The One

🌸 Chapter 17

🌸

After having lunch at the diner, Jamie drives me home. He turns into my driveway and I can't believe how smooth the drive is now that the new gravel has been spread. I'm also impressed by how nice the yard looks as Jamie pulls up to my house. They weeded and trimmed the bushes and mowed. I feel like Matty has come along to fix everything for me.

I grab the bag of food I got for Matty. He said we need to order cabinets tonight so it will be a late night for him. Before I can open the car door, Jamie is there opening it for me. I shouldn't be surprised, he was the perfect gentleman the whole day.

I step out, "Thank you, Jamie." I smile up at him. "I had a really nice time catching up with you today." 

His eyes sparkle with my compliment. And I can't help but be impressed by him. Jamie is handsome, smart, and an interesting conversationalist. Heather did really good picking him out for me. But unfortunately his one fatal flaw is that he's not Matty. 

Everything Jamie said or did today filtered through my mind as a comparison to Matt. All day I have continually thought of how Matty would have done something or said something different and how I would have liked that better. I know it isn't fair to Jamie to compare them. But I can't help it. Jamie is a great guy and I'm sure there is someone for him, it's just not me.

Jamie puts his hand on my back as we walk to the front door, "So, Rosie." Uh oh. "I had so much fun talking with you today. I was hoping you'd go out with me again." I open my mouth to answer but he rushes to say, "I know Heather said you plan to move out of town soon, which is disappointing, but understandable. I'll probably move as soon as my residency is finished. Who'd want to stay in this podunk town?" He chuckles. "I really had a good time with you today." He gives me a smile. "I really want to get to know you better. Heather joked about a physical relationship, but that isn't what I want. I just want to spend time with you. It's the first time in a long time I've felt a connection with someone." Matty would jokingly say, 'no pressure.'

If it were two weeks ago when I didn't have the hope of Matty, I might have considered giving Jamie a chance. He sees my smile and relaxes a little. "Thank you so much for saying that. I'm really glad we got to spend today together, but..."

"Oh." He gets a wary look.

I sigh, "Yeah, I actually have feelings for someone and..." I don't really know how to finish that.

Luckily he doesn't make me, "It's okay. I still had a good time today." He reaches out to give me a hug. And just as I start to reciprocate, the front door flies open.

"Oh good. You're back!" Our hug is cut short by my secret boyfriend. "Ready to order some cabinets?" 

He's standing casually in the doorway but there is nothing casual about his eyes. They are intense. When he looks down at where Jamie's hand is lingering at my waist, they seem to fill with even more fire.

"Sure." I step away from Jamie, and say goodbye once more. Then watch him go to his car and start down the driveway.

Matty doesn't even wait for him to be gone before he grabs me around the middle and carries me to the sunroom. He tosses me on the bed and flops down beside me and buries his face in my neck. 

"No more dates, Prim. It was pure torture. My mind ran wild the whole time you were gone." 

I chuckle, that is so like Matty. I love the fact that he's always been honest with me. Some guys would try to appear tough or cool. But Matty never worried about hiding his vulnerable side with me. I run my fingers through his curls. 

"Well it WAS a pretty amazing date. He was really gentle and sweet. He made sure it felt really good for me. I never thought my first time would be with a doctor."