My Favorite Mistake (23 page)

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’l see you this afternoon?”

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

She hung up and I stared at my phone, astonished. Then, clicking with curiosity—and anger—I pul ed 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.

“Hel o?”

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 cel 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 al about?
You
cal ed 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 cal , but you do this?”

“I can’t explain it,” he said. “I wanted to cal 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 cal 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 stil 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 stil 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 fol ow 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 stil 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 stil 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 wel ed 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 wil be disappointed, but it’s more important that I be close to you.” He laughed. “Besides, I’d stil 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’l 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’l be waiting at my apartment. Drive safely.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” I disconnected the cal , 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 cal El en Brant and reschedule. I punched in her number, so excited I could barely see.

“El en Brant.”

“El en, 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.”

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 wil ing to forget about the entire “making out in public” scene and welcomed him as my husband-to-be. In fact, he and my dad actual y 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 jel ed with my parents amazingly wel 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 bel s 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 ful 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 ful 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 ful est.

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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