| |
IN THE MORNING, I GOT a text from Tommy.
What are you up to?
I replied: No good. ;)
I was drunk last night. I’m not dating Lily. I promise. We’re just friends.
Hey, sometimes friends cross the line! Just look at us in the past.
Lily and I... We didn’t. Honestly. And don’t worry about Theo. Lily was completely sober.
Can’t drink with a baby.
I know. Won’t happen again.
You gotta grow up, Tommy. You have a baby.
I’m trying. When r u coming home?
A few weeks.
What? Why?
Call me later. We’ll chat. I’ll catch you up to speed.
Bye, gorgeous.
***
I WENT TO PICK UP DYLAN at work. I was impeccably dressed and my makeup and hair were perfect. His driver brought me to his office in his town car. When I reached the receptionist’s desk, the women immediately recognized me. They showed me complete respect. Maybe it helped that I wasn’t covered in mud.
“Can you please let Dylan Murphy know his wife is here?” I said.
“Yes, of course, Mrs. Murphy,” the blonde said. “Absolutely.”
“Would you like to go up and see him?” blonde number two said.
“I’ll wait down here. But thank you. And thank you for not laughing at me this time, and making fun of me.”
One bit her lip nervously. The other looked away. And the third one swallowed hard. Not waiting for a response, I took a seat and waited.
Blonde number one came over and handed me a bottled water.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Is there anything I can get you?” she asked.
“No, but thank you.”
“I’m sorry about the misunderstanding the other day,” she said. “I’ve been feeling really bad about insulting my boss’s new wife.”
“It’s okay. Apology accepted.”
“I know we started off on the wrong foot, but I’m Bridgett.”
She held out her hand and I shook it.
“We get all these women coming to the desk looking for Mr. Murphy. Ever since he was voted most eligible bachelor of the year, here in New York City. I’m sorry I thought you were one of them. But when you said you were married, I had no idea Dylan went to Las Vegas and eloped. You think that sort of thing would’ve been in the newspapers and all over TV. Or you think Mr. Murphy would’ve told his staff.”
“We kept it quiet.”
“To be honest, that’s like the last thing he would ever do. Rich billionaires like Dylan have big weddings, and everyone is invited from celebrities and pro athletes to news anchors, and politicians. There are so many different decisions to make, and it takes at least a year to plan. And Mr. Murphy is a huge planner. Trust me on that one.”
“Maybe he didn’t want helicopters flying over the ceremony.”
“It’s just so not like him.”
“It was spontaneous...and private. Just me and him saying our vows to each other.”
“Childhood sweethearts meet up in Vegas and can’t hold their feelings back any longer?”
I smiled. “Something like that.”
“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Dylan arrived and kissed my lips. “Ready, darling?”
“Yes.”
Bridgett waved goodbye. “Have fun you two.”
***
WE WENT TO THE LOEB Boathouse in Central Park. It was one of the most beautiful and iconic spots in all of New York City. Lovebirds can rent rowboats and cruise the lake or dine overlooking the beauty of the water and park. This place is more on the dressier side, but since it's a tourist trap, people were dressed pretty casual.
While we waited, my phone vibrated. It was Tommy.
The text said: Hey, I was channel surfing last night and saw ‘Runaway Bride’ with Julie Roberts was on! Reminded me of you, because I know it’s your favorite movie ever! Lol. Hope all is well!
I wrote back: Cool. Thanks. Are u sure that movie didn’t remind u of yourself? You know, since you’re the runaway groom and all?
Ha ha! was his reply. Miss u! Come home soon. And not in a few weeks!
Miss u too.
Emotions are not always your friend. So quit making this a chess match. Be pleasant. Be confident. And be quick! Just end this as painlessly as possible. I promise he won’t cry! I can lend you a blowtorch. Just promise not to burn his place down. Okay?
I huffed as I typed. Goodbye!
Hey! If my brother lets you have that rock on your finger as a parting gift, Eddy would give us...
I quit reading. Eddy owned a pawnshop. I wasn’t keeping Dylan’s ring, let alone pawning it. I wasn’t like that.
“Is Tommy lost without you?” Dylan asked.
“Hopelessly. But Lily is picking up the slack.”
My phone dinged.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “Because if it’s Tommy again, I’m afraid I’m going to have to file for a divorce.”
He smiled as I grinned. I love how he could make me smile. I could tell he was totally okay with it. He knew how close Tommy and I were. He would never take that away from me. Because he was just a sweet guy like that.
“It’s Lily,” I said.
The message read: Last night I saw the sunset over the lake. The sky was glowing red and orange – it was breathtaking!
Send me a pic.
She sent me a picture of her, Tommy and the baby with the sunset in the background.
Beautiful. Love the selfie!
I showed Dylan.
“They look so happy,” he said.
I smiled. “They do. How can we ever be mad at them if they ever get together?”
“Simple. We can’t.”
I put my phone away as we were called to be seated.
The complimentary bread was delicious. I chose the cranberry bread and wasn’t disappointed. The champagne was fantastic, and the hamachi sashimi was like fantastic, and my crab cakes were meaty and perfectly seasoned. Just mouthwatering! The service was wonderful. Our waiter was so nice and attentive.
Afterward, we rented some boats to row. It was a cute romantic date idea. We explored the lake and just hung out like old times. So fun to be in the middle of Central Park alongside the lake. Little turtles peeked their heads up out of the water. It was adorable! We also found lots of coves and bays to chill out in and talk. In one of the coves, we saw a family of turtles basking on the rocks.
“Did you miss me so much because I’m familiar to you?” I asked.
“Of course you’re familiar, Rose.”
“That’s not what I meant. I understood where you came from because your hometown is mine. We went to the same schools, had the same teachers, and hung out with the same set of friends. We constantly passed notes. Even had a few Saturday detentions.”
“I bet we would text now.”
I laughed. “I’m sure we would. And we’d send lots of pics to each other too.”
“The selfies would be endless.”
“No, that title belongs to Tommy.”
He laughed.
“Remember how we used to chat for hours after school?” I said. “Then go for long hikes in the woods?”
“I remember all those fun adventures.”
“Like the time I broke my leg and you carried me two miles through the forest. You were like my knight in shining armor.”
He smiled. “I walked through a river carrying you.”
“I thought we were going to get swept away, but you kept forging forward. You were determined to get me to the hospital. And I can’t thank you enough.”
“I’d walk through Hell for you. I hope you know that.”
“I do. You married me.”
He grinned even wider.
“But the point I’m getting at, well, it’s that I’m familiar. We grew up together and were great friends. We know everything about each other. Nobody you know in New York will ever know you the way I know you. My house was just like your house. You came and went as you pleased, ate dinner over here all the time, helped yourself to the fridge. We even ordered pizza and Chinese food from the same restaurants. You know my entire family from aunts and uncles to cousins and great grandmas. We grew up in the same environment and were from the same side of the tracks.”
“When a certain song would play on the radio, I’d think about you.”
“Awwww.”
“Because being with you was pure magic. You were amazingly smart, intelligent, beautiful, sweet, down-to-earth, and compassionate.”
I blushed. “Thanks!”
“And you always loved animals.”
“Veterinary medicine is the most popular ‘dream job’ for animal lovers,” I said. “I’m so glad I’m able to help animals because they are my passion.”
“And it’s what I love about you. You went after your dream too. You’re just as driven as me.”
“And we both love our jobs.”
I looked up at the pretty blue sky as the white clouds drifted by. It was the perfect day, and the weather was delightful. Dylan smiled as I began to sing a popular tune on the radio.
“I miss your singing,” he said. “You always had a beautiful voice like an angel.”
“Thank you, Dylan. I’ve always loved music. Remember sixth grade? We couldn’t wait to get to music so we could learn about traditional South American music.”
He winked. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret. It was our only class together that year. I just couldn’t wait to see you.”
“Ha! The secret is out!”
“Yes, it is, Mrs. Murphy.”
“So what are our plans tonight?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Let’s be spontaneous.”
“I remember you always being a planner.”
“You don’t think I can be spontaneous?”
“You can show me. Swim to shore.”
Gazing at me, his eyes twinkled as he took on the challenge. He suddenly stood up and got in a diving position as the boat rocked.
“I was kidding,” I said. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“I wouldn’t? You don’t know your husband as well as you think.”
I knew if I didn’t stop him, that he’d do it. “C’mon, baby! Sit back down.”
“Why? So people don’t think I’m crazy?”
“Oh, I’ve seen crazier in New York City. Trust me on that one.”
He sat back down. “Me, too.”
“We wouldn’t want you in the newspapers tomorrow morning,” I said.
“That’s the thing. For the first time in my life, I don’t care what they think or what they write. I’m seeing things from a whole new perspective.”
“You know if you jump in, I jump in right after you. Even if the turtles bite my toes. Till death do us part, right?”
“And that’s why I love you so much! Because I know you would. And we’d laugh until our stomachs hurt.” Our gazes met. “We could have a good life here. I hope you’ll give it a chance. I really do.”
“Okay, my turn! I’m not going to make you do all the rowing.”
He kept paddling. “I’ve got this, Rose.”
“Don’t worry. The oars are attached to the boat. You don’t have to worry about them sinking if I let go.” We changed positions, and I started to row. “See? I already got the hang of it.”
Laughing, he gazed at me. “We’re going in circles.”
“Um... Just need a minute to study the lay of the land.”
He smirked.
“While I’m getting us back on track, what is something that you love? And it can’t be people or money.”
“That’s easy. I have many loves.”
“Many loves? Well, end them, Dylan! Or I’ll file for divorce...”
“You can’t for at least a year,” he teased.
I laughed. “Anyway, I was kidding. What are your loves?”
“I have a passion for art. I run in marathons. Go jogging every single day. I love to sail, dive, swim, surf, avid bike rider, play chess...”
“You used to love to go camping.”
“I still love camping. Just not a lot of time to get to the mountains.”
“And you used to love the ocean.”
“I still love the ocean. I love its power and majestic beauty. Like I said before, I’ve surfed, went diving, and sailed, so I can personally tell you just how humbling the power of the sea is. It can heighten your senses and can give you the most heartfelt and emotional thrill of your life.”
“You’ll have to teach me how to surf.”
“Definitely.” He pushed a stray strand of hair from my eyes. “You’d look sexy in a wetsuit.”
I blushed. Smiling, I looked away.
“I’m surprised you don’t live by the ocean,” I said. “You always told us your dreams of buying a home right on the ocean.”
“I have a house in Palm Beach, Florida where I do a lot of business. It has a 165,000-gallon infinity pool and a living room that overlooks the ocean.”
“That’s awesome. Well, I love the beach. I love how the sunshine feels on my face as the waves crash on the shore. It instantly lifts my spirits. And I love feeling the waves wrap around my feet as my toes sink into the wet sand. I love long walks on the beach. Actually, I feel like grabbing my beach bag and towel right now! The beach is my very favorite place on the planet.”
“I could fly us to Florida in the jet. We could get wings, ice cream, and t-shirts, just like old times.”
“Don’t tempt me! Oh my gosh! You, me, Tommy, and Lily all got those matching t-shirts. How corny was that? Could you make room in your schedule like that?”
“Absolutely. Even a workaholic like me needs to take a break from reality every once in a while. No meetings. No phone calls. No texts.”
“It must be nice to be able to just take off like that. I can't always go on a vacation, but a trip to the beach is all that I need to make me feel like I got away. I unplug from life. I refuse to take my phone. No calls. No emails. It’s just me, my towel, a beach chair, the water, the soaring birds overhead, the sun and the sand. It's all the tranquility and peace I need.”
“So I could take you anywhere, and you’d choose a beach?” Dylan asked.
“Hey. What can I say? I’m low maintenance. Beach-lovers are people who appreciate the simple joys in life. I love a great view, the hot sun, a refreshing swim, and losing myself in a good book. We’re the happiest people on planet Earth because it’s so darn easy to make us happy. Did I mention how much my dogs love jumping in the water?”
“How are the dogs?”
“Great. My neighbor even sent me pics.”
“You can bring the dogs here,” he said.
“I’m still thinking about everything. But I do miss them horribly. Have you ever had any pets here?”
“No. Not at all.”
I playfully nudged him. “We’ll definitely have to change that.”
“You never cease to amaze me.”
“I think everyday life should be fun, don’t you?”
“I’m beginning to see that once again. I think living here has changed me. I remember how much fun we used to have every single day back in Wessler.”
“Well, you have me now! I’m going to spice up that life of yours, Mr. Murphy. I refuse to let you wear that shiny gold ring on your finger and have a dull day. Not with me around. I promise to make you smile and laugh, and enjoy life to the absolute fullest.”
“Is that a promise, Mrs. Murphy?”
“That rings says so! I own your booty now.”
He chuckled. “And you just made me laugh like you promised.”
“Laughter is the best medicine. I promise you there’s more of that to come.”
“I can’t remember the last time a date made me laugh,” he said.
I flashed him my diamond ring. “Wife, mister!”
He chuckled again as I started rowing.
We had a blast soaring across the lake and soaking in the natural beauty with the grand cityscape backdrop.
“You’re doing a great job rowing,” Dylan said.
“Not like that time we were running from the Dick brothers.”
He laughed as he remembered. “They almost kicked our butts. We got out of there in the nick of time.”
“Tommy was dating the blond. He called us and said he was trying to break up with her. Because she punched him in the stomach. That sure was a mean bunch.”
“And we decided to rescue him. Rowed right up to their lake cabin.”
“Lily and her brilliant ideas.”
“Almost got us killed.”
We started laughing. We’d never forget the adrenaline and the fear.
“They were shooting at us!” I said. “Remember?”
“Yeah. And you wouldn’t let me row!”
“Hey! I got us out of there, didn’t I?”
“And for what? Tommy ended up with her a few days later.”
“The idiot!”
We both burst out laughing.
“Man, I miss all of us together. We made a great wild and crazy team.”
“Yeah, we sure did. I wish Tommy and me wouldn’t have drifted apart.”
“How did it all start? Oh, you lent him money.”
“I let him borrow five thousand dollars for a car, and he never paid me back.”
“That’s Tommy for you.”
“That was college money. I was short.”
“Tommy lost his job.”
“See? You’re always defending him,” he said. “He never tried to pay it back. A little attempt would’ve went a long way.”
“Do you really need it at this point?”
“Listen, I’m over it now. If I wasn’t, I would’ve never come to what was supposed to be ‘his’ wedding.”
I glanced down at the sunlight shining on my glittering diamond. “Little did you know you were coming to attend your very own wedding.”
He chuckled.
I gazed up at him. “You need to make up with your parents, too.”
“My dad is still pissed I didn’t go into the family business. But I didn’t want to be a plumber. And Tommy didn’t either. And I know my dad has a huge business in ten states but, well... It’s a great job, but it’s not for me. I’m better at...”
“Running multibillion-dollar companies?”
“I know I just took off on everyone, including you and Lily. But I had to chase my dream. I hate that I lost everyone I loved chasing it.”
“We weren’t mad at that. But you never kept in contact.”
“My dad would hang up on me. Tommy avoided me like the plague because he owed me money. My mom didn’t want me to leave. She would give me long lectures every time I called. You started dating that Jack guy. Lily became distant. And it all hurt more than anything.”
“You should’ve told me. Because Jack meant nothing to me.”
“Do you really think a long-distance relationship would’ve worked? And I would’ve still ended up here in New York City. Nothing would’ve changed that.”
I softly touched his face. “If you cared, I had the right to know.”
“I almost told you once,” he confessed. “At two a.m. when we left Jean Taylor’s party.”
“I remember that night. You were trashed.”
“I had guts after a few beers. I started to tell you. And in the middle of my speech, Tommy came and kissed you. He dragged you away, kissing you passionately.”
I gasped. “What? Are you telling me if Tommy hadn’t have come, things could’ve been different between us?”
“You loved him. I couldn’t get in the way.”
“How very honorable of you. But I never loved him!” I insisted.
“You used to slow skate with him. You wrote that poem to him...”
“In seventh grade. It was a limerick, and it was stupid.”
“You went to prom with him.”
“Because no one else asked me.” I paused. “Is that why you stayed away? Because you thought Tommy and I were meant to be together, and you didn’t want to interfere?”
“You and Tommy are so close. And he told me what happened on prom night.”
“That jerk! Kiss and tell? Couldn’t keep his mouth shut if his life depended on it.”
“It was a long time ago. The past is the past.”
“Tommy and I are best friends, but that’s it. I don’t sleep with him, Dylan. Not anymore. Not for years. I told him if he would’ve married me, there would be no sex. I’m not attracted to Tommy like that. Those feelings died when I grew up and became an adult. I learned he’s not my soulmate. He’s just the best friend ever.”
“I see that now. You guys are just the closest of friends, and that’s it.”
I gripped his hands. “It’s never been about him because it’s always been about you, and only you. You were the one I had a massive crush on. Not Tommy.”
“I didn’t know.” He stared into my eyes. “I’ve always had a crush on you. Didn’t you see it?”
I watched his dark hair get tousled in the wind. His blue eyes gleamed. I couldn’t help how handsome he looked. Dylan was movie star kind of handsome. He had high angular cheekbones. He was clean shaven. And he was so sexy.
For a moment, I could hardly breathe.
And those stupid butterflies fluttering in my stomach!
He shot me that perfect white smile.
Why can’t I stop staring at him like an idiot?
I cleared my throat. “Okay, let’s keep paddling.”
“Rose...”
“Um, yes...”
“What’s going on between us?” he asked.
“We’re happily married,” I joked. “And I’m your better half.”
“I can’t argue with that. But... Is it really just a ruse? Because I feel like there’s more here between us. I feel this connection, this spark. And I can’t stop thinking about you. It’s like you consume every thought in my head.”
“Everything is spiraling out of control. It was supposed to be platonic,” I said. “But we got drunk and slept together on our wedding night.”
“And then we slept together...again.”
“Only we weren’t drunk,” I breathed out.
“And why’s that?”
“Because being with you feels like magic,” I said.
“We kiss and share intimate moments. Rose, this is more than friendship.”
“Do you want more than just friendship?” I asked.
“I need you more than the air I breathe. And I want more than friendship.”
“I felt the connection the second you came back,” I admitted. “We definitely have an attraction we can’t deny.”
“When I learned it was you marrying my brother, I felt like my heart had been ripped in two.”
“Honey, it was a hoax. A scam. You know that.”
“You called me honey. And you called me baby earlier. You’ve never done that before.”
I smiled.
“I know it was a hoax,” he said. “I was just telling you how I felt when I thought it was real. I wanted to be happy for Tommy, I really did. I had forgiven him. But the thought of him spending the rest of his life with you just about killed me. Because I wanted more than anything to be in his shoes.”
“No, trust me when I say you don’t want to be in Tommy’s shoes. He’s unemployed, in debt, irresponsible, and...”
“I had everything I could possibly want. I had power, money, influence, friends, awesome properties and fancy cars. But I was still missing something. I was missing you, Rose. And if Tommy and me could’ve switched lives, I’d give away everything I had to be with you.”
I reached over and wrapped my arms around him as we floated in the waves, then I cupped his face. “We might’ve missed out on high school. I guess the stars weren’t aligned at the time. But they’re aligned now. Getting married by accident could be the best thing to ever happen to us.”
“Do you think we’ll get it right this time?” he asked, running a hand down my arm.
“We can sure as hell try.”
“If Fate is giving us a second chance, then I wouldn’t want to piss her off.”
I shook my head vehemently. “Oh no. There could be thunder and lightning and great, massive earthquakes and tidal waves. We definitely can’t piss her off.”
I softly kissed him as I slowly ran my hands through his hair. I’d always hoped Dylan would find a way back into my life again. I thought that was the stuff of fantasy, but here I was. We had a nice little make-out session right in the middle of the lake, and I loved every single second of it!
In the end, I just think both of us realized we were meant for each other. So many years had passed, but Dylan was definitely worth the wait.
I gazed at the shore and noticed people were taking pictures of us.
“Dylan, look!” I said.
“They were bound to catch on,” he said.
“They need to stop hounding you. Don’t you hate being stalked by the paparazzi?”
“They won’t stop until they get their story.”
“They’re evil.”
“Let’s turn it around on them. We can use them to our advantage. It’ll make the marriage look legitimate. How can your lawyers deny that our love is real when we’re making out on a very real date?”
“True.”
“Do they always bug you?”
“Yeah, it’s hard to have a normal life. But it comes with the territory...”
“Of being a famous billionaire? See? You should’ve stayed in Wessler. No stalkers there.”