Chance Encounters (13 page)

“Wakeup call, Matthew? Finding you in our bed with another
woman is what you call a wakeup call?” She could feel all the hurt feelings
surfacing.

“I know, Em! I have no excuse. I was scared. It just
happened. I can promise you that I will never stray from you again. All it did
was give me a reality slap, and it made me realize that it is you that I want.
It’s always been you. You are the one who has been through hell and back with
me. I was a fool to wait so long to ask you to marry me. I should have asked
you a long time ago.”

She threw her arms up in frustration. “Why are you saying
these things to me now, Matt? It’s too late for us. To me, I feel like I’ve
wasted the last eight years of my life—”

He instantly cut her off as he put his hands on both of her
arms. “Look at me, Em. Look me in the eyes. The last eight years of my life
have been the very best for me. It’s everything I could have ever wanted. Sure,
there are a few things I would change, but nothing with you. You are perfect.
You are beautiful, funny, and kind. I want to grow old with you. I want to have
a family with you.”

Emma stormed past him. “No, Matt! You don’t get to play that
card. You ruined us. You did it, not me. I thought you were everything to me. I
thought I wanted that life, but I am not sure I want any of it anymore.”

Matthew glanced past Emma’s shoulder and he could see Jacob
walking down the street toward the garage. He turned Emma so her back was
facing the window and she couldn’t see him.

“I know what I want, Emma bear. It’s you! Always has been
always will be. I dropped everything, my practice, our home, our old life. I
want a fresh start. Just you, me, and a grand new adventure in New York.”

He leaned down and kissed her. He wrapped his arm so tightly
around her that she could barely breathe. She put her hands up to him to try to
push him away, but he only held on tighter.

From outside, Jacob looked through the window and could only
see his Emma kissing Matthew. His heart sank. He held a little velvet box in
his hands and looked down at it.

“Ahhh, isn’t that a lovely ring you have there.”

Jacob looked up to see Renee standing in front of him.

“We haven’t had a chance to meet yet. My name is Renee, and
you are …”

“Jacob. I’m Jacob.”

“What a lovely accent you have, Jacob. I take it you aren’t
from around here?”

“No! I am from all over.”

“Well now, how spectacular. You must meet a lot of very
interesting people. You know, mingle with a lot of pretty girls. Have some
wonderful romances.”

Jacob didn’t like the way the conversation was headed.

“Well, Emma is a very sweet girl. She’s just not the
travelling kind if you know what I mean. Perhaps it would be in your best
interest to chalk this up to one of your many romances, and just run along.”

“I beg your pardon … Renee. You don’t know a damn thing
about me, and I am beginning to suspect you don’t know Emma either.”

She held her hand up to his face. “Okay, you can just stop
right there, pal. I know Emma. I have known her for her entire adult life. She
is like a sister to me. You’ve known her for what … two days? That is hardly a
speck of time in comparison. So, you have no right to be talking to me about
her what-so-ever.” She pointed toward the window. “You see there …” She pointed
to Matt and Emma. “That is what I know. That is her history, and her future.
That is the man she will marry. Not some street walker who can only offer her
the best of intentions. Where will that land you? It’s time for you to just
turn around and go back the way you came.”

Jacob could see the look on Matthew’s face as he held Emma
in his arms. He was looking directly at Jacob with a snarky grin on his face,
acting as if he just won the prize.

Jacob felt at a loss for words.

Renee opened up her purse and pulled out a wad of cash,
handing it to Jacob.

“What is this for?” he asked with an angry tone.

“That is … let’s word it as … a gesture of good faith. You
took in our little Emma and we are rewarding you for it. Now, you can be on
your way before you upset her any further. She doesn’t know what she wants right
now. She has been through a traumatic event, but with Matthew and I here, she
can be on her way.”

Jacob took the money and threw it down on the ground.

“You can’t buy me off. I don’t know who the hell you think
you are, woman, but I want to hear it from Emma’s mouth that she doesn’t want
to see me.” He began walking toward the doorway.

Matthew erupted from the door and put a hand up to stop
Jacob.

“Whoa there, my friend, why so fired up?”

“Please remove your hand from my chest.” Jacob scowled.

“I think you had better leave before there is a scene, my
friend.”

Jacob was getting angry. “I want to see Emma, and you cannot
stop me.”

The owner of the garage walked out and looked at the two
men.

“I don’t want any trouble here.” He looked at Jacob and
shook his head. “Do you have a vehicle you are waiting for?” he asked Jacob.

“No,” Jacob answered.

“Well I am afraid that I am going to have to ask you to
leave then. These folks here are paying customers so they have the right to be
here. Again, I am going to have to ask you to leave before I call the police.”

Jacob began to panic. He yelled out for her, “EMMA! EMMA!”

Matthew pushed Jacob out the door and the owner once again
asked him to leave.

Feeling defeated, Jacob stormed off down the street. He
kicked at a chair at the coffee shop down the road and sent it flying.

EMMA RETURNED FROM freshening up in
the bathroom. “What’s going on? I could have sworn I heard shouting.”

Both Matthew and Renee looked at one another and shrugged
their shoulders. “I don’t know, it must have been the television,” Renee
answered.

“Hmm, I could have sworn I heard my name. That’s strange.”

Without so much as a flinch, Renee and Matthew went about
their business. Matthew went up to the counter and paid the bill for Emma’s
bill, while the mechanic disappeared to pull the car out of the bay for her.

Renee wrapped her arm through Emma’s arm. “So, come walk me
out to my car.”

When they got out into the parking lot, Renee put her
sunglasses on her face.

“I am heading out. I have to be back in Malibu in two days.
That gives me enough time to drive back.”

“Oh. Well thanks for tagging along. At least you’ll have
help on the drive back.”

Renee looked at her, perplexed. “I’m not sure I follow,
sweetie.”

Matthew came out and stood by Emma’s side. “I didn’t tell
her yet, Renee.”

“Tell me what, Matt?” She looked over at him and she could
feel where the conversation was headed and she didn’t like it.

“I’m driving with you into New York.”

“No!”

He turned her to face him and gave her a quizzical look.

“What do you mean no? Do you think I would actually let you
drive the rest of the way by yourself, especially after you got mugged?”

“Matt, I really don’t need you to do that. I’m fine, and now
the car is fine. Go back to California. Go back to your job.”

He once again grabbed hold of her shoulders. “You don’t get
it, Em. There is no job; there is no life in California. You are my life. I’m
not going to give up without a fight.”

“This is not a good idea, Matt. I’m still angry at you. I
can’t pretend what happened never happened.”

“I don’t expect you to. I expect that I have to win your
trust back, in time. I’m willing to do that, if that’s what it takes.”

Renee opened her car door and got in. “Ahh, as much as I
love this little reunion, I really must go. So, mwah! I’ll chat with you later.
I love you both! Don’t kill each other.” She pulled out of the parking lot and
waved good-bye out the window.

Emma threw her arms up in defeat. “You had this planned all
along, didn’t you? You planned for her to leave you stranded so that I wouldn’t
have a choice.”

“There are always choices, but I am hoping you will make the
same one as me.”

“Fine, Matt, you can accompany me to New York, but once we
get there you are on your own. We’re not shacking up, we are not hooking up. As
far as I am concerned, this doesn’t change anything between us.”

The mechanic pulled her car out to her and handed her the
keys. “She’s all set, ma’am. Good as new!”

“Thank you for fixing it for me.”

“No problem. It’s what I do.”

Emma took the keys and threw her bag in the backseat. Matt
playfully grabbed the keys from her and opened the passenger side door for her.

“Fine, you can drive first.” She got in and he smiled to
himself.

Matt hopped into the driver’s side and closed the door. He
adjusted the mirrors and the seat, and then fastened his seatbelt.

“You ready to roll?” he asked her.

She couldn’t help but shake her head at his comment. Matt
winked at her and placed his sunglasses on his face. He pulled out onto the
main road and headed for the interstate. Emma never noticed Lena headed back to
the garage in an attempt to find her. She never thought to look as they drove
out of the city. She did feel an ache in her chest that only Jacob could fill.
She couldn’t believe that he could just leave without even a good-bye or
without an explanation why he’d left.

Lena noticed the bright blue car go speeding by. “No, damn
it, Emma. You can’t just leave.” She wanted to cry, she wanted to hit someone.

Todd walked up beside her. “There’s nothing you can do. She
doesn’t have a phone. She doesn’t know where she’s headed yet. We’ll just have
to wait and see if we hear from her.”

“We won’t. She thinks he left without saying good-bye to
her. She won’t call us. She just won’t.” A tear fell from her eye.

“Oh, Lennie, don’t cry. You know I can’t stand to see you
cry.”

“He bought her a ring, Todd, a ring. That’s huge. He’s never
done anything like that for anyone. She’s the one for him, and she’s gone.”

“If it’s meant to be, Lena, then they will cross paths
again. It’s kinda their thing.”

“Not with that asshole with her. He changes everything. He’s
going to rope her back in, she won’t even notice.”

Todd wrapped his fingers through hers. “Come on, let’s go
home.” They walked hand and hand without speaking a word until they opened
their condo door and found Jacob on the floor with his face in his hands.

Lena ran to her best friend’s side and wrapped him in her
arms. Todd kept his safe distance, but pulled a chair up beside them.

“Oh Jacob,” Lena cried out.

He didn’t look up. He didn’t want his friends to see him
like this.

“She’s gone. I meant nothing to her. It was all just in my
head.”

“No!” Lena yelled. “That’s just not true. I talked to her, I
know.”

“I watched as she kissed him.” He pulled the little velvet
box out of his pocket and handed it to Lena. “I ran off to buy this. I took
your advice. That’s why I wanted you to keep her from leaving. I never had a
chance.”

Lena opened the box and saw a beautiful diamond ring. “I
don’t know what to say. I think my heart just ripped in two. She thinks you ran
off without saying good-bye. I heard her friend tell her so. I ran off to try
to find you so that wouldn’t happen. I screwed up, Jacob, I screwed up.” She
began to sob uncontrollably.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Lena. I don’t blame you
whatsoever. It is what it is. I just need to move on.”

Todd couldn’t handle to see either one of them upset.

“No, Jacob. It’s not what it is or whatever. You have spent
your entire life on a cloud. You bounce around from place to place without as
much as a thought or a worry about another human being.”

“Todd … you’re being a little insensitive.” Lena swatted him
on his leg.

“No, it’s called tough love. Sure you’ve seen the world and
sure you’ve had sex with countless women … There was never love involved, but
this is love we are talking about.”

Lena smiled at her husband and the kind words he was coming
up with.

“Real, genuine love only happens once in a lifetime. Look at
how long it took you to find her. You can’t just let her walk away, you have to
find her and tell her. If you don’t you will miss your opportunity at love and
you will regret it for the rest of your life. I followed my heart and look what
it got me. I’m happy. I have the world’s most incredible wife, and I thank God
for her every day. You deserve that, my friend. You deserve to have that one
special someone who can make you smile when you’re feeling down, and with just
the simplest of looks, you melt into a puddle of mush. To find that special
someone who finishes your sentences, and knows when you just need to sit in
silence. I have found all those things, and now I believe you have, too. I
believe that she’d been doing a lot of soul searching, and she realizes that
the world that she had built for herself is not the world in which she wants to
live anymore. You did that, Jacob. You woke her up out of the slumber she had
been living in for the last eight years. It only took you two short days to
undo eight years. That has got to mean something.”