Chance Encounters (20 page)

The bartender placed a fresh gin and tonic and front of Emma
and told her he was glad she was feeling better. She began to relax. At least
she knew that it was only a matter of time until she and Jacob came face to
face. She made herself promise that no matter what she wasn’t going to let him
go this time. She wouldn’t make the same mistakes anymore. She’d tell him
exactly how she felt, and not be so damn scared. She’d tell him that she’d give
it all up just to be with him.

The lights dimmed, and the crowd clapped for the band. Todd
announced that they were going to take a short break. He hopped off the stage
and walked over to the table to grab a drink of water. He kissed Lena on the
lips, which made everyone make
oh and ah
sounds. Todd winked at Lena and
then disappeared back behind the stage. A moment later a guitar began to play.
The stage was completely dark, and the audience fell silent. A familiar voice
sounded through the speaker:

I didn’t know who I was until I found you.

I was lost, drifting in a void of a shallow heart.

When our lips touched, the angels cried in heaven,

With you gone,

I thought I’d never be the same.

Emma, oh my sweet Emma,

I don’t know who I am, if I’m not with you

I made a promise to myself

that I would find you,

no matter how long

or how far away you roam.

And when I got the chance

to hold you just one more time,

I’d let you know that wherever you are,

is the only place that I want to be.

Emma wasted no time. She nearly knocked her seat over as she
got up from the table. She hurried through the crowd to the front of the stage
just as Jacob jumped down. She threw herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms
around her and breathed her in. He ran his hands along her long, flowing hair,
and looked into her soft, coffee colored eyes. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you
again, ducky.” His accent gave his statement just that much more depth.

She looked up at him, and with a half smirk, said, “Do you
really believe that fate would allow that?”

He wiped a tear from her cheek and kissed her softly on her
lips. “No, I don’t think even fate could be that cruel. I’ve waited my whole
life for you; I could never just walk away. I just needed you to be sure.”

“I’m sure. Oh God, I’m sure.” She stood on her tippy toes
and grabbed onto him again. He spun her around and quickly set her down. He
signaled the band to begin playing a soft melody and he got down on one knee.
He pulled out a small velvet box, the same box he ran off to buy when she was
in Tennessee.

“Emma Reed, I don’t know how I lived this long without you
in my life. I travelled this God forsaken world, but never found what it was
that I was missing until I bumped into you outside that restroom. For me, it
was love at first sight. I was bamboozled by you from the very start. I
convinced myself if it was meant to be, then I would find you again. And, again
I did, at a small motel, and then at another restaurant, and then by the time I
saw you outside the coffee shop, I knew I didn’t stand a chance. You were it.
The universe couldn’t have made it any clearer. I should have told you how I
felt before we ever got to that garage. I should have taken that risk. For you,
Emma, I would risk it all, just to be with you.” He smiled up at her, and a
lock of his dark hair flopped in his eyes. Emma cracked a smile. She loved how
imperfectly perfect he was.

“I should have told you that I was in love with you, I
shouldn’t have been such a coward. I knew that if the fates allowed me one last
chance, I would jump at it and never let you go, if you’ll have me. So, Emma
Reed, in front of this entire lounge full of people, I am here asking for your
hand in marriage. I don’t care where we live; I will follow you to the end of
the universe. As long as I know we are together.”

Lena clutched her chest. Todd wrapped an arm around her,
which she happily laid her head on. Renee stood by and watched Jacob’s
proposal. She felt horrible for having tried to interfere with what she now
knew was indeed fate.

“Yes! Yes, Jacob. I will … I will most certainly marry you.”

Jacob placed the ring on her finger and swept her into a
passionate kiss. The lounge clapped and hooted for them.

Todd excused himself from Lena and walked back on stage.
“Let’s give big congratulations to the happy couple. May you both have many
wonderful years ahead of you. I hope you find the happiness that you both so
greatly deserve. I love you both!”

Emma grabbed hold of Jacob’s hand. She was afraid to let go.
She was afraid that this was one of her daydreams, and she would wake up and be
behind her desk.

They made their way through the crowd back over to the
reserved table. Jacob slowed down when he noticed Renee. Emma noticed his
hesitation, and was taken aback. Had Renee really been that awful to him? Renee
took a deep breath. She could see how happy her best friend was, so she stepped
forward and hugged Emma. She looked up at Jacob and smiled at him. “You have
every right to hate me. Just know that everything I do is to protect Emma. It
was never anything personal; I just didn’t understand how fate worked. Well, with
that being said, I hope that you and I can start over seeing as you are
marrying the closest thing that I have to family, which in turn makes us
family.”

She extended her hand to him as a peace offering. Jacob
looked at her, not knowing if she was being sincere. He noticed the softened
smile on Emma’s face and knew how important this was to her. He grabbed hold of
her hand and accepted the peace offering. Emma squealed in delight and grabbed
hold of both of them and hugged them together.

The bartender popped a bottle of champagne and congratulated
the happy couple. He filled their glasses and they raised them to Jacob and
Emma. Emma was on cloud nine. She never knew how exciting a moment like this
really was. She realized that when it’s right it is right, and everything with
Jacob was right.

The concert ended and the lounge closed down. The band
members and their spouses still remained for a private after party. Renee
flirted with the bartender as usual, and Emma was curled up into Jacob’s arm.
Renee slid into Emma’s side. “So … call me crazy, but since I don’t leave until
Monday morning, and Jacob’s closest friends are here … there is still a wedding
planned for tomorrow with no bride and groom.”

Emma shot straight up and looked at her friend like she had
lost her mind. “You aren’t suggesting what I think you are suggesting, are
you?”

“What am I missing?” Jacob asked.

Lena and Todd suddenly fell quiet.

“Oh, but I am suggesting it. Why not, huh? The two of you
ramble on and on about fate and all that hoopla. Maybe this is fate, too,”
Renee said with growing excitement.

“What is she talking about, Emma?” Lena asked.

Emma shook her head. Renee perked up. “I may have not
cancelled all the arrangements for Emma’s dream wedding. As a matter of fact, I
made a few phone calls and made a few adjustments.”

The table fell silent. Emma knew where Renee was going with
it all. So did Lena.

“I’m liking what I’m hearing,” Lena shouted out.

Everyone stopped and looked at her. Jacob looked the most
skeptical of all. “Call me crazy, but doesn’t that seem a little like inviting
bad karma?”

“I agree with Jacob,” Emma added.

“Please … I cancelled the guests, just not the plans. Let me
ask you, did Matthew give you any input in this wedding at all? Did he ever
sample any cake, or choose a color?” Renee threw in.

“No,” Emma responded.

“So, then whose dream wedding is it? If all the details are
yours and yours alone, all you have to do is add the groom. Now that you know
you have the right one, it is the perfect wedding.” Renee was proud of her
suggestion.

“I agree with Barbie here,” Lena added. “Is this your dream
wedding, Emma?”

Emma looked at her friends and then over at Jacob. “Well—”

“Emma, we’ve been planning your perfect wedding since
college.”

Jacob took her hand in his. “Is this something that you’d
want, Emma? My feelings for you won’t change whether we got married now or
later. Do you remember how I told you what a fool Matt was for not marrying you
right away, and not knowing from the start?”

“Yeah,” Emma said.

“I knew. I knew I wanted to marry you. This is it. Marry me
tomorrow.” He looked at his watch. “Correction, marry me today.”

“This is insane, guys,” Emma commented.

“People elope all the time. Why should this be any
different?” Renee told her.

She looked back at Jacob. “Are you sure about this, Jacob?
What if you end up hating me a week from now?”

He swept his fingers along the side of his face. “There is
nothing you could ever do that would make me hate you. A week from now I will
only love you more. A year, a decade, a millennium … I will only love you
more.”

“IS THIS REALLY going to happen?”
Emma asked as Renee pinned the veil on Emma’s head.

“Oh, it is happening, doll,” Renee responded with a smile.

Emma looked around the small room inside the church. The
small rosebud wallpaper still plastered the walls. The hard cement floor was
covered with an area rug. She hadn’t been there since her mother’s funeral.
Somehow, being there made her feel closer to her parents.

Catherine poked her head in the door. “May I come in?”

Emma smiled and welcomed her inside.

“The groom wanted me to deliver this to you.” She handed
Emma a slip of paper.

Emma opened the note.

Emma smiled at Catherine. “Thank you for that.”

“Don’t thank me,” Catherine teased.

“Thank you for helping to pull this all off.”

“What makes you think—”

Emma grinned. “Oh this whole thing has you and Renee written
all over it.”

“I am your assistant, Emma. I am honored to just be here
with you.”

Emma hugged Catherine. “Someday you are going to make an
amazing editor. Just promise me that you won’t overwork yourself. Trust me when
I tell you that at the end of the day … it’s not the job or the money that will
bring you the happiness. It’s finding that special someone to fill your heart
that makes life worth living. Sometimes, you need to walk away from the hustle
and bustle and live.”

“Emma, does that mean what I think that means?” Renee
blurted out

“I am resigning my position. It’s all falling into place.
I’ve been so miserable being cooped up in the office all hours of the day and
night. What kind of life does that leave me?”

“But Emma … it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,”
Catherine said with a confused tone to her voice.

“Catherine, trust me when I tell you I have been where you
are. The long hours leave you little time to do much else. I want to travel the
world. I want to have sex with my husband in exotic places.”

Lena, Renee, and Catherine began to laugh at her comment.
“Think about it. Would I be able to do those things while stuck in a stuffy old
building? NO!”

“So you are just going to walk away from it all?” Lena
asked.

“I don’t see it like that. I see it as starting on a new
journey. Jacob wouldn’t be happy here. I love his fiery spirit and I would
never ask him to change.”

Catherine hugged Emma. “I am going to miss you.” She wiped a
tear off her cheek. “Well, my job with you isn’t complete yet. So, I am going
to check on that groom of yours and get this party started.” Catherine walked
out the door, closing it behind her.

Lena approached Emma with her hand cupped in front of her.
“I have a little story for you,” she began. “When I got married to my first
husband I had reservations from the very beginning. I knew it wasn’t right, but
I was so young and naïve that I thought I could change him. He turned out to be
worse than I ever imagined. No amount of money could make up for the abuse I
was subjected to. When I met Todd, I knew from the moment he first said hello
that he was meant for me. They say that there is an invisible string that
connects true soul mates together. The string can tangle, and knot up along
your journey, but it always remains connected to your true match. My knot
untangled when I met Todd, as yours has when you met Jacob. I made these
bracelets to represent your tie together, and now that your souls have found
one another, may your new journey be filled with love, light, and happiness.”

Lena attached the blue infinity bracelet to Emma’s wrist.
“Jacob is wearing the same bracelet. I already gave him the same talk earlier.
I am so happy for both you and Jacob. I never thought I’d see the day that he
would find you, but fate has a funny way of making herself known. I welcome you
to our crazy little family, Emma. I couldn’t have picked anyone more perfect to
fit into our circle.”

Emma pulled Lena into a hug. Renee wrapped her arms around
the two of them. “Ah hell, ladies … what’s a wedding without a few tear-soaked
faces, huh?”

Emma laughed as she kissed her best friend on her cheek.
Renee cleared her throat and looked Emma in the eye. “I guess that makes it my
turn. Emma, you are truly one of the most remarkable women I have ever had the
privilege of knowing. I’ve known you from the very beginning of your adulthood
and I’ve watched you grow into the amazing woman that is standing in front of
me today. I love you like the sister I never had, and I will always be on your
side through thick or thin. I thought I knew what was best for you. I thought I
had to fix you, when you never needed fixing. You and Jacob have made me see
that fate truly is a bitch and you can’t mess with her.” Emma and Lena burst
out laughing at Renee’s comment. “I know, I’m sorry for my bluntness, but do
you really expect me to be any different? On a serious note, I am so happy for
you, Emma. You deserve every bit of happiness in your life. The look in your
eye says it all. You know that on the other side of that door, the man of your
dreams is waiting to start a new chapter in life with you. I am proud to stand
by your side, and give you away to him. I may not always use the best of
judgment … I know, I know … I am not perfect. It’s a hard pill to swallow.”

Emma hugged her best friend. As different as their worlds
may be, it only made Emma love her even more.

“Now, go out there and marry that man.”

Emma wiped the tear from her eyes. She looked at the two
women standing beside her on her wedding day. It wasn’t quite the way she had
planned, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Renee, you mean the world to me. You took me in and treated
me like family from day one. You stood by my side through every step that I
took that led me here to this very spot. I am proud to call you sister. I may
not always agree with you on a lot of things, but I know you love me, as I do
you.”

She looked to Lena and a smile spread across her face.
“Lena, what can I say to you? You took a complete stranger into your home. You
clothed me, fed me, and comforted me. You are truly one of the kindest people I
have ever known. I am so lucky that Jacob has you in his life. I am even more
happy that now, so do I.”

The music began playing, and Lena took her place at the
door. “Here we go. Are you ready?”

Lena walked out the door first. She took the first steps
down the aisle, and Todd smiled as he watched his wife walk past him. Renee
turned to Emma. “It’s your last chance to change your mind. We can still run
for the door if you want.”

Emma stood at the back of the church. She spotted Jacob
standing under the floral archway. One look into his eyes and she knew there
was nowhere else she’d rather be.

“Well okay then. No words are necessary there.” She held her
arm out for Emma to grab hold of. “Let’s get you married, shall we?”

THE WIND HOWLED as it blew through
the now barren trees of the orchard. The leaves were blanketing the ground in
different shades of reds and gold. Emma leaned her back up against a tree,
hoping for cover. She could hear giggling nearby, and knew that she didn’t have
much time until she was caught. She leaned sideways to peek around the tree,
when all of a sudden someone tackled her to the ground. Jacob playfully tussled
with her until he landed on top of her.

“Tag, you are it,” he said playfully.

Emma shoved him off of her and went to sit up when she was
tackled a second time.

“I gotcha, Momma.”

Emma burst out laughing. “Yes you did, Kayla, yes you did.”

Kayla picked up a stick and threw it to their dog to go and
fetch while she ran after him. Emma laid her head in the leaves and smiled up
at the sky. Jacob rested his head beside her, admiring the view.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Jacob whispered in her ear.

“I was just thinking about us.”

“I hope they are good thoughts?”

“They always are.” She smiled to herself. Jacob liked to see
her smile.

“I had a dream just like this once,” Emma said.

“I did, too,” Jacob started. “Only in my dreams we were—”

“I’m serious,” she interrupted as she tossed a handful of
leaves on him.

“I am too.” He pulled her toward him and kissed her.