Fifteen Weekends (32 page)

  Looking at her laptop she began researching florists in Wales. Liam’s mother, Paige, had sent her a sheet of vendors they frequently work with at the Castle to make the wedding planning a little easier. Even though they had yet to set a date for the wedding, she knew Emily would be pissed if she stopped her life just to worry about her being in a coma. The least Ashleigh could do was a little research, possibly start a Pinterest board. She was thinking of giving up social media altogether since Emily’s accident, but instead she resolved to be more cautious of her posts.

  It was nearly one in the afternoon. As soon as Liam returned home from work they would be leaving for Wales to visit his parents. They desperately wanted to throw her and Liam an engagement party, but Ashleigh did not want to have the celebration until Emily came out of her coma.

  Ashleigh was pulled from her thoughts of Emily by the buzzing of her phone. It was a number she did not recognize, but she answered anyway.

  “Good Afternoon, this is Ashleigh Preston.”

  “Miss Preston, hi, this is Connie at Memorial hospital. We have some news regarding Emily Greene.” Ashleigh’s heart started to beat rapidly, and she felt her throat tighten.
Please God, let it be good news.

  “Yes, is everything okay? Is Emily okay?”

  “Miss Preston, Emily is awake. She has been awake for about an hour.” 

  Ashleigh was overcome with emotion. She was utterly relieved, and tears sprang from her eyes. She composed herself and replied, “That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time. Have you called Ethan Carlson?”

  “Not yet, he is next on our list.”

  “Thank you, Connie. Thank you very much. Goodbye.” She hung up the phone to call Liam, but he walked through the door just as she was pressing his number.

  “Hey! I was just about to call you. Emily is out of her coma!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. A smile crossed Liam’s face. Ashleigh jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

  “I’m so glad to hear your news, darling. Do you want to depart for Grand Rapids to see her?”

  “You won’t be upset that we aren’t going to be able to see your parents?”

  “Darling please, your friend just came out of a near month long coma. I think my parents will understand.” 
  “Wait, why are you home so early anyway?” Ashleigh inquired.

  “What? Can I not take off early to come home and spend the rest of the day with my gorgeous fiancé?”

  “Okay, that’s perfectly acceptable. Now we have to check the flights to Detroit. I cannot wait to see Emily.” Ashleigh kissed Liam on the cheek and began to walk away, but he pulled her into him kissing her deeply. She looked up at him and he said, “Have I told you how much I love you?”

  “Yes, but I never grow tired of hearing you say it. I cannot wait to marry you, Liam Frost, and the sooner the better. We’ll set a date on our flight.”

  Ethan and Emily wheeled their carryon luggage through the hordes of people at JFK airport. They had at least an hour before their flight to London. It was the weekend of Liam and Ashleigh’s engagement party.

  “Can you believe Liam and Ashleigh are getting married in just a few months?” Emily said taking a seat at the bar.

  “Em, they’re getting married in less than two months. Is your memory still that fuzzy?” Ethan joked. She smiled and playfully punched his arm.

  “I guess,” she shrugged. “Ethan, since I missed the last few weeks of summer, I think you should whisk me away to a tropical island somewhere.”

  “Ms. Greene, you have some of the best ideas. I’d love to take you somewhere hot, where clothing is
optional
,” he said, grinning wickedly.

  Emily shot Ethan a playful smirk of her own then pulled up her phone and checked in to the bar at the airport. Ethan saw Emily with her phone and gave her a half smile. “I know what you’re thinking Ethan. I refuse to let one sociopath bully me into giving up on social media.”

  “
Bully
you? You almost fucking died, Emily.” He admonished.

  “What are the chances of getting stalked again? I would say not likely,” she scoffed.

  Leaning against the wall, Amanda stared out the window of Vince’s New York apartment. Watching the multi-colored leaves scatter across the sidewalk, she clutched her stomach then took a sip of her tea. The rain began to fall as she became lost in her thoughts. Amanda’s mind replayed the events of last few months. The emptiness Amanda felt was filled by Vince’s love and bubbled over with Alex’s. She hadn’t spoken to Alex in three weeks, she couldn’t bring herself to pick up the phone or even be near him. The feelings she had for Alex were too strong and laced with complications. Her heart leapt into her throat as she read the message on her phone:
AMANDA
,
I
’
M
IN
LOVE
WITH
YOU
.
I
NEED
YOU
.
I
MISS
YOU
.
WHY
WON
’
T
YOU
TALK
TO
ME
? 
Amanda let out a deep sigh and began to cry. Her stomach was in knots, and her emotions were all over the place.  She was wrecked with guilt and confusion.

  Emily finished the last sip of her chardonnay and told Ethan she needed to use the ladies room before they boarded their flight.
  “Okay, I’ll pay for the drinks and meet you at the gate,” Ethan said kissing her on the cheek.

  Emily flung her purse over her forearm and wheeled her carryon out of the restaurant towards the bathrooms. Handing the bartender his credit card, he never took his eyes off Emily as she exited the bar area. Ethan had made a point to keep a careful watch on Emily these days after what happened. He could not bear the thought of anything happening to her again. He knew it was silly and his fears would go away in time, but for now better safe than sorry.

“What are you doing here after work on a Friday night all by yourself?” Morgan Allen inquired as she shifted in her seat to face the handsome man seated at the bar. She was wearing a low-cut silk blouse and flirty micro-mini hoping her exposed fair skin would catch his eye.

  “I just got in from Chicago, and I needed a drink. The flight I was on was a little nerve wracking, especially flying over the Lake Michigan.”

  “Oh? No kidding. I used to live in Michigan. I’m from Bay City, but I spent the last few years in Grand Rapids. I just moved to Brooklyn a few weeks ago.”

  “Grand Rapids is nice. I have been there a few times. I was there just a few weeks ago to see a friend,” he said before taking a sip of his beer. His greyish-blue eyes entranced Morgan.

  Emily emerged from the ladies room and began walking towards the gate. There were a lot of people in the airport that day. Her mind wandered as she walked through the crowd. She checked her purse for her boarding pass, but it wasn’t there.
Oh shoot! Did I leave it in the bathroom
? She stopped dead in her tracks and started to frantically search her purse. After a brief moment of fear, relief washed over her as she remembered that Ethan had it. She was so forgetful lately, but the doctors said that her memory would return to normal in time.
Normal
. Emily laughed to herself. She felt like a damaged freak, not being able to recall the simplest things in her daily life.

  She started down the terminal again, and that is when she saw him—he was sitting at the Irish Pub. Emily blinked and gasped. Her eyes were not deceiving her—it was Craig Walker. She tried to move but couldn’t. At that moment, Craig had spotted her standing there looking at him. Her pulse was racing, and she stood motionless as people hurriedly passed by her. She knew she was in the way, but she didn’t care, he was more handsome than she ever remembered. He looked almost the same, only more sophisticated, just like Ashleigh described from her encounter at Heathrow.

   Sitting at the airport bar, he was wearing a maroon and navy striped button down paired with a paisley print maroon tie and navy pants. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and his semi-curly hair was subtly spikey. He looked hot.
How was it possible for someone to be this gorgeous?

  The buzzing of her phone caused Emily to momentarily take her eyes off Craig. It was a text from Ethan:
OUR
FLIGHT
IS
BOARDING
NOW
.
SEE
YOU
IN
A
BIT
.
I
HAVE
YOUR
BOARDING
PASS
.

  Craig motioned to the bartender and said something as he stood up. He took a sip of his Miller Lite and then walked towards Emily, never taking his eyes off her.

  “Emmy,” he said softly.

  The sound of Craig’s voice melted over her, Emily’s bottom lip quivered. He closed the space between them; she was trembling. Emily reached up and brushed her fingertips across his cheek. When she felt his skin, Emily’s knees buckled beneath her causing her to draw her hand back briskly. It was really him. Craig Bennett Walker was definitely alive. After the initial shock wore off, Emily felt hot tears prick her eyes.

  “Craig,” her breath hitched. “I can’t believe you’re standing here… in front of me.”