Entangled

Chapter 2

They proceeded to the elevator and into the parking deck of the office building that her company was located in. Once inside, they just talked some small talk about how hungry they were. When they got in his car, they headed to the restaurant.

The hostess set them almost as soon as they got there. He pulled her chair out for her. What a gentleman! She had forgotten that about him. She had agreed to spending this day with him, and even got excited about seeing an old friend, but she just didn’t know how the topic of Jamie wouldn’t come up.

“So, what have you been doing these last few years? Married? Significant other?” he asked as the waitress brought them some water and took their drink orders.

“Not married. No significant other. And not dating anyone! As far as what I have been doing, you saw it today. I have put all of my time and energy into building my business. My clients are some of the most wealthy and famous people in Miami, but some are also hard-working blue-collar people. I have made a good name for myself, which has given me a very good lifestyle. How about you?” she replied.

“Well, not dating anyone right now. I just got out of a one-year relationship though. It just wasn’t meant to be! We had different goals in life. You know there are some of us, that don’t aspire to leave our hometown. She wasn’t from there and decided that she didn’t want to stay there permanently and I am one of those people that doesn’t want to leave. Other than that, I just work hard with the Department of Transportation and that allows me to travel to different states and work on their interstate infrastructure. Which is why I have been working in Miami,” he said.

About that time the waitress shows up and takes their orders.

“Back to our conversation! You seem to be okay with the breakup,” she replied.

“Yes, I am. We are still friends. It wasn’t anything dramatic that tore us apart. We just wanted different things out of life,” he replied.

“That is good. That you guys were able to remain friends,” she said figuring now was a good time to change the subject before she led him right into talking about Jamie. “Tell me where you have traveled for work and what was your favorite place.”

“Well, since I started with the DOT travel team, I have been to Atlanta, New Orleans, Galveston, and now Miami. This is a fairly new position. But so far, it’s a good start to see some of the country! As far as a favorite place, before Miami, it was New Orleans. Now it maybe a tie!” he said.

“I have to say, that I am a little bias when it comes to Miami! I love it here. It was really a great place for me to restart. The beaches are gorgeous, the diversity is amazing, the food is to die for, and the people are incredible,” she said.

The waitress brought out the food and they pretty much ate in silence.

Once they were finished, she asked, “Do you have any ideas of what you would like to do?”

“I really don’t. I haven’t seen anything unless I was driving by it! Today is the first day I have been off where I wasn’t dead tired from the day before. So, I will leave the tourist destinations to you,” he replied.

“Well, we are not too far from the Holocaust Memorial. Let’s start there. Once we are done there, let’s go shower up for a night out on the town. We can meet back up around 7 p.m. for dinner and then venture out for some night life at South Beach! Tomorrow if you’re not busy, we can do the Miami Seaquariam. We can get the pass to visit all three parks. The Lion Country Safari, the Seaquariam and the Zoo Miami. It is one of the most popular places to visit!” she stated.

“Okay. That sounds good. As far as tomorrow, I would love to hang out again before I fly back home Sunday morning!” he said.

“Look Darrell, I know that you are going to call Jamie and tell him that you saw me. I understand why you will with him being your best friend and that’s really why I don’t want to talk about him. I don’t want to put you in an awkward position. And I don’t want to know what is going on with him,” she said.

“I understand Christie, I really do. I also believe that there are some things that you need to know, but I am not the one to tell you. I am not going to be a middleman. You two need to talk. I know you don’t want too, but I think you should. With that being said, I will not bring it up again,” he said.

He paid the bill and they got up and headed to the car. They spent about two hours in the Holocaust Memorial before he took her back to her car.

“Thanks again for throwing me out of your office today!” he said jokingly. “Did you want me to pick you up at 7 p.m., or did you want to meet somewhere?”

“You’re welcome! And I would have never throw you out! What’s your cell number and I will text you, my address. Just please keep it to yourself,” she asked.

“I will not offer the information to him. But you have to know that I won’t lie to him if he asks me if I have it. However, I will not give it to him without your permission,” he replied.

“Thank you. I really appreciate that,” she said as he gave her his number and she gave him a hug goodbye. “I will see you at 7 p.m.”

As she drove home all she could think about was Darrell saying that there were things that she needed to know and that her and Jamie needed to talk. She had tried to come up with enough strength to talk to him. He was the love of her life and the only man she ever wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The devastation she had felt two years ago, that had ripped her heart right out of her chest, was just as painful today as it was the day her world came crashing down around her. She didn’t know if she could open herself back up to hear anything he had to say. She never even let him explain. How could she? What could he have said to make any it better? He couldn’t go back in time and change what he had done and the consequences that came with it.

She pushed it out of her mind as she pulled up at her house. She went inside dropped her bags on the foyer table and headed upstairs for a shower. It was 5 p.m. so that gave her two hours to relax and get ready for dinner and a night out on the town. She couldn’t remember the last time she went out on the town. She just needed to keep her mind off of the past and enjoy the time with an old friend.

At 6:30 p.m. she was dressed and ready to go. She went downstairs and turned on the TV while waiting for Darrell to arrive.

He knocked on her door at 6:56 p.m. At least he’s not one of those guys who’s late! She grabbed her purse off the table and opened the door.

“Wow, you are ready? I remember when the four of us would go out and you and Sharon would take forever to get ready. You two were never ready to go when we got there. How is Sharon by the way? I miss our old gang,” he said.

“I have grown up! Lol! Sharon is good. You know I remember everyone thought you two would be a couple or were one! Even I thought you two sounded like an old married couple!” she said as she locked the front door.

“Well, you know firsthand that we did have a few dates in high school, but we ended up the best of friends. When she moved away, we hardly talked anymore,” he said as he opened her car door.

“Yeah, I think once we move it makes it harder to stay in touch. Life starts to take over. We all get busy and don’t even realize the time that has passed since we last spoke. Sharon and I try to stay in touch, but honestly, sometimes we go months before we talk. But when we do, we pick back up right where we left off. I am sure she would love to hear from you. I will text her now and give her your number if you want me too,” she said.

“Yes, do that. I would love to catch up with her. Now, where are we going so I can either put it in the GPS or you can tell me how to get there!” he said laughing.

She hadn’t even realized that they were still sitting in her driveway!

She gave him the address to the Peruvian restaurant on South Beach that she loved. Parking was always horrible. It stayed packed, especially on a Friday night. But they only had to drive around once to find something close the restaurant.

Once they got inside, they realized they had a thirty-minute wait, so they put his name on the list and headed to just walk around. When he saw the Ferris Wheel that was on the beach front all lit up with colorful lights, he got excited and told her after dinner, he wanted to ride it.

“We can ride it! The look on your face was like a kid at a candy store! Remember that time we went to Myrtle Beach and we all rode the big one on the Boardwalk? I thought Sharon was going to throw up all over you!” she said.

“Yes, I will never forget that! She almost broke my hand; she was squeezing it so hard! I remember when we got there and we were all excited to ride it. Then on the first time around, we got to the top and she looked down and that was it. She was scared to death the rest of the ride,” he said.

They got in line and rode the Ferris Wheel then walked for about ten minutes and headed back to the restaurant.

When they were seated with the menus, he said, “I have never eaten Peruvian food. You are going to have to tell me what is good.”

“I wasn’t sure if you had or not, but if I remembered correctly, you loved to try new things!” she said. Then she told him some of her favorite dishes to eat.

He ordered a bottle of moscato and an appetizer when the waitress came back. When she brought back the wine, they ordered their entrée’s.

They talked over dinner about memories of high school. She had forgotten, or at least tried to forget a lot of things from those years. Her and Jamie had started dating their senior year of college, even though they had all been good friends in high school. They all went to college together at the University of North Carolina before returning home. It was really like they were destined to be together.

Darrell must have noticed that she had faded out for a few minutes because the next thing she knew he was asking her if she was still with him.

“Earth to Christie. Come back,” he said.

“I am sorry. All of this talking about high school, led into college and when things changed for Jamie and I. When we went from being friends to dating,” she replied.

“I was wondering about that. I called your name three times before you answered,” he said feeling bad, because he saw the tears form in her eyes. “You are still madly in love with him. I see it in your eyes. I never meant to bring up so much pain for you. I will say this again, reach out to him. If nothing else, for your own sanity.”

“You’re right, I do still love him. I think I always will. He was my soulmate. The love of my life. When I think about reaching out though, all of that pain comes back and I don’t think I am ready to hear about him moving on with Allison. I can’t bare the thought much less have it thrown in my face. I thought we were destined to be together and that meant that we would have that forever, till death due us part love. I was wrong. He didn’t feel the way I did,” she said. “And I really want to drop this conversation now. I don’t want to ruin the rest of our weekend.”

“You know the thing about destiny, it doesn’t change. I know you probably think you were wrong, but you will never really know until you talk to him,” he said.

That’s how that conversation ended. They finished their food and he drove her back home.

“Thanks for the great evening. See you in the morning around 8,” she said.

“Thank you! I had a good time,” he said. He was going to apologize about making her upset, but he figured it was best not to even bring it up again. But he would hopefully have at least one more chance tomorrow to get her to change her mind about calling Jamie. He knew that even though Jamie was seeing someone, she wasn’t Christie. Jamie loved Christie as much as she loved him and they were destined to be together. He believed that it was that destiny that had led him to find her while he was here. “8 a.m. sounds good. See you then.”

They hugged and said good night.