The Night We Met

by Rinyu, Beth

  “Lukas.” His name slipped past my lips in a whisper, part surprise, part sorrow.

  He took the first step forward with his hands in his coat pockets as he looked around. “Looks great. I knew you could do it.”

  I blinked hard and steady, trying to chase away the tears that already dampened my lashes. “Thanks,” I managed to get out. “It’s so good to see you.” I realized I sounded more formal than I cared to, as if I was speaking to an old business acquaintance instead of someone who had become one of the most important people in my life over such a short amount of time. “What are you doing here?”

  “What am I doing in New York?” he asked then continued on before I could give an answer. “I…umm have to take over for your sister until they can find a suitable replacement.” He moved closer. So close that I could smell his familiar cologne. The same woodsy scent I had inhaled so many times before when I would nestle myself into his bare chest. My heart was on emotion overload. He was standing right before me like he had been in all my dreams. The ones where I would go to speak to him but couldn’t get the words out. I’d wake up in a cold sweat with tears on my pillow.

  “Oh...” Why didn’t Bridgette tell me? Did she know there was a possibility he was going to show tonight? Was that why she appeared so anxious the entire night, and then so disappointed when she left? “How have you been?” I swallowed the golf-ball-sized lump in my throat.

  “I don’t know.” He shook his head and stared up at the ceiling before his emotion-filled eyes met mine. “I don’t know anything anymore because for the past six months my heart has been betraying me and is totally out of sync with my head. So, to answer your question of what I am doing here?”

  I sucked in a deep breath, waiting in anticipation for that answer.

  “I miss you, Emmeline.” The sweet sound of my name in only the way he knew how to say it broke the dam holding back the tears.

  “I-I miss you too.” I reached up and caressed the side of his razor-stubbled face, stopping myself for a brief second and dealing with the anger that still festered inside of me from the last time I had seen him. “I’m so sorry…for everything. I realize now that you were right. I did put everyone’s happiness before mine, and when I had the chance to finally be happy with you, I blew it. You made me so happy, and I let it go on for as long as I did because I was scared of letting go of something that made me so happy. Scared to death of losing you. If I could’ve shielded you from the pain I caused and beared the burden of it all, I would’ve. I know I hurt you, but you hurt me too.”

  His eyes narrowed in confusion.

  “That last day…”

  He shook his head and let out a disgusted sigh. “Emmeline, I—”

  “Just listen to me, please.” I cut him off. “It wasn’t about my sister getting that bonus. Okay, yes, at first it was. But then I got to know you, and the feelings I had for you, they were all so real. I may have lied to you about who I really was, but I swear, I never lied to you about my feelings for you.” My voice cracked. “And I know my word probably doesn’t mean much to you anymore, but that’s—”

  He placed his finger over my lips to stop me from talking. “Do you remember after we had slept together the second time, you asked if we could make it the night we met instead?”

  I nodded.

  “Well, I’m going to propose that this fine evening right now is the night we met. Clean slate.”

  “Really?” I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

  “I’m Lukas Reinier. How do you do?” He extended his hand.

  I smiled through my tears. “I’m Emme Flynn. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “And you as well, Emmeline.”

  I threw my head back and let out a loud laugh. “It’s Emme!” I shouted. “The past never happened, which means you never saw my driver’s license, remember?”

  He nodded, running his hand along his cheek line. “Ah, but that’s one part of the past I refuse to change.” His hands gripped my hips as he pulled me into him. “That and about a million other things.”

  “Fine, I guess I’ll concede on that.”

  “You’ll always be my Emmeline.”

  “Always,” I whispered. “Happy birthday, Lukas.”

  “Happy birthday, Emmeline.” He dropped his head and his lips molded into mine so perfectly. My insides were melting as I pulled him closer and our tongues performed their familiar dance, two lovers reunited in that lavender field, not in breathtaking Provence like we intended, but on the wall of a trendy little shop in New York City, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

  _______________

  Christmas had come and gone, and this year it was more magical than ever because it was my first Christmas with Lukas. It had meant the world to me to be with everyone in my family. This was the first time Bridgette had spent Christmas with us since she had gotten married. Usually she’d go to her in-laws’ winter residence in Palm Beach. If I could’ve bottled up that day and relived it from time to time I would’ve. My dad was bursting with happiness to have both his daughters together, and Lukas being there only added to his delight. It was as if the two of them were two lost souls reunited. Maybe it was because my father could relate to him so well, being in a strange country without really knowing anyone, except the person you loved. I think he was almost as happy as I was when he found out we’d gotten back together.

  Unbeknownst to me, Bridgette was the one who orchestrated the whole plan by leaving that invitation in her desk. Even though Lukas said he would’ve eventually caved if she hadn’t because he just couldn’t let Bridgette think she won on something. The two of them were slowly warming up to each other. They still had their competitive streaks, but it was definitely more playful than serious. Another surprise and very welcomed Christmas guest was Myra. She had come up for my grand opening then stayed to celebrate Chanukah with her family and that stay had lapsed over into Christmas. She said she couldn’t bring herself to be in weather that was above sixty degrees during the holidays. It was definitely one for the books. One that would live in my memory for a very long time.

  “These people are absolutely crazy,” I said to Lukas as we watched the crowd assembled in Times Square on the television, waiting for the ball to drop and bring in the New Year. It was so hard to believe that it was just a short cab ride away when it seemed more like a million miles as we sat on the couch curled up underneath a blanket. “Seriously, it’s like ten degrees out, and what if you have to go to the bathroom?”

  “You probably don’t want to know the answer to that question.” Lukas yawned and rested his head on my shoulder.

  “You can’t fall asleep until after midnight. We have to toast our first New Year together.”

  He rubbed his tired eyes in an adorable, boyish way.

  “It’s after midnight in Germany. Does that count?”

  He had been up and out to work super early all week long. I refused to let him stay at the hotel. I wanted him here with me, instead of living out of a suitcase for God knows how long. We didn’t talk about how long we had before he had to go back. Instead, we just took it day by day, making up for our time spent apart. He’d bring me coffee in bed every morning. I had become queen of the crockpot, and we’d have dinner together each night. Sometimes that dinner wasn’t eaten until 8:00 p.m. after we had both finished up our day, but that was okay. We’d do the dishes and clean up the kitchen together and each share our day before heading into the bedroom. Some nights too exhausted to even remember falling asleep, others making love until well beyond our bedtime.

  Even though he hadn’t been here for that long, we were already establishing our routine, one I could live by for the rest of my life. I didn’t want to think of altering it once he was gone again. So, I didn’t. Instead, I just went with the here and now, enjoying every single second we had together instead of dwelling on the future. I had already gotten a glimpse of what it would be like without him, and I refused to torture myself with thin
king that could be a possibility all over again.

  “Okay, take a little nap, and I’ll wake you up just before midnight.”

  He shook his head. “If I go to sleep now, there’s no way in hell I’m waking up just to see some stupid ball drop.”

  “It’s not stupid! It’s the symbolism of it. It’s a new year. A fresh start. An opportunity for new possibilities.”

  He reached for my hand under the blanket and rubbed his fingers over mine. “Speaking of new possibilities...I have a question for you,” he whispered.

  “Okay, what is it?” I turned my head from the TV screen, giving him my undivided attention.

  “What if I stayed here? What if I told them I’d take that job permanently?”

  Was this a trick question? “I would be thrilled.” I searched for some amusement in his eyes, waiting for him to bust out with laughter because this was all some big joke he was teasing me with, but there was none. “Is that even a possibility?”

  “It depends.”

  “On what?” I asked, waiting in anticipation for his reply.

  “On you.” He removed his hand from mine and reached between the couch cushion, pulling out a velvet box he had hidden.

  My heart was racing. My mind was spinning. That couldn’t be what I thought. No, it was more than likely the matching earrings to the necklace he had gotten me for Christmas. I couldn’t breathe. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry, and every emotion in between when he opened the lid, revealing the most exquisite-looking diamond ring I had ever seen.

  “Emmeline, breathe,” he teased. I pulled in my bottom lip, watching him remove the ring from the box. My ring. My engagement ring. A commitment to marry him, this beautiful perfect man sitting beside me. He wanted me to be his wife. Me. How was that even possible? “I’m waiting for your answer.” He grinned.

  “I’m sorry, what was the question again?” My tear-filled eyes locked with his.

  He threw his head back and chuckled. “Will you marry me?”

  “Will I marry you, what?”

  “What?” He shook his head in confusion and suddenly I was turning my beautiful engagement moment into something from Abbot and Costello, but I didn’t care. That’s what made us…us.

  “Will you marry me…insert name?” I helped him out.

  “Oh!” He nodded, finally catching on.

  “And say it in that sexy way, like you’re Dracula coming to suck my blood.” I giggled.

  He shook his head and laughed before dropping down to one knee. “Will you marry me, Emmeline?”

  “Since you asked so perfectly, and you’re down on one knee…how can I resist? Yes, I will absolutely marry you.” He slid the ring down my finger just as the countdown to the New Year began. “New year, new possibilities with you.” I looked down at my hand and the beautiful diamond. I still couldn’t believe it was all real and that this actually happened. I took his face in my hands and kissed him deeply. “Happy New Year, Lukas.”

  “Yeah, something tells me it’s going to be the best one yet.”

  I had imagined my engagement moment a thousand times from the time I was a little girl. Some of those memories included being on a deserted beach with just the sound of the waves crashing upon the shore. Other times there was a big parade with fireworks overhead to celebrate the moment. Each instance the person asking the question was some faceless man. One I couldn’t quite conjure up in my mind because I hadn’t met him yet. Now I could because I had met him and fallen so deeply in love with him. Lukas had taken a simple, carefree moment and turned it into one that was far better than any of my childhood dreams, one I’d retell to my children and their children. One I’d remember for the rest of my life.

  After the excitement wore off, for Lukas anyway, he had fallen asleep on the couch with his head on my lap. I stared down at my ring as I ran my fingers through his hair. It all seemed so surreal to me. I was still wide awake and didn’t think I’d ever come down from the high I was in. I called my father to wish him a happy New Year and share my news…which he already knew. Turned out Lukas believed in old-fashioned traditions and had asked my father for my hand in marriage before asking me. “I can’t tell you how happy I am for you, sweetheart. You got yourself a good guy there.”

  “I really do,” I whispered. I looked down at Lukas. He always looked so adorably boyish when he slept. “He ranks right up there with you, Dad.”

  “Well, what can I say? I’m the best there is.” He chuckled.

  “Yes, you are!”

  “Hey, I gotta run, the natives are getting restless. Happy New Year, love.” I heard the bar crowd in the background, and it sounded like a big one.

  “Okay, see you tomorrow…Oh actually, it is already tomorrow.” I laughed. Happy New Year!” I hung up the phone with a huge smile plastered across my face just as Bridgette’s Happy New Year text came through.

  She had answered my question. She was still awake. I hit the FaceTime button, and within a few seconds, Bridgette’s face was on the screen of my phone. “I didn’t think you’d be up,” I said.

  “Please. I have heartburn that can kill a small animal. Not to mention, Connor is snoring so loud the walls are vibrating. I’m over this whole pregnancy thing already. Can’t she just get here already?”

  “It’ll be here before you know it.” Without saying a word, I placed my left hand on my face, giving Bridgette a full view of my ring finger. I was waiting for a scream, a gasp, anything. Did she not see it? Did I not have it angled properly in front of the camera? Why wasn’t she acknowledging it?

  “I have good taste, don’t I?” She busted out laughing.

  “What!” I shouted, causing Lukas to lift his head for a brief second. Still not caring enough to know what was going on, he dropped it back to my lap and was passed out again. “You knew?” I lowered my voice a bit.

  “Of course I did, and let me tell you how much fun it was embarrassing the hell out of him ring shopping with a pregnant woman. The old woman at the jewelry store thought we were a couple. She was an uppity bitch, who obviously didn’t condone such a thing before marriage, and I played it up big-time.”

  “Bridgette, you’re awful!” I laughed.

  “Oh, don’t worry. Lukas made it clear to her that we weren’t together, and I was your sister. Then I whispered to her that he tells everyone that because he’s embarrassed by my big old belly. In the end, we didn’t end up getting the ring there anyway.”

  “Oh my God, that is hysterical.” I could only imagine the look of horror on Lukas’ face as Bridgette taunted him. Sooner or later, he’d get the two us and our sense of humor. It took Bridgette’s husband a while to get there, and now he was just like one of us. It was only a matter of time before Lukas was there too.

  “I’m so happy for you, Em. I really am. And despite my initial opinion, I really do like him.”

  “I still don’t like you!” Lukas muttered with an impish grin plastered across his face.

  “Lukas! I thought you were sleeping,” I playfully scolded.

  “I heard that!” Bridgette laughed.

  Lukas sat up and raked his hand through his hair, swaying back and forth. “I have to go to bed,” he whispered.

  “Fine, but say good night to Bridgette before you do.” He let out an agitated huff. “First rule for the two of you: I love you both very much, which means you will get along because you both love me.”

  “Good night, Bridgette.” Lukas relented like a schoolboy who had just been reprimanded by the teacher.

  “Good night, Lukas, and congratulations again. Just remember, I’m the boss now because I’m the big sister!”

  He rolled his eyes and kissed me on the cheek before heading to bed.

  “Well, I think I’m gonna try and get some sleep too before this heartburn flares up again. Congratulation and happy New Year, Em. It’s gonna be a great one. So much to look forward to. Love you, guys!”

  “Love you more.”

  I knew Bridgette meant it. Sh
e did truly love us both because she knew Lukas was a part of me forever now.

  Chapter 40

  Lukas

  I THINK MR. MÖLLER was a bit surprised when I told him I’d accept his offer to stay on in New York, especially after I had griped so much about going there in the first place. But now, I had reason to stay. I had reason to put down roots someplace else. I never really felt like I belonged in Germany. Yes, I was born there and spent a great deal of my childhood there, but something about it still seemed foreign to me. Maybe it was because I had spent a good part of my life away from there in boarding school. Maybe it was due to my lack of closeness to my family, or maybe it was because the girl I was destined to be with didn’t live there. I guess you could say, my heart was never there. It was always looking for a place to call home, and now I had found it. So, there I was, three months later, back in Germany to pack up my place to start this new venture with the woman standing beside me.

  “It’s so beautiful here!” Emmeline hadn’t wiped the smile from her face from the moment we stepped off the plane. We were supposed to be packing, but instead she had me shopping, and boy could she shop. I had become her official bag carrier as she went in and out of one store and right into the next.

  “How much more can you possibly buy? You know all this stuff has to fit into your suitcase, right?” I was desperate to put an end to this torture as I shuffled behind her.

  She shook her head. “No...I can put it all in with your stuff. You know? The stuff your company is paying to have shipped.”