“You laugh, but you won’t be so cockynextweek.”
“What’snextweek?”
“When we move into our newcondo.”
“Have I totally missed a portion of ourconversation?”
“Vanessa doesn’t want me living in poverty. She’s putting the down payment on a place today. No more hiding in the bushes for me,myman.”
Still processing Richie’s progression from a cautionary tale to a Cinderella story, all in a three-day span, I’d almost forgotten about my own rags to riches tale until he asked, “So how was your weekend? Anything interestinghappen?”
“Um, well, I mean, aside from meeting the woman of my dreams and hanging out with her rock star brother… nah, nottoomuch.”
Richie held the same expression on his face throughout most of my wondrous story. Every once in a while he would close his gaping mouth, but then it would drop open again upon hearing the next fantastical detail. When it was over, I had to shake my own head at the miracle ofitall.
“So you’re telling me she met your mother andstillseemsinterested.”
“I didn’t think that was the most noteworthy part of my story,butyeah.”
“I’m still processing. What wasJakelike?”
“He was the most reserved of the brothers, for sure, but he seemed totally cool with me hanging out with his sister, at least. And their mom, she was gushing alloverme.”
“I don’t doubt it. You’ve got a way with olderwomen.”
“So do you,apparently.”
“What’s your game plan, then? Are you going to see heragain?”
“Oh, I’m going to see her again, whether she likes itornot.”
“You think shewon’t?”
“Emma’s a little, uh, skittish. I have her phone number, that’s it. Her dad told me what hospital she worked at, though, so I plan to surprise herthere.”
“Wow, that was nice of her dad to enable herstalker.”
“Wasn’t it?” I said, laughing. Yes, maybe I was coming across a little creepy, but I didn’t want her slipping through myfingers.
“I’m happy for you, though. Usually you go for the needy girls. This one sounds like she doesn’t need youatall.”
“Exactly. Maybe that’s why I like hersomuch.”
18
Emma, Present Day:LettingGo
Fallingin love was a funny thing. I’d always assumed it was something that crept up on you slowly, a feeling that gradually blossomed into something bigger and better until you knew that, yes, this was the one. But that’s not how it was at all. Not with Finn. Love with him was like a punch in the gut, leaving me dazed and breathless. I didn’t have time to prepare, or to protect myself. He just barreled into my life and staked his claim on my heart, and although I did my best to slow the process down, there was no way to stop it. Love could not be turned off any more than it could be forced on. I knew what Finn and I had could never last, though. Eventually reality would catch up with us and deliver its punishing blow; but for now, for this one incredible moment in time, I was savoring the beautifuldisaster.
* * *
“So I’m tellingthe lady that I’ve got her medication and she holds out her hand. I say, ‘No, hun, I’m going to put the Pepcid in your IV,’ and I shit you not, Emma, she says to me, ‘If it’s not too much trouble, I preferCoca-Cola.”
I laughed at Frannie’s story, but my mind was elsewhere. Concentration had been a challenge since meeting Finn, and I found myself reading the doctor’s note over and over because I couldn’t seem to focus on the words. I didn’t need a lengthy diagnosis to know that I was suffering from withdrawal – of the scruffy, swoon-worthykind.
Francesca continued on with a rant about the sheer stupidity of the world today and how it would benefit the human race if there were lifeguards manning the gene pools. I nodded my agreement, but really, I wasn’t paying attention until she came to an abrupt stop and gripped my arm. “Um,Emma…”
“Huh?”
