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8. Least He Heard

Eight.

A month later . . . 

“Welcome back!” Caroline greeted cheerfully as she graciously invited Adina into her private dorm room. “How was Christmas? Did your mom cry?” she asked, giving Adina a strong hug.

Adina smiled as she returned the hug to her friend. Who knew you could miss someone so much after just two weeks? Then again, her heart was aching to meet someone else she had been missing terribly.

“Yes, she did, but only when I first arrived and then when I was leaving. She begged me to stay, but I couldn’t. I miss Daniel much too much to not come back.” As she answered, she shook her long brunette hair over her face to hide her blush, knowing it had to be exceptionally strong since she could feel the heat spreading through her cheeks.

“Ooooh,” Caroline sang happily with a wide smile. “And how are things with your love interest?”

Adina bit her lip as she closed her eyes in excitement, trying to hold back her squeal. Finally she was able to calm down enough to talk, but her face was alight with joy. “Really good. I think, I hope tonight . . . I mean--”

“Yes?” Caroline pushed gently with a knowing smile.

Adina’s whole face flushed to the tips of her ears, even her neck was turning a tinted shade. “We’re going out for dinner to celebrate our one month anniversary, and I’m going to tell him I love him. Do you think it’s too soon?” She rushed out at the end.

Caroline smiled warmly. “I don’t think it’s ever too soon as long as it’s the truth. You should have heard Tiger. During our first conversation, he professed his love saying he knew the very moment he smelled me, talk about weird. For three months I made him work for it before I went on a date with him. But pretty soon after that I fell in love with him. Our chemistry was undeniable, like he said it would be. Aaaand, I have some major news, if you are interested.”

Adina perched up with wide eyes. “Of course!”

Caroline paused to let the excitement build, and then she reached her hand out from behind her back. Sitting on her left hand ring finger sat two gorgeous rings. The first held a large, single diamond while the second one held four smaller sparkling stones.

“Oh my gosh, Caroline, they’re beautiful! Why are there two? Are you already married?!” Adina was shocked to her core. How did she not hear about this?

“Yes, we are married, just a week ago, and you are the first to know. Tiger invited me to meet his family, which is quite large and extended might I add, for Christmas. While there, he told me some stuff, which I won’t get into with you. It sounds like lunatic talk, honestly, but we talked through it, and we got engaged. It felt so right and instead of a priest and church, we got married with his father and family. It was perfect. Tiger is so perfect.”

Caroline slowly stopped talking as her mind filled with the memory. Adina’s heart thrummed with happiness for her friend. Their love was beyond apparent; it practically flowed off her like perfume.