Only One for Me (23 page)

Yasmine’s ears perked up. “Oh. I see.
So I’ll be teaching the online class in addition to the one on
campus?”

“
No. I know you’re still
in Memphis with your mother, so I thought maybe you may only want
to do the online one instead. You can teach it right there if you
aren’t ready to leave your mother yet.”

Yasmine’s heart stopped, and a wide
grin crossed her face. She shook her head in denial. She’d been
battling within herself lately because of the fact that she didn’t
want to leave her mother or Cannon, especially since he’d ask her
to consider moving back to Memphis. They hadn’t discussed it again,
but she knew it was definitely on his mind. She loved living back
home again even before Cannon entered the picture and didn’t miss
the hustle and bustle of her busy life in Atlanta.

“
Dean Patrick, I would
love to teach the online class this summer. That actually would be
perfect.”

“
Wonderful. I’ll email you
the new contract and a different version of the syllabus along with
some other information. Also, I’m conducting a conference call in a
few weeks with everyone about the upcoming school year. I’m making
some changes in the department because of budget cuts.”

“
Am I being cut?” Yasmine
always knew that was a possibility considering she was the last
adjunct professor hired. Even though the thought of being cut
wasn’t upsetting her at all now that she was moving back to Memphis
eventually.

“
I don’t want to cut you.
I’m thinking about making you one of the full-time professors. The
students like you, and you’re a very good teacher. I think it’s
because you started in elementary school first and have a little
more patience.”

“
Wow. Thank you for the
compliment and opportunity.”

“
Well, nothing is set in
stone yet. I’m still going over some numbers. Think it over just in
case, and I’ll contact you when I know something more
concrete.”

“
I look forward to
it.”

After Yasmine hung up, she went to the
kitchen to check on her roast beef in the crock pot and to think
about everything Dean Patrick said. Teaching the online class this
summer would mean she could stay in Memphis for a little while
longer until she decided when she was going to move back
permanently. However, the possibility of being a full-time
professor was scaring her. Yasmine had always been determined and
goal-oriented. When she accomplished one goal, she set another one.
But for some reason being a full-time professor had never been one.
She enjoyed her freedom of teaching two classes a semester and
doing educational consulting on the side. She set her own schedule
and wasn’t tied down to a nine to five. Full-time professors had
more responsibilities on campus with organizations and
extracurricular activities. Plus, those extra duties would mean
fewer trips to Memphis to visit her mother and Cannon.

The door chimed, and she looked up to
see Cannon taking purposeful strides toward her. He picked her up
and twirled her around.

“
You certainly are in a
good mood,” she said as he set her on her feet. “Great day at
work?”

“
It’s always a great day
at work,” he said, loosening his tie and tossing his white coat on
a barstool at the island. “And it’s an even better day when I come
home and you’re here.” He pulled her close to him and kissed her
fully on the lips. “Baby, you taste like strawberries.” He kissed
her again, licking his tongue on her lips.

“
That’s because I made you
strawberry shortcake.” She broke from his embrace and went to the
stove to make his plate.

“
Okay, you’re spoiling
me.” He encircled his hands around her waist and rested his chin on
her shoulder. “I’m going to have a nervous breakdown when you go
back to Atlanta after the wedding.”

A huge Cheshire cat smile expanded on
her face, and she could hardly contain her news. “Well
…”

“
Well what, woman?” He
playfully spanked her butt. “You want me to have a nervous
breakdown so that I end up on Sean’s couch spilling my guts to him.
He’d love that. He’s been trying to analyze me for
years.”

She giggled.

“
What’s so
funny?”

She turned in his arms and placed her
hands around his neck. “You know I mentioned to you earlier that I
was revising my syllabus for this upcoming session. So Dean Patrick
called and asked me to teach the class online this summer. I did it
last summer as well.”

He smiled, but then shook his head.
“So, before I get too excited, are you doing this in addition to
teaching on campus?”

She kissed his cheek. “Nope. Online
only. I can do it from anywhere in the world as long as I have
Internet access. She’s emailing me the new contract.”

“
So … you’ll stay with me
in Memphis this summer?”

“
Yes. I do need to go back
home for a little bit to take care of some business, but other than
that, I’ll be here.”

“
With me?” he whispered,
his lips but a centimeter from hers.

“
With you and my
mother.”

He kissed her mouth, cheeks, forehead,
and back down to her lips. “Too bad you can’t teach the online
class in the fall, too. Then you could always be here with me and
your mother.”

“
Oh … well … about that.”
She turned back around and continued fixing their
plates.

“
More good news?” He
kissed the back of her neck.

“
Um … okay you know I
can’t concentrate when you do that. I don’t know if it’s good or
bad, but when I spoke to Dean Patrick earlier she mentioned the
possibility of me being a full-time professor when I return in the
fall, but it’s not set in stone.”

“
Oh … well, that is good.
Isn’t it?” he asked reluctantly and backed away from her as she
carried the plates to the table.

“
I don’t know. I didn’t
apply for it. It just happened, and she’s not sure yet. I think she
wanted to put that bug in my ear so I would know.”

He went to the butler’s pantry, poured
a drink, and sat with it at the table, swirling it around in his
glass.

“
What do you want to do? I
mean, that’s an honor. You’ve worked hard, Dr. Dubose.” He smiled,
but she could tell it was a fake one. “Would you still do your
educational consulting on the side?”

“
I haven’t thought that
far, but I know being full-time I would have other responsibilities
that I didn’t before, so I’d have to see. I don’t even know if I
want the position.” She shrugged.

“
Yasmine, that’s an
opportunity you don’t just shrug at.”

“
But what about us? I may
not be able to come here every weekend, or even every other
weekend, plus I’m moving back here eventually.”

“
Yasmine, I’m not going to
stand in your way of an opportunity like this. You sacrificed for
me. I would be selfish to not do the same for you. We’ll just deal
with what happens.”

“
Okay … but like I said,
it isn’t set in stone, and I don’t have to take it if it’s offered
to me.”

“
Why would you not take
it? You’re an intelligent woman who has worked hard over the years
to obtain your goals.”

She simply nodded her head and tried
to eat her food, but her appetite was lost.

That night, Yasmine laid in bed wide
awake and alone. Cannon was in his home office on a conference call
for Doctors Unlimited, which had been taking up some of his time
lately. He’d briefly told her one of the newer clinics, that he
didn’t help set up, was having some funding issues or over-spending
in some areas, and he wasn’t happy about it at all.

She tried not to think about the
conversation earlier with Cannon. She knew he meant well. She just
wasn’t sure if she actually wanted the position even if it was a
choice. She glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight, and she
needed to be up early to pick up Sherika from the airport. Doug was
flying in later and since he was staying with Cannon, Yasmine was
going to stay at her mother’s house. She cuddled with Cannon’s
pillow, inhaling his scent, and tried not to worry about the
future. He said he would never let her go again, and she trusted
that he wouldn’t.

*****

“
Damn it!” Cannon slammed
his fist on the desk. “What do you mean there’s money missing and
he’s disappeared?” he asked Dr. Armand Phillips, one of the doctors
in Ghilaua, a small village in Argentina

“
I honestly don’t know
what’s going on Dr. Arrington. All I know is Jessie is gone with
all of his belongings and most of the funding in the account. We’ll
be fine with the supplies that we have now for maybe the next month
or so unless something really drastic happens.”

Jessie was the director over the
medical center that the board hired who Cannon was never thrilled
about.

Cannon logged into his Doctors
Unlimited account. He had money in a reserves account so that
wasn’t an issue, but the thought of someone running off with close
to one-hundred thousand dollars was pissing him off.

“
Okay. I’m going to do
some readjusting and get some funds to you after I meet with the
board for approval, but first I need to close that account. He may
still have the access number. In the meantime, do you think you can
run things until I find another director?”

“
No problem, Dr.
Arrington.”

“
I’m going to rearrange my
schedule and try to come there maybe next month after I meet with
the board. I …” He was so mad he really didn’t know what to say or
do. Everyone involved with Doctors Unlimited had always been
hard-working, honest people who wanted to make a difference. He
couldn’t believe this was happening.

“
Thank you, sir. I’ll make
sure everything runs smoothly. I look forward to finally meeting
you,” Dr. Phillips said in a chipper tone. “You’re the reason why I
joined Doctors Unlimited.”

“
Well, I appreciate that.
You came highly recommended. I’ll be in touch sometime
tomorrow.”

Cannon check his planner over the next
few months. He was speaking at a medical conference in Vegas the
following week and then his calendar was clear until another
conference in October. He sighed as he thought about Yasmine’s news
of being in Memphis this summer, but now he may be in Ghilaua
straightening out this mess.

Shit! I told the board I
didn’t think Jessie was a good candidate.

He unlocked his desk drawer and pulled
out a small, black velvet box. He opened it, and smiled at the gold
wedding band he was keeping for Doug. He then reached into the
drawer and pulled out another small, black velvet box and opened
it. He beamed at the three-carat princess cut solitaire engagement
ring he bought when he came back from Hamilton Beach. His original
plan was to ask Yasmine to marry him before she moved back to
Atlanta for the summer session, considering she was going to move
back to Memphis, but he didn’t want her to move back without them
being engaged. But now there was a hole in his plans. Yes he was
glad she would be able to stay in Memphis a little longer, but now
she may have an opportunity to become a full-time professor in the
fall. And he may be away this summer, and his love would be in
Memphis. What kind of cruel summer was this?

He placed both ring boxes back in the
drawer and locked it. Moments later, he climbed into the bed and
pulled Yasmine close to him. She was in a little ball on his side
of the bed. He kissed her forehead.

“
Are you
awake?”

“
Yes,” she said
sleepily.

“
Well, I guess today is
news day.”

“
Good or bad?”

“
Horrible.”

She sat up and stared down at him.
“Something wrong with Doctors Unlimited?”

He briefly explained the situation
with Jessie, and that he may have to go down there to take care of
some business after the medical conference.

“
I’m so sorry this has
happened, but don’t beat yourself up over it. I’m sure you’ll find
another director of the center soon.”

“
I’m having an emergency
board meeting tomorrow morning via Skype. I want to get everything
somewhat planned before the wedding this weekend.”

“
It will all work out.
Have faith.” She kissed his cheek before turning over. “Good
night.”

“
Good night.” He snuggled
behind her and was relieved she didn’t lash out at him when he
mentioned he may not even be here this summer.

*****

“
Girl, I’m so glad you
decided to arrange massages for us,” Sherika said as the masseuse
kneaded her back. “I so needed this. Maybe I won’t be as stressed
this week.”

“
Nothing to be stressed
over … oh … right there on my shoulder …” Yasmine said as the
masseuse massaged her tensed spots. “I went through the check list
last night and everything is set. Your wedding coordinator really
did a great job.”

“
No, you and Cannon did a
great job. I don’t know what Doug and I would’ve done without you.
So, how’s that going?”