Reminding Moments

Chapter three

“Good morning, ladies. Don’t you have work to go to?”

Tom’s voice startled both of us awake, the panic of being late to work hitting like a freight train.

I scrambled for my phone, squinting at the screen to check the time. We still had an hour left. I sighed in relief and threw a pillow at him.

“Dude, don’t do that again! I seriously thought I missed work,” I groaned, collapsing back onto the couch.

Cami and I had stayed up way too late, drinking, snacking, and most importantly, working on that list. Obviously, we didn’t make it through all 100 qualities. If we had, I’d probably be dating an angel by now. Halfway through, I ran out of things to add. I decided I’d take it slow and keep adding as I figured out more. After the list, we watched some random rom-com and passed out. Now, we both looked like a pair of college kids recovering from a bender.

“Hey! Be nice to him. You know he can’t handle physical a***e,” Cami teased, reaching out for Tom, who jogged over like a puppy to hug her and plant a kiss on her forehead.

“Ugh, gross! Get a room, you two!” I teased, feigning disgust. But deep down, seeing them together made me feel hopeful. These two made me believe in love again. I couldn’t help but grin.

I stood up, grabbing my phone and keys, shoving them into my purse. “Alright, I’ll leave you two lovebirds to finish… whatever it is you’re about to start.” I chuckled as I headed toward the door, not even waiting for their response. They were already in their own world, too absorbed in each other to notice.

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As usual, work was slow, I stared at my screen for what felt like hours, trying to avoid the urge to check the time again. My fingers itched for my phone, and eventually, I gave in. I pulled up my notes app and opened the list.

• Kind

• Smart

• Respectful

• Great listener

• Polyglot

• Financially stable

• Loves the hell out of me

I stared at the last one for a while, my mind drifting. Could a guy like this even exist? My doubts crept in, louder and more persistent than before. What if I never find him? What if I’m asking for too much? My thoughts spiraled, sinking into that all-too-familiar pit of insecurity.

But then, I thought of Cami and Tom again. They were living proof that real love was out there. Maybe my guy was out there too, waiting to cross paths with me.

Before I could stop myself, I was typing out a new note:

(Hey, I know this is crazy, but I’ve been imagining you for as long as I can remember. Seeing my best friend with her husband today made me wonder what life would be like with you. Like, what if I was the one getting those hugs and kisses? It’s not that I’m jealous of what they have—I’m happy for them. But I can’t help but wonder… how would it feel if it were you and me?)

I blinked at the words on the screen, suddenly feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over me. What was I doing? Writing to an imaginary man I hadn’t even met yet? Was I losing it? Sure, I’d always entertained the idea of writing letters to my future husband, but actually doing it felt like crossing some invisible line into full-on crazy town.

“Hello! Earth to Jade!” Cami’s voice snapped me back to reality, her hand waving in front of my face.

“When did you get here?” I asked, startled. I quickly locked my phone and set it aside.

“I’ve been here for like five minutes, and you were glued to your phone the whole time.” She squinted at me, then grinned. “Please don’t tell me you’re already trying to snag someone from one of those stupid apps.”

“No! I swear. I told you, I’m done with that. New beginnings, new me,” I said, crossing my arms for emphasis.

“Good. Because you know I’ll be all over your a*s if you try that again, right?” She pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at me in mock-seriousness.

I sighed, shaking my head with a smile. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

She dropped onto the chair next to me, her tone softening. “So… until your knight in shining armor shows up, do you want to talk about the trust fund?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “I don’t know… I’m scared to do anything with it. What if I screw it all up?”

She nodded, her expression serious but understanding. “That’s totally fair. But you don’t have to rush into anything. Just… think about what would make you happy.”

I hesitated, then let out a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about opening a small bookstore. You know, one with a café on the side, where people can grab a coffee or croissant while they read. But I’d need way more than 30k to make that happen. Plus, I have no idea where to even start. And I definitely don’t want to take out a loan. My parents would help, but they’re always off traveling. I barely even see them.” I realized I was pouring all my fears and doubts onto her, and suddenly felt like I was overwhelming her.

But Cami just listened, nodding along patiently, like she always did. “You’ve obviously given this a lot of thought, and honestly? It sounds like a great idea. But how about this—you take a vacation. Step away from work, clear your head, and figure out what you really want. I promise, when you come back, you’ll know what to do.”

I paused, letting her words sink in. A vacation? A break from everything? It sounded… nice. Really nice, actually. Maybe a vacation was exactly what I needed.