Chance Encounters (15 page)

“Come on, Em, let’s go explore.”

They walked along the boardwalk and poked in and out of all
the specialty stores. Every item that Matthew saw her admire, he would sneak up
and purchase it for her. By the time they were halfway through the boardwalk,
his arms were full of packages.

“Matt, would you please stop buying everything that I look
at. I appreciated the gesture, really I do, but it’s not necessary.”

“I can’t help it if I want to spoil you. Wasn’t that always
our plan? We couldn’t wait until we weren’t struggling between paychecks. Once
we started making money we promised that we would buy whatever we wanted, when
we wanted.”

Emma shook her head. “Wow! At the time it seemed so …
important. Why? Did we really need all those things to make us happy?”

“Probably not, but it’s nice to live the lifestyle that
affords you to be able to splurge.”

They continued to walk. Emma made sure she didn’t stay to
admire anything for too long, afraid he’d buy it.

They decided to grab something to eat. Matthew suggested
that they stop at Johnny Rockets for lunch.

“Really?” She was surprised. “You’d want to go eat there?”
Emma asked curiously.

“Sure! Who doesn’t love a good burger?” he joked.

“You, you don’t eat food like that. I’ve never known you
to.”

“Well we’re here, so let’s try it, shall we?”

They sat down and relaxed. Emma ordered a chocolate shake,
bacon cheeseburger, and fries. Matt just told them he’d have the same. Emma
actually smiled at him, and it made him feel good. They watched families come
and go, and Matt actually got up to go and play peek-a-boo with a baby at the
next table. Emma sipped on her shake and laughed when the baby cried instead of
laughing at his antics.

After a very nice lunch they decided to hit the boardwalk
again. A dress in a shop window caught Emma’s eye. Matt noticed right away, and
told himself to remember to go back when she wasn’t looking. She passed by a
Verizon store, and told Matt she’d be out in a few minutes. She wanted to
inquire about a replacement phone since hers was stolen. She disappeared into
Verizon, so Matt returned to the store to purchase the dress.

“Are you buying this for your wife?” the saleswoman asked
Matt.

“My fiancée actually, I’m hoping to surprise her with it
this evening when I take her dancing.”

“Well, she is a very lucky woman.”

“Let’s hope she agrees,” he said under his breath.

He paid the woman for the outrageously priced dress, and
still made it out before Emma did. When she returned she held a new phone in
her hand.

“Well, it was covered under my insurance plan. I just need
to charge it first.”

The afternoon began to fade to early evening. Matt suggested
that they check into a hotel and spend the evening since it would be too late
to drive, and they were enjoying their time in Myrtle Beach.

Emma agreed. She was enjoying herself, and she wasn’t
looking forward to sitting in the car anyway.

They made their way over to The Anderson Ocean Club. Matthew
checked them in while Emma enjoyed the Mexican architecture. They were given
their suite key and led upstairs. “Emma, before we go in you should know
something.”

“What, Matthew?”

“Well, it is prime tourist season right now and the rooms
are pretty much filled up. Since we didn’t have reservations they gave us what
was available, which was a king-sized suite.”

“So what you are saying is you’ll be sleeping on the floor,
right?”

“Would you really do that to me? After all these years you’d
put me on the floor? It’s only one night.”

“Well … fine, but no ideas, because it’s not going to
happen. You stay above the sheet and I’ll stay below.”

Matt made a sound under his breath as he opened the door to
the room.

Emma was surprised by how spacious it was. The room was
clean, and decorated very lovely. She walked into the room and over by the
window to look outside. The room overlooked the water. She noticed the stars in
the sky and wondered if Jacob was looking up at them, too.

When she turned back from the window, she spotted something
lying across the bed. She suddenly realized it was the dress she had spotted earlier
in the day.

“Matt, what is that?”

“I thought you might like to wear it out this evening. I
made special arrangements for us for dinner, and I thought I’d surprise you.”

“Matt … you really shouldn’t be doing all of this.”

“Emma, don’t, just let me do this please.”

She could see the pain and sincerity in his eyes, and she
just felt bad. She didn’t want to hate him. She had a history with this man.
She just couldn’t see a future with him anymore.

She nodded her head. “Okay. Thank you for the dress, I love
it!”

Matt smiled, pleased that she agreed to allow him to treat
her to a night on the town.

“Great, Em, you just wait, I promise you’ll love it.

SHE SLIPPED INTO the new dress and
looked at herself in the mirror. The dress reminded her of the dress she wore
with Jacob when they crashed the wedding at World’s Fair Landing. Even though
it was only days ago, the time—and now the distance—made it feel as though it
were a lifetime ago.

Matt gently knocked on the door. “Are you ready? We’d better
hurry or we’ll miss it.”

Emma opened the door and Matt gasped. “Wow! You look
amazing, Emma. You look as pretty as a picture.”

Her heart sank again. Jacob had told her the very same
thing, only when Matt said it, it felt like a superficial compliment.

He escorted her to the lobby and out the entrance door. To
her surprise there was a horse and buggy waiting for them. Matt smiled at her,
expecting her to be as excited about it as he was. When he noticed her face
didn’t light up the way it used to, he frowned.

He helped her in and she took her seat. “Aren’t you
surprised? I thought you’d love the gesture. A romantic carriage ride to our
destination.”

She knew she wasn’t being fair to him, but her heart just
wasn’t into it. She knew Matt was always into grand gestures, but for some
reason, she didn’t get excited over them anymore.

“Matt, this is very sweet! Who doesn’t love to be treated
like Cinderella, right?” She faked a smile.

He could sense a change in her. He had hoped upon hope that
this road trip would get them back on track. He knew he had screwed up, he just
never realized how much he loved her until it was apparently too late.

The carriage stopped near the docks. The driver held her
hand as she exited the carriage.

“Where exactly are we going?” she asked him curiously.

He took her hand from the driver and thanked him as he
handed him a one hundred dollar bill. The man tipped his hat to the both of
them as he bid them a good night.

Matt led her down the docks. She couldn’t help but notice
the large paddle boat sitting at the bottom of the harbor.

“Are we having dinner on that?” she asked him.

“I figured on a little dinner and dancing while on the
water. I know it’s something you always said you wanted to do, but we never had
a chance to.”

He led her to the gate, and they were welcomed by a very
sweet little old man.

“Welcome aboard, folks. Tonight you will hear stories about
this very vessel as we set sail on the mighty river. You will enjoy a five star
meal, and be entertained with some live riverboat music.”

They entered the boat and were shown to their reserved
table. Matt held the seat out for her before taking his own.

“So what do you think, Em?”

“It’s lovely. It’s exactly like I thought it would be.”

“I’m glad. You deserve only the best, you know that, right?”

She simply smiled. She didn’t want the conversation to
continue on.

Their salads arrived. Emma only picked at hers as Matt
devoured his.

“Why aren’t you eating, Em? It’s delicious.”

She pushed a tomato around her plate and said, “I guess I am
just waiting for the main course.”

Half an hour later they were served Prime Rib, garlic
roasted potatoes, and mixed summer vegetable medley. Emma tried to force
herself to eat some of it. Matt watched her curiously, but sat silent.

Dinner ended and Matt took her hand and led her out onto the
top deck. They stood looking out over the river as the boat paddled along. A
waitress walked by and offered them both a glass of champagne. Matt grabbed two
glasses and handed one to Emma. “To new beginnings,” he toasted.

Emma didn’t want to cheer to it. She didn’t want to lead him
on, and that’s exactly what she felt was happening.

He casually walked her to where there was the sound of music
playing. Emma pulled back. “Matt, this is not a good idea. We’re not on a date.
I thought I made that perfectly clear,” she said to him.

“Emma, we are just out enjoying each other’s company while
we travel to the East Coast.”

He placed her glass down on a table and took her hand in
his. He led her to the dance floor and gently wrapped his arm around her. The
band played, and the music flowed. He danced her across the main deck of the
boat. In the past, he always knew that they would work out their differences
while on the dance floor. She used to laugh with her brilliant laugh, but
tonight he could sense she was not completely here. He knew he hurt her. He had
a moment of weakness, and he knew he’d pay for it forever. He swore if she
forgave him, that he’d never do anything to hurt her again. Even if it meant
he’d have to say good-bye to her.

THEY MADE THEIR way back to the
hotel room. Silence fell between the two of them, and Matthew didn’t know what
he needed to do in order to fix it. Emma quietly closed the bathroom door and
slipped off her dress. After she hung it back up on the hanger that sat on the
hook on the door, she pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and cami-tank. Placing
her hair into a high, loose bun, she brushed her teeth. She took out her new
cell phone and held it in her hands. Reaching into her pocketbook, she pulled
out the phone number that Lena had given her. She closed her eyes and
hesitated. She didn’t know if she wanted to hear that Jacob didn’t care enough
to say good-bye. She didn’t want to hear that she’d been just another conquest
in his travels. She thought back to her conversation with Lena at Dollywood.
How could Lena have been so off about them? She had told Emma not to hurt
Jacob, when in fact it was Jacob who had hurt her.

She took a deep breath and dialed the number. Her heart was
pounding in her chest. She wasn’t sure what she was going to say, but she knew
that she just wanted to call. The phone rang once, twice, up to four times with
no answer. The answering machine turned on and she heard Lena and Todd’s silly
message. She smiled as she listened, but hung up the phone. She dropped
everything back into her bag and tried to mask her feelings of disappointment.

When she opened the door, Matthew was standing over by the
window, gazing out. She could sense his uneasiness. She didn’t want to hate
him, but she wasn’t ready to forgive him either. She walked over to her side of
the bed and sat down. She pulled out some moisturizer that he’d bought for her
earlier and rubbed it on her hands and her arms. It smelled like lavender and
lemons. It had always been her favorite, and he knew that. He did know every
last detail about her. He knew every like and dislike. That was something that
took years to get to know. She felt a strange hollowness inside of her. If she
ever gave into Matt, he would think it would be all right to cheat on her
again.

“Matt?” she called out.

He turned around and looked at her, his heart thumping in
his chest as he saw the familiar sight of his beautiful Emma sitting on the
bed. “Yes,” he responded.

“Why did you do it?” She adjusted her seating. “I mean, what
don’t I have that you needed to look elsewhere for?”

His head fell to the side and he knew that he had really
hurt her. He walked to the bed and sat down. “You did nothing, Emma. You are
absolutely perfect. I was a stupid fool. It was one moment of weakness. She was
just some stupid bimbo who caught me off guard. She wanted me to give her a
boob job, and well—”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

He reached out for her hand. He just needed some sort of
contact with her. It had been weeks since they had been this close. “We didn’t
have sex, Emma. It never got that far.”

She quickly pulled her hand away. “If that is indeed true,
than it was only because I interrupted you.”

“No, I don’t think I could have actually gone through with
it. It wasn’t you. She didn’t look like you or feel like you. I know I don’t
have any excuses, but we were only weeks away from getting married. I guess I
just needed to know if I was still desirable to others.”

“Why?”

“It’s an ego thing. I’m almost forty, and I just felt old.”

“We were only mere weeks away from getting married. I still
don’t understand. Is it that bad to commit yourself to me?”

He reached over and pulled her into his arms. “Oh God no,
Emma, I knew from that first night at the party that I was going to spend the
rest of my life with you. You knew me before I was anybody, and you loved me
through it all. You are the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Why did it take you so long to ask me then?”

“I guess I just grew comfortable with the way things were
between us. I never for one minute looked at it as us not sharing our life
together; I just never felt the importance of a ceremony to prove that I love
you. I just figured that our being together was enough.”

“I always felt that having the ceremony was to bind that
connection and vowing to be together always. I never wanted to have to force
you.”

“You didn’t. I mean, at first I guess I knew I felt you
pulling away, so Renee told me you were waiting for me to ask you.”

Emma pulled away from him; her hand still resting on his
chest to keep him distanced. “Are you telling me that you only asked me to
marry you because Renee told you to?”

He looked at her with a panic stricken face. “No, it’s
coming out all wrong. I wasn’t prepared for this conversation.”

“You seem to be prepared for everything.”

She stood up and walked over to the window. Matt got up and
hurried to her side.

“You don’t understand what I am saying. I was stupid; I
didn’t realize how important it was to you. Yes, it took Renee pointing out the
obvious. I always wanted to spend my life with you. I still do. I’d marry you
right this second if you’d have me.”

He grabbed her firmly by her shoulders and looked into her
big brown eyes, as if he were pleading with her.

“Matt …” she began.

“No, Emma. I wanted this last leg of the trip to prove
myself to you. I am still that man who stood by you all of these years, who has
loved you limitlessly. I am still that man who wants to grow old with you.”

“You destroyed that with your infidelity.”

“And I will pay for it every day for the rest of my life. I
will make it up to you every day for the rest of my life. You are it for me,
Emma. It’s you and me. Not some bimbo and not some guy who you only met a
couple of days ago. It’s you and me. We have history, that has to mean
something.”

“I’m not sure what it means, Matt. I just know that I am
hurt, I am confused, and I don’t know what I want anymore.”

He led her back to the bed and tapped it for her to sit
down. She looked at him with apprehension. “No funny business. I just want to
fall asleep next to you. I haven’t been able to sleep since you left. That’s
all, nothing more.”

She climbed over to her side of the bed and got under the
blankets. She’d never felt such conflict before. While part of her knew how
easy it would be to forget Jacob and move on with her life with Matt, she
didn’t know if it was possible anymore. Jacob woke something up in her that
brought her back to her true self. The money she had earned was fabulous, but
it didn’t make her happy. Jacob, in the two short days she spent with him,
meant more to her than anything she could ever buy.

Matt got under the covers and wrapped his arm around her. He
pulled her as close to him as he could. She could feel his muscles tighten
around her as if he had to use all of his strength to not let her go.

“I missed this, Em. I just can’t sleep, or think straight
without you.”

She fell asleep that night so exhausted that she didn’t
remember if she had dreamt or not.

Todd stood at the kitchen counter. He shook his head while
he rested his hand on Lena’s shoulder. “He hasn’t moved?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

“It’s been a few days, he needs to get off the couch and do
something about it.”

“I agree. I thought your plan was great, but he is afraid
that he won’t be able to find her.”

“That’s crazy. Look how many times he’s bumped into her now.
There is a bigger picture at work here. New York City may be big, but it’s not
that big. It’s not too big for destiny to work its magic.”

Lena smiled at her husband. “I like the way you think,
husband.”

They stood at the same height of five foot nine. She always
called him her equal in every which way. His hair, brown and shaggy, hung on
his shoulders. Hers was a lighter shade of honey that hung the same length.
They both had matching blue eyes, and how she loved to look into his blue eyes.
Those eyes saw through all her bullshit, and all her tears. Those eyes are what
had healed her heart, and filled it with love. She only wanted the same thing
for her best friend. Now, because of Todd, she understood love and God did she
want everyone around her to be as happy as her.

“I can’t say why fate plays these games, or tests us the way
it does. What happens if they were only meant for their little fling? Who
decides?” Todd asked her.

She looked at him in shock. “Are you serious? Would you ever
have said that about us? I mean, come on, I was married and you were a rock
star. Sure, I believe fate tests us, but at the end of the day, when you meet
that one person who fits you so completely, there is no turning away from it.”

She turned and kissed Todd. He swept his hand over her soft
skin and smiled at her. “You are absolutely right, wife. What can we do about
it then? Has she tried to call?”

“There was a strange number that showed up on caller I.D.,
but they didn’t leave a message, so I don’t know.”

“She most likely wouldn’t leave a message if she thought he
walked away from her without saying good-bye,” Todd pointed out.

“Right, so it could very well have been her attempting to
call, then losing her nerve.”

“We could always call the number back,” Todd commented.

“Are we really going to do this? I mean, are we going to
call every strange number in the hopes it’s his dream girl? Do you know how
crazy it sounds? There is always the possibility that it was a wrong number.
So, I guess we will have to wait and see if the number calls again.”

“Agreed,” Todd said as he hugged his wife. “Now what do we
do with mopey over there?”

“We get his ass up, and try to give fate a little nudge.”

He kissed Lena’s forehead. “And that’s why I love you so
much, you just don’t give up.”

“On love … no way, I’m always a sucker for love.”

Emma opened her eyes, and Matt was still clinging to her.
She gently tried to ease out of his grip and get out of bed, but he wouldn’t
budge. She heard him groan as he pulled her back into him. “Just a few more
minutes, I just need a few more minutes,” he mumbled.

“Matt, wake up, we’ve already overslept. The day is half
over.”

He leaned over and gently kissed her shoulder. He began working
his way up her neck. She turned to get away from him, but found herself stuck
facing him. With his eyes still closed, he leaned in and kissed her. He had
always been a sucker for sex in the morning. He always woke up raring to go.
“Matt, this is not a good idea.”

He kissed her some more and mumbled, “It’s a great idea.
I’ve missed this. Tell me you’ve missed this.” He ran his hands down along the
side of her body until he reached between her legs. She threw him off of her
and jumped out of bed.

“I think maybe you should take a cold shower.”

He opened his eyes, and got on his knees, kneeling on the
bed. He reached out for her arms. “Emma, I want you. I need you. I know that
you felt it, too.”