Georgia on Her Mind(66)
“Eric is not Travis.”
“I know that.” Adriane drops her head against the back of the couch. “But what secrets does he have?”
“You want a perfect man? One with no secrets? Please, Addy. You know Eric is not going to be perfect, but at least you two are starting out on the common ground of your faith in Jesus.”
“Okay, that’s a good point.” She lifts her head and narrows her eyes at me. “What about Wendy’s? You up for that?”
Normally this kind of offer would be too much for my weak, I-love-food flesh. I can’t count the number of fasts I’ve started, resolved and resolute at 8:00 a.m., only to weaken and plan my lunch by ten.
But tonight feels different. I squelch the rebellious rumble from my middle with pressure from my hand. “I’m not eating. But I’ll ride along with you if you want.”
“Not eating?” Adriane furrows her brow.
“Not tonight.” I go to the kitchen for a glass of water.
“Oh, I see, fasting,” she says. “And listen to me, complaining to you when you have life-changing decisions to make, too.”
“Thus the no-eating thing.” I take a glass from the cupboard. “You want some Diet Coke, or water, or tea?”
“Diet Coke sounds good.”
I pour her a glass of soda and fill mine with water. “What do you love about him most, Adriane?” I set her glass on an end table coaster.
A warm smile touches her lips. “It sounds silly, really.”
“Tell me.” I curl up on the couch next to her.
“He’s kind, sincere, with the most soulful brown eyes and the sweetest smile. And he loves me. I know he does. He loves me.”
I nod with understanding. “Those are great reasons to get married.”
Adriane sips her drink, still smiling. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Honest?”
She’s usually so confident. It’s odd to see her behave like a scared little girl. I slip my arm around her. “Honest.”
Adriane takes a deep breath. “I feel better. I guess I panicked.”
I rest my head on the back of the couch. “I understand.”
She turns to me. “So what’s going on with you?”
“Myers-Smith called me again.” My words are slightly slurred. Nine hours of fasting and I’m a little light-headed already.
Adriane makes a frowny face. “What do they want?”
“They offered a five-grand signing bonus.”
She leans forward to set her drink down. “What did you say?”
“I told them I’d let them know.”
“Tell me why you’re hesitating.” The Adriane I know comes to life and drills to the core of the issue.
“I’m almost a hundred percent sure they only want me because they are launching a Web product that rivals Casper’s.”
“And you want them to hire you because you’re a corporate genius?”
She has such a knack for putting me in my place. I guess I did it for her—she can do it for me. “No.” My stomach rumbles, so I cradle a throw pillow in my lap to muffle the sound.
“If you want to live in Chicago and work for a major corporation, then you accept their offer.” Adriane rises with her empty glass in hand. “I’m getting another soda. You want one?”
I look at my bland glass of water. “Yes.”
When she returns, I ask, “Why can’t they hire me because I’m good at what I do? Because I’m a leader, a decision maker?”
“Macy, you’re missing the forest for the trees.”
I swat at her with my pillow. “That’s profound, Professor.”
“It’s like dating, right?” she says, clearly an expert after five months.
“How so?” I pop the top of my Diet Coke and pour it over the melting ice in my water glass.
“Women want men to love them for their mind and heart, what’s on the inside.”
“Absolutely.”
“But sometimes it’s the sweet-smelling perfume, the pretty face, or the lovely dress that draws a man close enough to see all the beauty on the inside.”
I’m astounded at her analogy. How true, how true. “I interviewed in jeans and a T-shirt, and they’re pursuing me like paparazzi.”
“The forest, Macy. Look at the forest. They want you because you can give them an edge on the competition. That’s the perfume and pretty-face part. You go in and show them the real Macy Moore.”
I like her thinking. “I want to say yes, but I don’t know…”
“What are the pros?”
“Great money. Incredible bennies.”
She nods.
“A chance to build and lead the customer service department of a major corporation.”
“Excellent.” Adriane hops up, striding for the kitchen. “Got any peanut butter and jelly?”
“Yes, but no bread, only saltines.”
“Perfect. Any more pros?”
“Travel. Opportunity for advancement. Living in Chicago. Great culture and shopping.”
She laughs. “Great shopping. A must for every female corporate executive.”