My Favorite Mistake

by Stephanie Bond

  I moved my papers haphazardly back to the box, barely able to focus through my tears. I blinked rapidly to diminish the moisture and my gaze landed on the open file at the end of the table. The top of the colored sheet of paper read, Reason for audit: Anonymous informant alleged improprieties.

  I frowned. Informant? Someone had accused us of cheating on our taxes? Growing more indignant by the minute, my mind sorted through the possibilities. A disgruntled client of mine? A competitor? A vindictive girlfriend of Redford’s?

  I scoured the paper and next to the word “informant” was a phone number, an area code that I didn’t recognize, but that wasn’t saying much. Overcome with curiosity, I wrote down the number, then shoved it in my wallet and left the building. I forced my mind to think about my appointment with Ellen Brant. There would be plenty of time this evening to cry over Redford DeMoss.

  And tomorrow.

  And the next day.

  My nerves were still clacking as I climbed on a bus to take me back into the city. Thoroughly miserable, I dropped into a seat, pulled out my cell phone and called Ellen’s number. If she were going to cancel our appointment because of my split with Barry, I wanted to know before I made the trip to her office.

  “Ellen Brant.”

  “Ellen, this is Denise DeMoss.”

  “Pardon me?”

  Appalled, I realized my gaffe. “I mean, this is Denise Cooke.” Where was my head? “I just wanted to make sure we were still on for this afternoon.”

  “I spoke with Barry this morning, Denise. He says the two of you aren’t seeing each other anymore.”

  “That’s right,” I said, swallowing hard. “I broke off our engagement. And I understand if that makes you uneasy to have me handling your investments.”

  “No, dear. Barry is a wonderfully talented man who will go far, but I have to admit I didn’t detect any chemistry between the two of you.”

  I blinked. “Oh?”

  “I rather thought the two of you reminded me of brother and sister.”

  I winced. “You did?”

  She gave a little laugh. “To be honest, there was more chemistry between you and that yummy gay friend of yours.”

  I closed my eyes, but forced a laugh from my throat. “So I’ll see you this afternoon?”

  “Absolutely. And don’t worry, Denise. You’ll find love again. I intend to.”

  She hung up and I stared at my phone, astonished. Then, clicking with curiosity—and anger—I pulled out the piece of paper on which I’d written the number for the “informant” and dialed.

  After four rings, I was ready to hang up, but then a voice sounded on the other end.

  “Hello?”

  I squinted, certain my ears were playing tricks on me. “Redford?”

  20

  “DENISE.” REDFORD SIGHED. “I’m busted, aren’t I?”

  My mouth worked up and down. “Redford, what is going on? Are you on a cell phone?”

  “Yep.”

  “I thought you said you didn’t have one.”

  “I was afraid you’d somehow get this number from the IRS. You did, didn’t you?”

  “I saw the number on our file before I left,” I said, my mind whirling. “What’s this all about? You called and reported us for cheating on our taxes?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  I touched my temple, incredulous. “Why?”

  “Because I wanted to see you again. I know it was a dumb long shot, but I had to try.”

  I gasped. “You were in Albany for over a year and you didn’t call, but you do this?”

  “I can’t explain it,” he said. “I wanted to call you a hundred times—you were so close I could feel you. But I was afraid…ashamed. I felt terrible about what I’d put you through three years ago. I wasn’t about to call you before my time in the service was up, before I could offer you some semblance of a normal life.”

  I slumped back in my seat, limp with shock.

  “Denise, I thought this audit would be a chance to see how you were doing, and if there was a chance that you still cared about me…that you ever cared about me…with no pressure.” He cleared his throat. “Please forgive me. Good luck with your wedding. I hope you’re happy with your new husband.”

  I started shaking…just my hands at first, then my leg started jumping, then my entire body was vibrating with revelation. Redford loved me. Had planned this entire thing to give us a second chance, with no pressure on me. Just another happenstance meeting, like before, to see if the magic was still there.

  And it had been. My heart vaulted in my chest. I suddenly understood why Kenzie had been happy to change her life, why Sam had been happy to change his. Because anywhere together was better than anywhere apart. I would follow this man to Kentucky or Timbuktu. We’d already wasted three years.

  “Redford, you made a big mistake.”

  “I know.”

  “You see, I’m not engaged anymore.”

  After a few seconds of silence, he said, “You’re not?”

  “No. I broke off the engagement last night.”

  “But you were still wearing your ring today.”

  “I didn’t want you to know what I had done, to know that I’d done it because…I love you. I love you, Redford. I’ve never gotten over you, never stopped hoping you would…come for me.”

  “Let me make sure I got this straight,” he said, his voice thick. “You no longer have a fiancé?”

  “No,” I said, my heart leaping with joy. “But I still have the wedding band you gave me, a great dress and two tickets to Vegas.”

  Then I had that bottomless feeling that I’d been too bold, too presumptuous.

  “I’m turning around,” he said, his voice breaking.

  My eyes welled with tears and I smiled into the phone. “How are we going to make this work?”

  “How do you feel about Albany?”

  “Albany?”

  “I’ve been asked by the government to consult part-time at the Marine base.”

  “But what about your family business?”

  “My father will be disappointed, but it’s more important that I be close to you.” He laughed. “Besides, I’d still have time to look after a couple of horses of my own…if that would be okay with you.”

  I blinked tears down my cheeks. “Albany sounds…close. And good.”

  “We’ll make it work, Denise. I promise you, after finding you again, I’m never going to let you go.”

  I was crying for real now. And I never cried…ever. “I’ll be waiting at my apartment. Drive safely.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” I disconnected the call, feeling light-headed. In the space of a few minutes, my life had changed. No…my life had changed three years ago when I’d first met Redford.

  I had so much to do! I suddenly remembered that I needed to call Ellen Brant and reschedule. I punched in her number, so excited I could barely see.

  “Ellen Brant.”

  “Ellen, this is Denise Cooke again. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to reschedule our appointment this afternoon.”

  “Oh? Is everything okay?”

  “More than okay,” I said. “I’m going to Vegas to get married.”

  “I thought you and Barry broke up.”

  “We did. I’m marrying the man I was with Saturday night.”

  She made a little noise in her throat. “Denise, I know you’re on the rebound, but don’t you think you’re making a big mistake?”

  “Maybe,” I said happily. “And it won’t be my first…but it will be my favorite.”

  Epilogue

  LIFE DOESN’T always turn out the way you think it’s going to, but it somehow always turns out the way it’s supposed to. Redford and I flew to Vegas, (I am now a member of the mile-high club…er, twice) and were joined by my parents who, after the initial shock wore off, were very happy for me. Since Redford was making an honest woman out of me, my parents seemed willing to forget about th
e entire “making out in public” scene and welcomed him as my husband-to-be. In fact, he and my dad actually hit it off. (Who knew my dad had worked at a horse racetrack when he was young?)

  Redford’s parents flew out from Kentucky and brought his dress uniform and his grandmother’s diamond ring, which was flawed (and perfect). The De-Mosses were delightful people who jelled with my parents amazingly well and immediately treated me like part of the family.

  Cindy canceled her date with Jim from her Positive Thinking class in order to be my maid of honor—is that a friend, or what? But imagine our surprise when Redford’s buddy Jim, who flew out to be his best man, turned out to be Cindy’s Jim! They are a darling couple, I have to admit. And judging from the way Jim looks at Cindy when she enters a room, I’d say that wedding bells are in the cards.

  And my wedding…ah, my second wedding was everything I dreamed it would be because I was marrying my first husband! We went back to the Taking Care of Business wedding chapel—it just seemed right—but were married inside this time. I was dazzling in my bargain gown, and Redford was gorgeous in his dress blues. When I looked down the aisle, and saw his face shining with love and desire for me, my heart was so full I thought it might burst. When we slid our wedding bands on each other’s fingers, they were the perfect symbols of our love coming full circle.

  Isn’t life grand? Even the bloopers, the blunders and the slipups. Because if you never make a mistake, it means you’re not living life to its fullest.

  My mother once said that a wise person learns from their mistakes. I agree…but that includes knowing which mistakes are worth repeating.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-3996-2

  MY FAVORITE MISTAKE

  Copyright © 2005 by Stephanie Bond Hauck.

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  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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