but he’d decided to seek professional help. He’d apologized to every person he’d hurt and while their forgiveness was a crucial part of him moving on, he needed to find a way to truly forgive himself.
The therapy sessions forced him to relive that night again and again, and it hadn’t been easy for him. She’d learned not to push too much and allowed him to open up to her at his own pace. And he did. There were times when he got moody and depressed and it was during those times that Jasmin saw the real change in him. He didn’t close up or lash out. In fact, he’d gotten rid of every log in the backyard. That alone was a symbol of a drastic change.
He and Clayton had also gone back to college and that was a major turning point for him. He became more positive and more determined to be better.
That didn’t mean that they always got along. They still argued a bit.
A lot.
Every day.
Most of the time it was playful, but they’d had a few big fights so far. Having a long distance friendship between two people who were in love with each other came with all sorts of complications. Friends didn’t flirt, but there was a lot of flirting. He’d told her she could date if she wanted because she’d been restricted enough and he didn’t want to hold her back. Of course, he also told her that if she did date someone else, he didn’t want to hear anything about it. It never materialized, though. She had only one requirement that so far no one else had fulfilled. She’d met a lot of guys from across the country, and not one of them gave her the tingles.
He didn’t even entertain the possibility of another girl, yet there was still a moderate amount of jealousy from both of them. It was inevitable and the root of the problem always came down to distance. Phone calls and video chats were great, but sometimes they just weren’t enough. On some days, it became too much and today was one of those days. Today she just wanted him near.
She was about to deliver a presentation to renowned scientists from across the country about how to reduce methane gas emissions from biodegradable plastics and she was sweating bullets. Presenting to college students was nerve-wracking, but at least they were around her age, which made it less intimidating. Today she was going to be in front of men and women with years of experience and she was afraid she was going to make a fool of herself.
Her phone rang and she let out a breath of relief when she saw the number. She walked to a quiet corner, away from the crowd entering the conference room before she answered. “Kevin…”
“Hi.”
Just hearing his voice made her feel better. “Oh, my God! I’m so nervous. If my body releases any more adrenalin, I’m gonna pass out. I’m shaking and I’m all sweaty. I feel like I need to stick a bunch of tissues under my arms. It’s so gross.”
“It sounds gross. I generally like you all sweaty…but for different reasons.”
She rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth. “Did you really just say that to me? I’m freaking out and that’s what you say?”
“Yep. And now I’m picturing you naked. Can I call you back? I need some time alone.”
“Kevin!”
“Hey, what time is it there?”
His casual tone annoyed her, but she answered anyway. “It’s a quarter to nine.”
“Good. It should be there any minute now.”
She didn’t even bother to find out what the hell he was talking about. “Can you focus, please? I’m in the middle of a crisis. I go up in fifteen minutes. What if they think my ideas are dumb? I’ll be the laughing stock of the science world. What if—”
She was cut off when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned around to see a man holding a cardboard box.
“Are you Jasmintha Daas?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He handed her a clipboard. “This is for you.”
She signed the delivery note and he handed her the package.
“Is this from you?” she asked, holding the phone against her shoulder while she ripped open the package.
“Of course, it’s from me.”
Inside the box, she found a bobble-head cowboy with a note hanging around its neck that read: Cowboy the fuck up! You’re going to be great.
She smiled to herself and took a deep breath to subdue the panic and anxiety. He always knew just what to do. And the fact that he constantly surprised her with these little gifts even though he was so far away only made her fall for him more.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
“Yes.” And she meant it.
“All right. I’ll call you later.” He paused for a few beats. “I love you.”
That was another thing friends didn’t do. He told her that every day and he was so used to her not saying it back that he hung up right after. After one more calming breath, she felt ready and walked up on stage.
* * * * *
“So how was it?” Kevin asked as soon as the video chat box filled the screen. Sometimes he preferred phone calls because seeing her messed with his head. It fooled him into believing she was so close when she was so far beyond his reach.
“It went better than I expected.”
“Stop being modest.”
“Okay, it was awesome! And we had this open discussion at the end and everyone exchanged ideas. I learned so much today.”
He smiled. “I knew you’d nail it. I wish I could’ve been there to see it.”
“Yeah.” Her bubbly mood dipped a bit. “Me too…but you were there in spirit. I kept that cowboy doll with me the entire time
and—uh…you’re doing that weird staring thing again.”
“I know. Sometimes I forget how pretty you are.” After a few moments of flirty smiles, blushing and more staring, he jumped back into the conversation. “What are you doing tonight?” He already knew what she had planned. He was just stalling for more time, trying to get rid of the nervous knot in his stomach.
“It’s Tuesday. You know I have dinner with my dad on Tuesdays. We’re making chicken korma tonight. The first time was a disaster, but your mom gave me some cooking tips, so hopefully this time—” She stopped and leaned forward, scrutinizing him through the screen. “Are you okay? You look like you ate bad sushi.”
He kept his hands under his desk so she wouldn’t notice how much he was fidgeting. “Um…I wanted to ask you something.”
Wariness caused a little crease in her eyebrows. “Okay.”
He took a deep breath and swallowed hard before he began. “So…you know Max is getting married in two weeks. The wedding is in Montana because Danny doesn’t have any family and Max thought it would be better if he and Danny flew here…instead of all of us flying to California.” Her slightly raised eyebrows told him that she was waiting for him to get to the point. “Anyway…uh…I wanted to know if…if you would like to come with me…to the wedding…as…as my girlfriend.”
She was stunned and the silence that ensued made him more nervous. For the last six months, they had toed the line between a friendship and a relationship. They talked like friends and flirted like lovers. Despite the distance, they got closer every day. But the silence made him doubt whether she was ready to make it official. He’d broken her heart and it was very possible that she still didn’t trust him.
“Your girlfriend?” she asked, sounding a little shocked. “Your girlfriend?” And then the widest grin took over her face. “Oh, my God! Kevin wants me to be his girlfriend.”
“You’re gonna make this awkward, aren’t you?” He rolled his eyes, sat back, and watched her craziness unfold on the screen.
“Am I blushing right now?” She fanned herself with her hand. “I feel so flustered…I feel like a really hot guy just ask me to be his girlfriend.” She raced to her bedroom window and stuck her head outside. “Hey, you!” she shouted. “Random citizen. Kevin just asked me to be his girlfriend!”
“Congratulations!” someone yelled back.
Kevin shook his head as he watched her walk back to the computer and sit down. “You’re a jackass.”
“Wow. Your girlfriend. Now we can be like those couples who wear matching colors when they go out together.”
“No.”
“And we can have those cute names for each other.” Her eyes lit up. “I’m gonna call you Bae.”
“Please don’t.”
“Or Boo?”
“There’s nothing wrong with Kevin.”
“It would be so sexy to incorporate that with some dirty talk in the bedroom.”
He shut his eyes and groaned. “I don’t like where this is going.”
“How’s this for a turn on? Just picture it. In the throes of passion I shout out: Pillage my village, Boo!”
“Shit.” He rolled his chair away from the desk and looked down at himself. “My dick just shriveled when you said that…and then it crawled inside my body and died.”
“Maybe you just don’t understand. By village, I mean my va-jay-jay.”
“No, I got that.”
“And it still doesn’t work for you? Tough crowd.”
He laughed and rolled his chair back to the desk. “Can you please just answer my question?”
Although a smile was still on her face, she was more serious now. “Are you sure you’re ready for this, Son?”
“I’m ready to try,” he replied with a nod. “I know I fucked up. When we met, I was a mess. It was just the wrong time, but it feels like everything is falling into place now and you’re that last missing piece. I can’t promise that this is going to be smooth sailing. If the last six months are anything to go by, this is going to be hard. Really hard. We’re gonna fight and we’re gonna argue over stupid things, but I want that. I want that because it’s with you. And I promise I won’t hurt you again. Do you believe me when I say that?”
There wasn’t a shred of doubt when she answered. “I do. You prove it to me all the time and…I’m ready too…to be your girlfriend, that is.”
Just hearing those few words caused a grin so wide his cheeks hurt. “You just made me the happiest guy in the world. So…you know I got a job for the summer and I already bought you a ticket, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.”
She giggled. “That was a little presumptuous.”
“Nope. Just being positive.” He still couldn’t get that stupid grin off his face. “It’s a by-product of being around you.”
“Oh, my God. I am so excited to meet the rest of your family.”
“I’m more worried than excited. Just a warning, when you meet Jordan, don’t take offense to anything she says. She’s very out there. And she’s patched things up with Tyler, so he’ll be there too. Max says he’s also quite…strange.”
“I think I can handle that,” she replied with a wink. “I know all about being strange and out there.”
“True. So…I’ll see you in two weeks?”
“See you in two weeks, Boo.”
June, 28
Great Falls, Montana
Jasmin gathered up the long edges of her saree and climbed out of the cab carrying her small overnight bag. The sheer pink draped skirt and matching half top was adorned with intricate silver beadwork and complimented her small frame. Her hair – in Kevin’s opinion – had grown to an acceptable length and she left it down just for him. She only ever got dressed up like this on special occasions and today was definitely a special occasion. She was going to meet Kevin’s entire family today…as his girlfriend. She spoke to his mother at least once a week and she’d had casual chats with his dad, but meeting the whole family was nerve-racking.
The anxious ball slipped deeper into her stomach as she climbed up the stairs leading to the front door of Kevin’s house. He immediately opened the door, looking delectably handsome in a suit. Seeing him face to face after six months did strange things to her. One part of her was ready to burst into tears while the other part wanted to hug him and never let go.
“Hi,” she said.
He didn’t say a word, his eyes glued to her as if he couldn’t believe she was actually standing in front of him.
“Uh…are you gonna invite me in or…just stare at me?”
Still he said nothing, but he stepped forward, cupped her face and kissed her. Longing, desperation, lust—it was all in that kiss. Day by day they’d become more accustomed to the distance and it felt like an eternity had gone by. The feel of his lips was like a memory of a dream and it took mere seconds to get lost in it. The bag dropped from her hand as he spun her around and pushed her up against the wall.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered against her lips.
Her arms wrapped tight around his neck, pulling him closer. She wanted to feel the heat of his body, his broad shoulders beneath her palms.
“Kevin, is that Jasmin at the door?” his mother called from inside.
He broke the kiss, looking irritated. “No, Mom!” he yelled back. “It’s…It’s one of those…” He struggled to find a believable excuse. “It’s one of those Bible pushers…the real preachy type, too. I’m trying to get rid of her.”
Jasmin giggled. “Why are you lying?”
“I just want you to myself for a few minutes.”
His lips came down on hers again. This time it was just lust. A blistering hot kiss that had her clinging to his jacket for support when her knees got weak.
She heard someone clear his throat beside them and Kevin immediately took a step back.
“I think we need to start going to church more often.” His father gave them an amused smile. “I had no idea that this is how you k
ids are spreading the word of the Lord these days.”
As if her body wasn’t already heated from that kiss, now embarrassment caused a hot flush to rise to her cheeks. She wanted to melt into a puddle and seep through the wooden beams of the porch. “Oh…Mister Shepard…”
“Mark,” he corrected.
It wasn’t the first time he’d told her to address him by his first name and he spoke to her in the same casual tone he usually used whenever he interrupted one of their video chats. Somehow that made it more awkward…and humiliating. The first time she meets her boyfriend’s father in person and he catches her playing tonsil hockey with his son.
Kevin wiped the gloss off his lips with his thumb and returned the playful smile his father gave him. He, too, seemed completely unperturbed by the situation. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey.” He turned to her. “And how are you doing this fine morning, Jasmin?”
“I’m…good. As soon as I can get my head above all this embarrassment I’m drowning in, I’m sure I’ll be even better.”
“No need to be embarrassed. I was young too once. When Jess and I were younger, we used to—”
“Don’t want to hear about it, Dad,” Kevin cut in.
“Well, we have five kids,” his father said with a shrug. “You can figure out the rest.” He stepped back inside. “Jess, Jasmin’s here. Are you ready to leave?”
There were a few seconds of silence before Jasmin heard her footsteps heading towards the door. After excited hugs and kisses and compliments over each one’s outfit, they finally got into the car. They arrived at the church within a few minutes and from the number of cars in the parking lot, Jasmin could see how big his family was.
His parents were already making their way towards the entrance, but Kevin gripped her arm firmly to stop her from taking one step. “Hey, Mom. Save us a seat. We’ll be there in a minute.”
“Sure, honey.”
As soon as they disappeared from sight, he pulled her into his arms. “Now, where were we?”
His lips were on hers a second later. She got lost in his kiss again and almost forgot where they were.
Journey to the Unknown Page 41