A Friendly Encounter

by Alex Dafney

  I look back to Blake. “I was foolish to think I could have a casual fling. I’m not that girl, and I stupidly fell for him.” He gives me a sympathetic smile, gripping my hand in his. “Did you tell him that?” I swipe the drink Cindy places in front of me, quickly chugging half of it as I shake my head. “Hell no. We agreed it was for the weekend. Back to normal once we got home.”

  He gives me a sarcastic grin. “You’re doing a real shit job at normal. Ignoring us both doesn’t scream that you’re okay with what happened.” I toss back the rest of my drink, chewing on an ice cube as I look at him. “You’re right, and I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you. I just-“ I drop my gaze to my hands folded in my lap. “I didn’t think I’d fall for him.” He places his hand on my knee and I look up to him with sad eyes.

  “You need to talk to him. He seems pretty messed up about what happened between you two.” I tilt my head to the side, giving him a quizzical stare. He pulls his hand away, holding it up to me, palm facing me as he shakes his head with a chuckle. “Oh, hell no! I’m done being the Abigail whisperer. Ya’ll gonna have to figure this shit out for yourselves.” I smack his arm with the back of my hand playfully as we both laugh.

  Two drinks turn into many, and I find myself annihilated. I prop my elbow on the bar, holding my head with my hand as I squint at Blake. “He’s just soooo fucking nice! He thinks I’m beautiful, and he makes me feel good.” I tilt my head back, my eyes rolling upward. “Like, sooo good. I mean he is a fucking wizard in the bedroom.” Blake throws his head back laughing as I smirk at him with one eye closed.

  He stands from the stool, placing his hand on my shoulder. “You’ve had enough for tonight. I’m going to the bathroom then I’ll drive you home.” I attempt to make a pistol with my fingers, winking at him. He laughs as he walks away, leaving me at the bar. I snake my phone out of my purse, squinting at it with one eye shut as I scroll through my contacts, calling Jase. Holding the phone to my ear I drop my head to my hand that rests on the bar. He answers on the second ring. “Hey! I’m so glad you called.” I smile drunkenly as I close my eyes.

  “Hey, yooooou!” I giggle at how high my voice is. “Are you alright? Where are you?” I lift my head, the room spinning around me as I do. “I’m here!” I point to the barstool I’m sitting at. “Just tell me where you are, Abbi. I’ll come get you.” I let out a dreamy sigh as I place my elbows on the bar. “Of course, you would. You’re just sooo fucking perfect. But, no. I’m good. I just called to tell you I lo-“

  I nearly topple off the barstool as my phone is snatched from my grasp, but Blake grips my arm, holding me in place as he places my phone to his ear. “She’s good, bro. I’m taking her home now. Y’all should talk in the morning when she’s more, uh, capable.” I giggle, gripping my empty drink in my hand and sucking air through the straw.

  I squint up at Blake, watching a small grin form on his face. “She had a long week, just blowing off steam. Call her in the morning.” He pulls the phone from his ear, ending the call. He wraps his arm around my waist, helping me stand as he grips my purse in his free hand, leading us toward the door. He helps me into his truck as I giggle at nothing, closing the door and walking around to hop in the driver’s seat.

  I glance over at him as he starts the truck and backs out of the parking place. “I love you, Blake. You’re the best friend a girl could ever have.” He chuckles lightly, reaching over and placing his hand on my knee. I tilt my head back against the seat, closing my eyes. “I love Jase more though.” He squeezes my knee gently. “I know, babe. You should tell him that.”

  I sigh deeply as I roll my head against the seat. “Nope. He only wants to be my friend.” I let out a long sigh. “I can’t believe the only two men I’ve ever been with don’t want me.” He harrumphs, and I turn my head toward him, looking at him with one eye closed as he drives. “Y’all need to talk. I told him to call you tomorrow.” I give a shrug, resting my head against the leather seat, letting sleep take over.

  As my eyes open Saturday morning I groan, raising my hand to my head. A wave of nausea hits me and I rush out of bed toward the bathroom barely making it to the toilet where I empty my stomach. I kneel on the cold, tile floor, my head resting on the toilet seat. “Ugh.” After a few moments, when I’m certain I’m not going to vomit anymore, I slowly stand. Placing my hands on the edge of the counter I look at myself in the mirror.

  Another groan as I take in my reflection. My hair is a mess, the scrubs I wore to work yesterday are beyond a mess. I slowly undress, the effects of the amount of alcohol I consumed last night still affecting me. I quickly shower, washing the smell of stale cigarettes and day-old clothing off. As I step out of the shower, pulling a towel around myself I hear my phone in my bedroom.

  It quits ringing just as I reach it. I sigh when I see it’s from Jase. I’ve got to quit avoiding him, and there’s no better time than now. A text message pops up just as I’m about to hit the call button. “We need to talk. I’ll be over in an hour. I hope you let me in.” I smile slightly at my phone clutched in my hand, typing out a quick okay.

  Even though my head is pounding and I’m fighting waves of nausea, I make myself somewhat presentable. Just as I slide my legs into a pair of jeans, I hear the doorbell. I rush through the house to answer the door, my heart pounding in my chest, nerves swimming in my belly at what I’m about to tell him.

  My eyes widen as I pull the door open. “Hey, Abbi.” My mouth drops slightly as Remington marches into my home right past me without waiting for me to invite him in. I turn to him, pushing the door closed behind me. “What the hell are you doing here?” He gives me a charming smile. The same smile that I fell for so many years ago. “Where have you been? I came by a few times last weekend.” I shrug slightly as he walks around the couch, making himself at home as he takes a seat and props his feet on my coffee table.

  I sigh irritably, but step into the living room, sitting on the accent chair next to the love seat. “Why are you here, Rem?” He stretches his arms along the back off the couch, a wide grin on his face. “I got a contract.” I stare at him for a second, a puzzled look on my face. He drops his feet to the floor, sitting forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “I’ve been in Nashville all week going over the details. I got signed to a record label.”

  My eyes widen as a genuine smile crests my face. “That’s great, Rem! Congratulations!” The smile on my face is real. I truly am happy that he’s going to fulfill his dream. He stands, stepping around the coffee table and stands in front of me. He reaches down, gripping my hands in my lap and pulling me to stand. “I want you to come with me.” I tilt my head to the side, not understanding what he’s talking about.

  He sighs, shaking his head slightly. “I need you. You’ve been there for me through this journey and I only think it’s right that you’re there for this leg.” I drop my gaze to the floor between us, shaking my head slightly. “Rem.” I quietly say as he grips my hands tighter and I look up to him. “I bought a house in Nashville. I need someone to take care of it while I’m on the road.”

  My mouth drops open in shock as my brows draw together. “You’re asking me to, what? Be your maid?” I try to remove my hands from his, but he grips them firmly, dropping them to his waist as he gives me a smirk. “No. I want you to be my wife.” I stare up at him. My mouth opening, but no words coming out. I’ve waited so many years to hear him say those words, but now, it’s the last thing in the world I want.

  I glance over to the door as it opens, my heart stopping. Jase stares between the two of us, his brows drawn together. “I thought you could use breakfast, but I see I’m clearly interrupting.” He places a bag on the entry way table, turning and stepping out the door. I jerk my hands from Remington’s grip, moving around the couch quickly toward the door. “Jase! Wait!”

  He stops on the last step of the porch as I pad barefoot toward him. He glances at me over his shoulder, his gaze on me fierce. “You could’ve just told me you were getting back
with your ex instead of avoiding me all week.” I shake my head quickly, starting for him. He spins, holding up his hand as he pinches his eyes shut. “Stop, Abbi.” I stop on the top step. At this level we’re eye to eye.

  He opens his eyes, his lips turned down at the corners. “I wanted to talk to you about what happened between us last weekend, but I see I was clearly mistaken.” He shakes his head slightly while averting his eyes from my own. I open my mouth to rebuke his assumption. He raises his eyes to mine, and the pain in his eyes is enough to make my throat close. “I hope you’re happy, Abs. I really hope he treats you the way you deserve this time around.” He turns away from me, stalking toward his car as I stare at his retreating back, tears stinging my eyes.

  “I’m going to need your decision pretty quick, Abbi.” I ignore Remington as I jog down the steps, following Jase toward his car. “Jase!” He slows his pace but keeps walking as I jog behind him along the sharp gravel with my bare feet. I thunk into the side of my car as I hit a particularly jagged rock. “Ow! Shit!” I pull my leg up, holding it with both hands and standing on one foot as I lean against my car that blares its alarm.

  He turns back to me, his anger instantly replaced with concern as I hold my leg up, trying to balance. “Abbi!” Remington yells my name from the porch as I once again ignore him. Instead I stare into Jase’s concerned eyes as he makes his way back to me. I drop my leg, letting my tip toes rest on the gravel as I limp toward him. “I love you, Jase.”

  He stops in his tracks, his eyes widening as he blinks rapidly at me. I brace my hand on my car that still honks and lights up, easing toward him the best I can with my injured foot. “Abbi! Dammit! I need to know now!” Remington yells at me over the alarm. I shake my head slightly, trying like hell to block him out.

  I look up to Jase who still has a shocked expression. My eyes flood with tears as I stop at the back of my car, leaning against the trunk and placing my hands to my cheeks. “I know we agreed to go back to normal after our weekend in L.A., but I was already falling for you before that.” He starts moving toward me, his facial features not changing. “Abbi! Are you listening to me?” Remington calls from the porch.

  I keep my eyes locked on Jase as he steps in front of me, placing his hands on my hips and lifting me to sit on the trunk of my car. He lifts my leg slightly, looking at my foot with his brows drawn together. “Abbi!” I turn toward Remington, a scowl on my face. “What?!” I glance back to Jase as I hear him yell the same thing.

  Our eyes lock, both of our mouths turning up into smiles. “You love me?” He asks with a raised voice over my blaring car alarm. I nod quickly, a tear rolling down my cheek that I don’t bother to hide. “Yeah. I love you.” He gently lowers my foot, stepping between my legs and wrapping his arms around my waist. “That’s the best thing I could hope to hear today. I was coming here to tell you the same thing.”

  “Abbi! I’m serious. This is your last chance!” I glance over to Remington stomping down the steps and making his way toward us. Jase releases his arms from my waist, turning to face him with a scowl. Remington stops in his tracks, holding his hands up as he looks to me. “So, are you going with me?” I shake my head, looking over at him with an indifferent expression. “No, Rem. I’m in love with someone else.”

  He narrows his brows as he backs toward his truck. “No worries. Shelia will be happy to go with me.” I scoff as I roll my eyes. I’m sure the fresh out of high school, Shelia Williams, will be more than happy to go and housesit for him while he travels the world sleeping with every girl he has a chance to. Jase turns to me as Rem retreats to his truck. That grin that I love so much pulls up on his lips as he places his hands on my hips, lifting me effortlessly as I link my arms behind his neck and wrap my legs around him.

  “Where were we?” I glance over his shoulder to find several of my neighbors standing on their porches, scowling at me as my car alarm continues to loudly beep. I give him an impish smile as he walks us up the stairs. “First, I need to silence my alarm.” He chuckles as he steps over the threshold, closing the door with his foot.

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  I stand in the kitchen of our home, my phone pressed between my shoulder and my ear. “Stop calling, Jase! Go and accept your award. I’m fine.” I roll my eyes as I look out the kitchen window to the rolling fields. Jase and I got married over a year ago. He bought the hundred acres next to his grandparent’s property and we built the perfect home together.

  I drop my eyes, placing my hand on my large belly with a smile. “Are you sure you’re alright?” I chuckle as he asks me the same thing he’s asked approximately four hundred times since he left to board the airplane early this morning. “I’m fine. Really. We’re both fine.” As soon as the words leave my mouth a pain shoots though my abdomen, causing me to lean on the kitchen counter.

  “I just hate to be this far away when you’re so close to your due date.” I pull the phone away from me, grimacing through the pain that pulses in my stomach. I feel hands grip my shoulders, just as another wave of pain surges across my front. I open my eyes as liquid slowly dribbles down my legs. My eyes widen as I look down, realizing I’m in labor.

  I feel the phone slide away from my ear as I stare down in absolute shock. “Uh, Jase. You need to get your ass back here now. Jump out of the fucking plane if you need to, but I’m pretty sure Abbi’s water just broke.” I turn slowly with wide eyes, staring up at Blake who wears the same shocked expression. He nods his head as he pushes my phone back into my palm.

  I pull it up to my ear. “Abbi, Jesus Christ! I knew I shouldn’t have left! I’ll be there as soon as I can. I love you, beautiful.” I nod reflexively. “Of course. I love you.” I grip the edge of the counter as another contraction hits. Blake grips my phone, placing it in his back pocket as he pulls me to him. Running his hand along my back. “Please don’t have this baby before he gets here.” After the contraction subsides, I smack his arm, both of us laughing.

  We pull up in front of the hospital. Blake jumping out and running inside as I sit in the passenger seat of his truck. I wait for a few minutes before opening the door and sliding to the ground. I place my hand on my belly, waddling toward the door. Blake meets me at the entrance, a wheelchair in hand. I roll my eyes as I walk by him toward the elevator.

  I worked in this hospital before going into home healthcare. I know my way around. I hit the button for the fifth floor as Blake steps in next to me. “Perfect fucking timing, Abs.” I glance over to the smirk on his face as we ride up, smacking him in the arm with the back of my hand. I double over, bracing my hand on the railing in the elevator as a sharp pain travels through my front.

  He grips my arm, rubbing his other hand along my back. “Shit. I was joking. I didn’t mean to-“ I wave my hand toward him, cutting him off as the pain subsides. “You didn’t do anything, Blake. Just another contraction.” The doors to the elevator open and he helps me out, walking us toward the nurse’s station in the middle of the hall.

  A young nurse smiles up at us from her seat behind the counter. “She’s in labor, and I need you to stop it. She’s my best friend, but I’m not the Dad. He’s on his way here now, but he’s in an airplane somewhere over California. So, I’m going to need you to stop this until he gets here.” I roll my eyes as Blake rambles. The young nurse looking between the two of us with an amused smile.

  She stands from her chair, walking around the counter. “You’re in labor?” I nod to her. “Yes. My water broke about forty-five minutes ago.” She turns, gesturing her hand over her shoulder for us to follow as she walks along the corridor. “I’m Rachel. I’ll be your nurse today.” She pushes open a door on the unit, holding it with her hand as I step inside, Blake right behind me. I turn to her, giving a pleasant smile. “Hi, Rachel. I’m Abbi, and this is my best friend, not the father, Blake, as you just heard.”

  She chuckles slightly as she closes the door behind us, walking over to a closet and grabbing a gown from inside.
Thrusting it toward me she gestures her hand to another door. “Bathroom is there. Go ahead and get changed while I get you checked in.” I take the gown from her, waddling toward the bathroom. As I turn to close the door I damn near close Blake in the crack as he steps in.

  I raise an eyebrow at him, giving him a pointed look. “I’ve got it from here.” He runs a hand through his black hair, giving me a frazzled look as he lets out a long breath while backing out of the bathroom. “I’ll be here. Let me know if you need me.” He grips the handle of the door, pulling it closed behind him. Another pain courses through my front. Placing my hands on the sink I grip it as I wait for the contraction to subside.

  They’re coming quickly, and even though I’m a first time Mom, I feel like this is going to be a quick labor and delivery. I glance at myself in the reflection of the mirror, shaking my head slightly. I place my hand on my large belly, dropping my gaze down. “Please don’t come before your Daddy gets here.” I feel a swift kick to my hand, letting me know our little one is hearing me.

  After getting dressed in the hospital gown I pull the bathroom door open to find Blake pacing the floor nervously. His eyes instantly meet mine, a look of concern on his face as he strides toward me. He grips my hand, helping me to the hospital bed in the middle of the room. I climb on with his assistance, lying on my back and staring up at the ceiling. “I can’t believe I convinced Jase to leave town. He’s going to miss the birth of his child.”

  I blink back tears as Blake grips my hand in his as he pulls a chair next to the bed, taking a seat. “He’s not going to miss this, Abs. I promise you, that man will grow wings and fly his ass here before he misses this. He loves you two too much to not be here” I chuckle as I turn my head toward him, finding a bright smile on his face. “You’re right. He’ll make it in time.”