An hour into the packed street festival, I began to curse Fate. She seemed to be a rotten planner, because while I’d seen a dozen colorful Chinese dragon dancers and the ever-present thump of drums, I’d not seen a sign of Robert the whole night. Hundreds of people lined the streets in downtown Denver, and I was beginning to think my whole plan of “accidentally” bumping into Robert and then apologizing until I was blue in the face would never materialize. Ugh. Where was he? I glanced through the crowd, not seeing him.
Nadia walked beside me, and Jeremy held Michael’s hand ahead of us as he pointed at a bright red dragon dancing its way down the street.
“What a wonderful turnout,” Cissy, the Denver morning show host said, her voice booming across several amplifiers.
I wish there were fewer people. Maybe then I could find Robert.
“If you haven’t already,” her co-host, Kyle, announced into his microphone, “get your lanterns. We’ll be launching them in about ten minutes.”
I looked at a few volunteers, handing out white lanterns. None of them were Robert. Michael took several and gave one to my nephew. Jeremy grabbed his lantern and his candle, eager for the big lighting ceremony when the lanterns would fill the Denver skyline. The pleasant sounds of a bamboo flute carried across the wind. Nadia had been trying to convince me that Dr. Susie’s advice was sound, even if it eventually led to her own divorce. Mom clearly thought I was absolutely right in ditching Dr. Susie but kept silent as Nadia tried to convince me I should give the talk show therapist another chance.
“I really think we should go back to the start,” she said. “Chapter One: It’s Not the Man, It’s You.”
“No,” I said, laughing a little. I hadn’t yet told Nadia her self-help guru was a fraud, but I figured she’d find out in due time. “I think I’ll just do it on my own now.” I scanned the crowd. Robert had to be here.
Nadia squeezed my arm. “Oh, sweetie. Don’t give up. I know George wasn’t the right one, but I really do think the list works. I say we start fresh.”
The last thing I was going to do was let Dr. Susie mess up another relationship. No way. Mom squeezed my arm. When I looked over at her, she pointed up. There, standing on the stage near the Wake Up Denver hosts, was Robert. My stomach grew tight. I glanced at Mom. I didn’t have to say a word. She’d known all this time I’d come to the festival searching for him. Wow, he looked so good. Handsome, freshly shaven, his dark hair perfectly swept up off his forehead. How I’d missed him.
“Nadia, I think I know what I want now.” I turned to look at Mom. “Really.” Mom’s face broke into a giddy smile. She could read me like a book. “I’ll catch you guys later.” I sprinted away from Mom and Nadia, even as Nadia opened her mouth to say something.
“Let her go,” I heard Mom tell Nadia as I pushed my way through the thick crowd to the platform stage. I moved across the street, nearly being run over by a big red-and-gold dragon as I ducked and weaved through the parade. I momentarily lost Robert. He’d moved from the stage. No! Where’d he go?
“Find your spot,” Cissy chimed in from the stage. No Robert in sight. I’d just seen him. I moved past a burly drummer and a flute player. I looked right and left, but no sign of him. He’d disappeared in the crowd.
“Raise your lanterns,” Kyle called. A sea of people raised white lanterns, some of them already lit and ready to go. Next to me, someone lifted a big white lantern and I found myself just twenty feet from Robert. I sprinted the rest of the way to him, though he hadn’t seen me. He was intent on lighting his own lantern.
“And here we go!” Cissy cried. “In ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four…”
I made it to Robert but accidentally bumped straight into him, causing him to lose hold of his lantern. It floated up early, even as Cissy’s countdown hit zero, and the rest of the lanterns lifted up into the sky.
“Happy New Year!” everyone shouted.
“Hey,” I said, as Robert watched his lantern float up ahead of the rest and then looked at me uncertainly.
“Hey,” Robert said, voice laced with caution. I guess I deserved that. I hadn’t been all that nice to him the last time we met.
“I was hoping I’d find you here,” I said.
“Here I am,” Robert said, shoving his hands into his pockets. He glanced away from me as if looking for an exit. No, no, no. I had to make this right.
“I made a huge mistake,” I said, clutching the sherpa lapel of his coat. “And I…misjudged you. And, truthfully, I shouldn’t have been judging you at all. I should have been getting to know you instead of applying these ridiculous guidelines—” My mouth was on autopilot, and I didn’t even know what I was saying.
“What are you talking about?” Robert looked genuinely confused.
“You’re full of surprises, and you’re fun, and you’re thoughtful, and I just wanted you to know I was wrong.”
Robert still looked wary. Not that I blamed him. I’d been Lucy with that darn football since we’d started dating. Every time he’d gotten close enough to kick it, I’d ripped it out from under him, and like Charlie Brown, he’d gone flying. I’d been so very unfair.
“Cass, what do you want from me?” he asked.
“I know that I don’t deserve a second chance, but I really hope you give me one.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. It was now or never. “I guess what I’m trying to say is…”
His dark eyes studied me, and in that moment, words failed me. Because words weren’t what I needed right now. I stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. Better to show him how I felt than talk about it. Besides, I always hated talking about feelings.
The kiss was as electric as the kiss in the bowling alley. He kissed me back with just as much passion, as I pressed my lips against his. Who needed a coat? My whole body was suddenly on fire. Sparks? This was a raging inferno. I broke free at last, and a bevy of fireworks exploded above our heads. At first, I thought it was just Robert’s amazing charisma, and then I realized it was part of the festival. Robert seemed speechless, too. Did he feel the same way about me? He’d kissed me back. I’d felt it. He’d wanted that kiss as much as I did.
“I’m also really sorry that I bumped into you and made you let your lantern go,” I said.
“That’s okay. I’ll let the lantern go,” he said and then he pulled me into his arms. “Because I’m holding on to you.”
“Hmmmmm…” I groaned.
“So cheesy?” he finished.
“Sooooo cheesy.” I giggled, enjoying Robert’s warm arms around me. I knew now that true love was worth the risk. Everything was perfect with the world. Wait…one thing was missing. I looked up at Robert, and he pulled me close, kissing me once more.
Now everything was truly and absolutely right with the world, right here in Robert’s arms.