HAPPY FOREVER AFTER

“You know how to fix cars?” she asked.

“Why are you smiling while asking me that?” he asked.

“You should answer my question first,” Emma said.

“Fine,” Daniel said. I don’t know the first thing about fixing cars, ” he admitted.” Now you answer my question.”

“Well… I didn’t need anyone to tell me that you don’t”.

“So you are calling me spoiled…. Again” he said feigning annoyance.

“Fine… Sorry” Emma said.

“We should push it out of the way though,” he said.

“Good idea”. Emma said. With a flash of her extravagantly gorgeous legs, she got in the driver’s side. “You push her back and I will steer”.

Daniel took off his suit coat and swung it over the passenger side window.

“Move it over there” he said, gesturing.

Emma nodded.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she called out the window.

Setting his palms flat against the back of the car, he pushed, feeling the resistance lessen as the car started to roll.

When they were done, she got out and came around the back of the car, nodding at him.

“Thanks, Daniel,” she said.

“No problem”. He said. He tried not to stare, but she was gorgeous. With her full lips, hair dark and silky, beautiful eyes and lashes even silkier. A single tear drop of sweat trickled down between her breasts. A tiny gold cross on a dainty chain lay against her smooth skin. He nearly groaned aloud.

“Urmmm. So I guess I will take you home?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Emma replied. “I’m so glad you showed up”.

“It’s okay. Let me just get something from my office and we will be on our way”

“Okay” she replied.

When he got back, they got into the car and he drove towards her house.

“So how was work today?” he asked.

Emma stared at him, “Same as always. You weren’t at the office today”.

“Were you checking up on me?” he asked, returning her gaze and smiling in a way that made her heart flip.

“I just noticed, that’s all”. She replied, turning away from him and staring out the window.

“So the wedding is this weekend” he said, referring to Frank and Karen’s wedding.

“Yeah,” Emma replied. “Karen’s super excited”.

“So I will see you at the wedding,” he said. Stopping in front of her apartment.

“Yeah sure. Thanks for the ride” Emma said. Then not wanting to linger, she opened the door. “Bye” she said and walked towards the building before she would do something crazy like ask him to go to the wedding as her date.

It wasn’t so crazy anyways. Emma thought. She just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

————–

“I can’t believe you are actually married” Emma was saying to Karen.

The wedding was indeed a beautiful one and the reception hall was filled with people

“I know,” Karen said, obviously very excited.

“I really thought I was going to get cold feet”.

“There was actually no need for you too. You and Frank love each other very much and I’m sure you guys are gonna be very happy together” Emma said.

“Thanks babe,” Karen replied.

“Oh I’m gonna miss you so much when you leave for your honeymoon. I’m gonna be so lonely.”

“You know I’m going to miss you too honey” Karen said “But you know you have Monica. And Daniel’s around too. He could keep you company”

Emma turned and looked around the room. Daniel was at a corner. Talking to some girl she didn’t know. She hated how jealous she felt seeing him with another woman. They hadn’t talked since he gave her a ride to her apartment. She had thought so many times about what Karen told her about giving him a chance. But lately it was like he wasn’t interested anymore so she hadn’t said anything to him. She told herself she didn’t care. But she did . And to be honest a little hurt.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

She hated how much she missed him. Obviously he was already seeing other people. Judging by the way he was smiling at whatever nonsense that lady was saying to him. He seemed to be enjoying the company.

“I don’t want to talk about him right now,” Emma said stiffly.

Karen laughed. “You have been stealing glances at him since you came to sit with me. You want him so bad it’s written all over your face. I think you should go talk to him. Maybe all that rejection and pushing him away really hurt him you know ”

“First of all I haven’t been stealing any glances. And I didn’t mean to hurt him. I had my reasons-good reasons for saying no.” she hesitated and added. “I miss him. I really didn’t know I felt so strongly about him. I just thought it was some sexual attraction that would eventually go away.

“You should talk to him “Karen said

“Talk to him and say what?. I’m sure he doesn’t care anymore. Judging from the way he seems to be having such a great time without me” Emma rolled her eyes

“Just try” Karen persisted.

Emma shook her head. “Let’s not talk about me okay” she said. “Today’s about you not me and I’m sure you wanna save all your strength for all the activities that would be going on tonight. “She winked at Karen who laughed.

——————————-

Emma left the hall. It was amazing, but what was the point If all she could think about was Daniel?

He was Frank’s best man today and she’d been Karen’s maid of honor. They had stood there and she had tried so desperately not to look at him. He looked so handsome and it had taken everything in her not to pull that lady off him when she’d seen them dancing together. It seemed like he’d completely forgotten about her. And it shouldn’t have mattered given that it all was her decision but it hurt like hell. It was exactly what she expected from him, though she kinda blamed herself for the way things turned out.

Better to just take a walk, she decided, so she left the hall. The cool evening air felt delicious as it washed over her. She walked down the steps to a stone path that meandered past hemlock trees and small bushes of jasmine that filled the evening with perfume. The music still playing from the hall wafted gently among the leaves.

She got to a pond, a dark smooth surface hidden by lush vegetation studded with tiny white lights. It was like something out of a fairy tale.