by the time the car is done being repaired. I don’t
need you to physically come here.”
“It’s too late, Emma. I already Googled the phone number you
called from. I am coming one way or the other. It’s not about you and me right
now. I just want to see for myself that you are all right. I will take care of
all the credit cards. Also, I know a few people at the registry, so I’ll
request a duplicate and bring it with me. I am going to throw some things in a
bag and hop in my car. I will be there in two days. Since you have no phone,
meet me at that garage. I will take care of everything. Do you want me to make you
a reservation at a local hotel?”
“I don’t have an ID, Matt. I have no way to prove who I am.
I’ll be fine. I’ll meet you here in two days at this time.”
As she started to hang up the phone, she could hear Matt, “I
miss you, Emma. Baby, I still love you.”
Emma blinked hard as she hung up the phone without
responding. She didn’t want to even think about him or them at that moment. She
just wanted to make it through the next two days.
She walked back out into the waiting room. She smiled
despite herself when she spotted Jacob dancing with a little girl, who was
standing on his feet as he whirled her around the room. The little girl’s
mother sat there clapping and taking photos with her phone. Jacob looked over
and noticed Emma and smiled at her.
He bowed to the little girl and walked her back to her
mother.
“So, what’s the plan?” he asked her with a playful smile.
“I arranged for someone to meet me here with my stuff in two
days.”
Gus heard her response and smiled. “All right then, we are
settled. I should get the part the day after tomorrow, and I will be done by
this time then.” He walked back into the garage and the door swung shut behind
him. Emma was a little nervous about what would happen next. She’d never lived
life on a whim. She’d always had things meticulously planned out.
“Well, ducky, I guess you can consider me your personal body
guard and tour guide while you are in town. So what do you say we go and find
us some grub?” He reached over and grabbed hold of her hand. Butterflies
fluttered in her stomach; it was a feeling she had never experienced before.
She happily followed Jacob out into the street, and as she did, she left her
worries with her broken down car.
Jacob led her into the late summer sunset of Knoxville. “I
am going to show you how to live it up a little, Emma. Let’s go and have some
fun.”
Emma couldn’t help but laugh as he dragged her through the
now lively streets.
They walked up to a nearby pizza place and he suddenly
stopped. “Please tell me that you like pizza?”
“Sure, I like pizza.” She laughed as she said it.
He opened the door and held it open for her. There was a
sign that read,
It was only six-thirty, so they still had time.
“Two small cheese pizzas, please.” He grinned at the girl
behind the counter.
“I’m sorry, sir, but it’s one pizza per party,” she
responded with a nervous tone.
“Well, as you can see there are two of us, so wouldn’t that
technically make two parties?”
The girl shook her head but smiled. “Okay! I will give it to
you, but only because you’re cute, and your girlfriend looks hungry.”
Emma blushed, and Jacob thanked the woman as he led Emma to
a corner booth to wait for their pizza.
They sat and he winked at her. “See, love, easy as pie …
pizza pie.”
When the pizzas were ready, he led her to a small park a few
blocks away, where they had a picnic under the now darkening sky. He kept the
conversation going while they ate. She sat back and laughed at his comical
display. At one point, he had her laughing so hard that she nearly spit out her
pizza. Jacob watched Emma laugh at his anecdotes. He liked the sounds she made
when she was happy; she had a slight snort when she truly laughed, and that
sound made him smile.
When they finished their
need you to physically come here.”
“It’s too late, Emma. I already Googled the phone number you
called from. I am coming one way or the other. It’s not about you and me right
now. I just want to see for myself that you are all right. I will take care of
all the credit cards. Also, I know a few people at the registry, so I’ll
request a duplicate and bring it with me. I am going to throw some things in a
bag and hop in my car. I will be there in two days. Since you have no phone,
meet me at that garage. I will take care of everything. Do you want me to make you
a reservation at a local hotel?”
“I don’t have an ID, Matt. I have no way to prove who I am.
I’ll be fine. I’ll meet you here in two days at this time.”
As she started to hang up the phone, she could hear Matt, “I
miss you, Emma. Baby, I still love you.”
Emma blinked hard as she hung up the phone without
responding. She didn’t want to even think about him or them at that moment. She
just wanted to make it through the next two days.
She walked back out into the waiting room. She smiled
despite herself when she spotted Jacob dancing with a little girl, who was
standing on his feet as he whirled her around the room. The little girl’s
mother sat there clapping and taking photos with her phone. Jacob looked over
and noticed Emma and smiled at her.
He bowed to the little girl and walked her back to her
mother.
“So, what’s the plan?” he asked her with a playful smile.
“I arranged for someone to meet me here with my stuff in two
days.”
Gus heard her response and smiled. “All right then, we are
settled. I should get the part the day after tomorrow, and I will be done by
this time then.” He walked back into the garage and the door swung shut behind
him. Emma was a little nervous about what would happen next. She’d never lived
life on a whim. She’d always had things meticulously planned out.
“Well, ducky, I guess you can consider me your personal body
guard and tour guide while you are in town. So what do you say we go and find
us some grub?” He reached over and grabbed hold of her hand. Butterflies
fluttered in her stomach; it was a feeling she had never experienced before.
She happily followed Jacob out into the street, and as she did, she left her
worries with her broken down car.
Jacob led her into the late summer sunset of Knoxville. “I
am going to show you how to live it up a little, Emma. Let’s go and have some
fun.”
Emma couldn’t help but laugh as he dragged her through the
now lively streets.
They walked up to a nearby pizza place and he suddenly
stopped. “Please tell me that you like pizza?”
“Sure, I like pizza.” She laughed as she said it.
He opened the door and held it open for her. There was a
sign that read,
It was only six-thirty, so they still had time.
“Two small cheese pizzas, please.” He grinned at the girl
behind the counter.
“I’m sorry, sir, but it’s one pizza per party,” she
responded with a nervous tone.
“Well, as you can see there are two of us, so wouldn’t that
technically make two parties?”
The girl shook her head but smiled. “Okay! I will give it to
you, but only because you’re cute, and your girlfriend looks hungry.”
Emma blushed, and Jacob thanked the woman as he led Emma to
a corner booth to wait for their pizza.
They sat and he winked at her. “See, love, easy as pie …
pizza pie.”
When the pizzas were ready, he led her to a small park a few
blocks away, where they had a picnic under the now darkening sky. He kept the
conversation going while they ate. She sat back and laughed at his comical
display. At one point, he had her laughing so hard that she nearly spit out her
pizza. Jacob watched Emma laugh at his anecdotes. He liked the sounds she made
when she was happy; she had a slight snort when she truly laughed, and that
sound made him smile.
When they finished their
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