Chasing Destiny

by Nikki Rittenberry

  The two arrived at Oceanaire and tunneled through the overcrowded lobby toward the podium. Cassie was astounded over their reception; the nice gentleman who greeted them knew Jacob by his first name and rushed them to their awaiting table. The waiter recognized him as well and brought him a dry Manhattan on the rocks without having to be asked. Cassie ordered a glass of white wine and Jacob took the liberty of ordering some oysters and other delicious appetizers to munch on before their entrees arrived.

  “I hate to admit it, Jake, but—I’m impressed! They certainly have rolled out the red carpet for you.”

  “Yeah, as you’ve probably already guessed… I come here quite often.”

  “I can see that. I’m sure I am just one of many girls you’ve brought to dine here”, she said teasingly.

  Jacob reached for his chest with one of his hands. “Ouch! Alright, I may have brought one or two”, he responded sarcastically. “But truthfully, I was one of the architects that designed their remodel a couple of years ago. I came in after it was completed at the request of the owner and just fell in love with the place. I’ve been coming back about once a week ever since.”

  Cassie’s eyes coasted around the room. “It’s really beautiful.”

  “You should’ve seen it before—it was like stepping back in time twenty years!”

  “That bad, huh?”

  Jacob shook his head. The appetizers arrived and as soon as the waiter was no longer in their vicinity, he began to inquire further about her life. “So, I’m curious… of all the places you could have opened your own physical therapy clinic, why Chicago?”

  Cassie took a sip of her wine and gently placed it back on the table in front of her. “Well, I worked with new incoming interns for about two years after my own internship ended back in Denver and I really liked it at first, but after a while I began to miss having more interaction with the patients. A colleague of mine told me he was thinking of moving back home to Chicago to start a therapy clinic and asked if I wanted to join him. The rest is history…”

  They continued talking about their careers, where they’d been and where they aspired to be in the future. They stayed on neutral subjects: no mention of politics, religion, or their past together.

  In fact, they both unexpectedly found that conversation came quite easily. After dinner, they ordered another round of drinks before finally heading outside to hail a taxi.

  The cab pulled along the curb of Cassie’s hotel and Jacob got out and accompanied her underneath the awning, stopping just before the main lobby doors.

  “And this, my lady, is where the tour ends.”

  Cassie laughed and turned to face him. “Thanks so much for dinner. I had a really great time.”

  “Me too…” He placed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “So, you have another seminar tomorrow?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  He studied her for a moment before proceeding.

  “I predict all of that physical therapy talk is going to make you very hungry again.”

  “Is that right? Okay… So, you are an architect, a tour guide and you make predictions, too?” she asked.

  Jacob smiled and then looked at Cassie. “Will you have dinner with me again tomorrow?”

  She inhaled a deep breath and slowly released it. “Oh… I don’t know, Jake. We had a great time tonight and maybe we should just leave it at that.”

  Jacob shrugged his shoulders. “So, what are you going to do? Are you going to spend the night in your hotel room, eating room service in New York City?” he asked.

  “Actually I don’t know. I honestly haven’t really given it much thought.”

  “Listen, why don’t you come to my place tomorrow? I just moved-in to a newly renovated loft in SoHo a couple of months ago. I’ll make us dinner.”

  Cassie crossed her arms and tilted her head in disbelief. “You cook?” she asked.

  “I make a mean pot roast… C’mon, what do you say?”

  She hesitated for a moment. Having dinner at a restaurant was entirely different than dining with him alone in his apartment—it was... intimate.

  In her mind, she reviewed all of the reasons why she should say no, but when she opened her mouth she couldn’t say it aloud. “Well, I guess a home cooked meal is better than room service… Ok, what time?”

  “I don’t know. How does seven-thirty sound? I’ll call in the morning and leave my address at the front desk.”

  Jacob took a step toward her and firmly wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. His nose brushed against her hair and he inhaled her scent… jasmine. He didn’t want the embrace to end, but she pulled away and headed inside.

  He stood under the awning for a moment, not the least bit surprised that touching her still made his heart skip a beat. He combed his fingers through his hair and sighed. Snap out of it, Jacob. You had your chance once and you blew it…

  CHAPTER SIX

  The physical therapy conference attracted hundreds of therapists from all across the country. It was, after all, an opportunity to enhance knowledge and techniques on a variety of subjects. The scheduled topic for the day encompassed recent advancements in the treatment of the knee and shoulder. Cassie had been looking forward to this particular lecture for quite some time; the vast majority of her patients back in Chicago were post-operative total knee replacements. New developments were emerging which meant patients could expect a safe, yet more rapid recovery.

  Returning to her seat after a quick intermission, Cassie turned on her voice recorder and placed it on her lap. She spent the bulk of the day listening to the instructor lecture the group on the latest guidelines and protocols for knee rehabilitation; her focus intermittently interrupted by recollections of her dinner the night before with Jacob.

  She’d surprisingly enjoyed herself. Their conversations were effortless and Cassie couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so much in one evening. Her opinion of Jacob was rapidly changing. Maybe he wasn’t the selfish, egotistical womanizer she thought he was. Maybe he really was a kind and compassionate person who’d simply made a bad judgment call five years earlier.

  The seminar adjourned just before sundown. Cassie stopped by the lobby to retrieve Jacob’s address he’d left for her earlier in the day and went back to her room to get ready. Overall, her demeanor was calm, unlike her preparations for dinner the night before. Her relationship with him had reached a new milestone and she was optimistic about their blossoming friendship.

  * * *

  Jacob spent the day in his office attempting to catch up on mounds of paperwork, his mind drifting back to his dinner with Cassie. He’d had an incredible time with her the night before and he sensed she did as well. The tone during dinner felt natural and unforced, like it had when they were dating. He was beginning to unearth emotions he hadn’t felt in years and he repeatedly reminded himself that she was currently involved with another man; a man he was currently engaged in business with. He could hardly wait to see her and hoped that the evening would bring much needed clarity.

  He’d left the firm early and traveled home to his loft to begin dinner preparations. He opened a bottle of champagne and placed it in an ice bath to remain chilled. Blues music played softly in the background, reminiscent of their time spent together back in New Orleans. He changed out of his work clothes and put on a pair of blue jeans and a black polo. The pot roast was braising away in the oven and now he was anxiously waiting for Cassie to arrive.

  * * *

  While in route to Jacob’s loft, Cassie identified the benefits of public transportation. Sure it was better for the environment, but it was also good for the soul. Her mind was at ease for the first time in weeks and she suddenly felt ashamed about the anxiety she’d endured prior to her trip.

  Darkness had fallen on the city and she acknowledged how picturesque the scenery looked. At that moment, she wondered what it would have been like to work here, to live here, and to have loved here.

  She arrived
at Jacob’s building thirty minutes late, clearly unaware of the magnitude of New York City traffic. She took the elevator to the second floor and approached his door. She primped her hair for a moment, rang the door bell and waited for Jacob to answer.

  “There she is.”

  “Hey, Jake—I’m so sorry I’m late”.

  Jacob moved closer and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s fine—I’m just glad you came!” he exclaimed. “I was beginning to wonder if you were going to stand me up.” He pulled away and held the door open for her. “Come on in. Here… Let me take your jacket.” He assisted her in removing her coat and then hung it on a small hook on the back of the door. He led her into the great room and handed her a dozen red tulips.

  “These are for you. I wanted to thank you for tonight”, he stated.

  “Jake, you really didn’t need to go and do that… Thank you, they’re beautiful.” Cassie sat the flowers down on the kitchen counter, along with her clutch. She glanced around the room, noting how massive it was compared with his first apartment.

  “Wow! This is a really nice place you have here!”

  “Oh, thanks! I really like it here—”

  “Jake… Is something burning?” she interrupted.

  “Damn it!” he shouted. They quickly rushed to the kitchen and Jacob opened the oven door. The pot roast was black and smoldering. He placed the roasting pan down on the counter top and then looked at Cassie. As if on cue, they both began laughing. “I can’t believe I burned our dinner! You don’t by chance like your meat well-done, do you?” he asked.

  “Well-done, I can handle—but burnt…?”

  He watched as she covered her mouth and began laughing again. Her laugh was infectious and it warmed his insides. He’d missed hearing it and had to restrain himself from grabbing a hold of her; tickling her so her laughter would continue. “Are you through making fun of me yet?” He asked as he smiled back at her.

  “I’m so sorry! It’s just… when you said you make a mean pot roast, I wasn’t expecting this!” she exclaimed.

  “Me either. I came home later than I’d anticipated and in order to make-up some time, I turned up the temperature a little”, he explained.

  “How high did you set the temperature?”

  He hesitated for a moment, finally realizing his mistake. “Five hundred degrees…”

  “I’m sorry; did you say five hundred degrees?” She asked in disbelief.

  Jacob shook his head, still staring at his blunder. “So… what do you think about Chinese take-out?”

  Cassie laughed. “Yeah, that would be great.”

  Jacob poured Cassie a glass of champagne and told her to make herself comfortable while he phoned-in their order. During his call, she slowly walked around the great room and finally stopped when she approached the large windows overlooking the street below. Her eyes were fixated on a young couple, holding hands as they walked by. She wondered what their story was and then felt a twinge of guilt for wondering what her life would have been like if her relationship with Jacob had never ended.

  Jacob hung up the phone and stared at Cassie from across the room. Damn she was beautiful, he thought. Her dark, denim jeans embraced her firm, petite figure and her royal blue silk blouse revealed her toned shoulders. Her hair was the way he had remembered it; naturally wavy and it reminded him of the women on those shampoo commercials. He poured himself a glass of champagne and accompanied her by the window.

  “May I propose a toast?” He asked. She held up her glass. “To resurrected friendships and future, burnt pot roast dinners together”. Cassie giggled softly. They tapped their glasses together and both took a sip. “The food should be here in a few minutes. The restaurant’s only one block from here and they guarantee delivery in thirty minutes or less.”

  “Good—I’m starving!”

  While waiting for their food to be delivered, Jacob took Cassie on a proper tour of the loft; making sure to point out some of the improvements he’d made while renovating. As the tour was ending, the food arrived. Jacob placed several throw pillows down on the floor and sat their take-out on the glass-top coffee table. He glanced at her and noticed she seemed to be in a daze.

  “I hope this is alright? I just figured we’d be more comfortable eating in here.”

  She couldn’t overlook the nostalgia. They’d spent many nights eating take-out on the floor, surrounded by soft pillows and undeniable chemistry. The flashback raised the hair on the back of her neck and prompted a genuine smile. “It’s fine… In fact, it’s perfect”, she softly replied.

  They began eating, communicating back and forth about what kind of day each of them had had. When they were finished, Jacob poured them both another glass of champagne.

  “So, how did you and Landon meet, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Actually, we met at a charity event at the hospital not long after I moved to Chicago. After I began to get familiar with the place, I started noticing that he was hanging out on the sixth floor an awful lot. It began with a simple wave hello while passing each other in the hall and soon we became friends. At that time, my business partner and I were looking for a second location to accommodate our patients who lived in the northern region of the city. He said he knew of a location near his office and offered to take me to dinner to go over the details… We’ve been together for a little over a year now.”

  Jacob studied her, his powerful green eyes boring a hole through her guise.

  “Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked.

  “I don’t know… I guess it’s just… He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy you would be into.”

  “Why—because he’s older?”

  “No.”

  “Then, what do you mean?” she asked.

  Jacob let out a deep sigh and stroked the rough stubble along his jaw. “Well, from what I know… he’s a very nice guy, but he just seems… preoccupied. Running his company ranks pretty high on his priority list.”

  “That’s why he’s successful, Jake. He works really hard.”

  “I know, it’s just… hell, I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. I hope you didn’t take offense to anything I just said. It must be the champagne talking”, he joked. Jacob raised his glass and took a rather large gulp, as if trying to wash away the words he’d just spoken.

  “It’s fine, really”, she responded distractedly.

  Cassie thought a moment about what Jacob had said and as much as she didn’t want to admit it, maybe he was partly right. Landon had been really good to her over the past year, but she never felt as though she had his undivided attention. They were always interrupted by important phone calls and unavoidable business trips. Not to mention their age difference; Landon was forty-three years old, she was twenty-seven.

  Landon had been married and divorced twice and had four children, ranging in ages from seven to nineteen. He had been very open about his wishes, and marriage and more children were not forecasted in his future. She on the other hand, looked forward to marriage, one day, and wanted nothing more in life than to be a mother. They had undeniable differences and she began questioning the very foundation of her relationship with him.

  “What about you?”

  “What about me?” he asked.

  “Is there a woman in your life?” Jacob hesitated for a moment and she let go of a breath that she wasn’t aware she’d been holding.

  “No, I don’t have time for anything serious. My occupations as an architect, personal tour guide, mind reader and professional chef keep me pretty busy these days”, he teasingly proclaimed.

  Sensing his sarcasm, Cassie instinctively swatted the back of her hand toward his body and struck him on his left side. Jacob let out a loud grunt and then collapsed backward onto one of the throw pillows. Cassie suddenly remembered that his broken ribs were still healing and instantaneously sprung toward him. She hovered over him and apologized profusely. They were closer than they had been in years, barely any space between th
em. Jacob caught his breath and stared into her alluring, hazel eyes.

  “I’m so sorry”, she said softly, staring back into his.

  “It’s funny… all of a sudden, I don’t feel any more pain”, he whispered back.

  Jacob swept a strand of hair from her face, raised his head from the pillow and then licked his suddenly dry lips. He pressed them against hers and they tingled in response. Her lips parted, enticing him to continue. His body temperature rose with every sweep of her tongue and he angled his head slightly to deepen the sensation. Her taste awakened a hunger within him, stimulating him emotionally as well as physically. She ran her fingers through his hair; her touch gentle, soothing, and sentimental. His heart swelled in his chest and at that moment, he realized he was still in love with her.

  His hot hands seared her skin as they caressed the side of her neck and grazed her collarbone. Desire swept through her body in response to his touch and when he hooked his finger around the thin strap to her blouse in an attempt to nudge it off of her shoulder, she finally came to her senses. She pulled away in absolute bewilderment and placed her fingertips on her swollen lips, almost as if it was a protection mechanism. She’d acted on impulse and silently cursed herself for losing her self-control.

  Realizing that he’d overstepped his boundaries, Jacob did his best to sit up. “Cass, I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Cassie looked away, her hands still covering her mouth. “No, Jake, I’m the one who should be apologizing. I’ve obviously led you on, and that was in no way, my intention at all. I think, maybe I should go.”

  Cassie got up and adjusted her blouse. She walked to the kitchen counter and grabbed her clutch. Jacob followed her, dumbfounded as to what to do or say next. Everything had happened so fast and the only thing he did know for sure is that he’d let his feelings for her get in the way of his better judgment.