At the last rest area on I-65 before the off-ramp to Serendipity, Jon returned David’s call that had come in while he drove.
“Hey, Jonny-boy. Do you have an estimated time of arrival in Serendipity? We’re looking forward to seeing you guys.”
“David, yeah, looks like around nine.”
Jon dreaded the hours after that of even more time behind a wheel, although he much preferred Travis’s car to this massive SUV.
Kim was still angry with him for something, and it made the miles seem to go on forever. He’d love to stop for the night, but Travis seemed like a horse returning to its stable. He wanted to drive straight through.
David broke into his thoughts. “Emily says there are two open cabins here this weekend. If you didn’t know, the Standish family Christmas tree farm’s B&B is well-known for its comfortable tiny cabins and the amazing breakfast served in the Christmas shop each morning. Folks come from all over, et cetera.” He chuckled. “Hey, it will be a nice rest before you guys head on down the road. We hope you’ll take us up on it.”
Jon suspected two vacancies on a Friday evening was atypical. More likely, the cabins had been kept available just in case Travis and Suzanne needed them.
David wouldn’t admit to that, but he didn’t deny it either. He continued, “You’re at the wheel, or is Kim? Doesn’t matter. Either way, just drive out to the farm. Kim’s car is here, since I’ve been driving it. I picked up Travis and Suzanne’s too from the repair shop. It’s ready for the road, but we really hope the three of you will stay tonight, rest up, and have a big breakfast with us tomorrow before you hit the road again. Emily will be giving the same information to Kim right about now. To avoid any disagreement or misunderstanding.”
Good idea. Have you been watching the two of us today?
Jon knew David and Emily were just meddling in order to help Travis and Suzanne. Just like Jon had tried. And...yes, Kim too. “Will do. I’m driving the final leg, so Kim will need to give me directions.” Assuming she would deign to speak to him.
David laughed. “I think you can manage, Jon. Just turn left at the sign for the tree farm and B&B. But I’m sure Kim will let you know if you don’t see it. See you in a while. Safe travels.”
After their respective calls, Jon shared a secret look with Kim about the arrangement. It was nice to have an enjoyable secret between them.
Her audible sigh of relief when he pulled off at Interstate 65’s exit for the town of Mendacious hinted at how ready she was for an end to this journey. Serendipity lay just another twenty miles west. It was apparent that she’d be glad to see the last of him. But Jon felt the opposite. He’d misread her at first, then got to know her a little and wanted, so much, to continue that exploration. But something had gone very wrong, and he didn’t know how to fix it.
Could a relationship have developed between them if they’d met in a different way? If only they could give each other a second chance.
Jon had a lot of perfect girlfriends before meeting Kim. They were perfect because he only admired them from a distance, saw their interaction with the men they loved. They were Instagram couples, attractive and air-brushed, with impossibly white teeth and problem-free lives. He had wanted that kind of relationship or none at all. The mess with Andrea aside, he had dated some nice women but never took the time to care what was beyond the idealistic facade.
Now, having spent some time behind the scenes with Suzanne and Travis, and with a few minutes of insight into Kim’s painful past, he realized the perfect relationship was something else entirely. The perfect relationship was the one that was still a work in progress.
Giving up was easy. When it came to relationships, he was a pro at giving up. But staying, honoring a commitment to the other person when that was the hardest possible decision—that was what he’d never understood. His friends thought he had done them a favor by making this trip, but the fact was, he was the one who benefited by being present.
Jon had a career, people who depended on him to show up and do the work that would help the company become successful and keep the workers employed. He had a cabin up on the mountain above Legend with a view that took his breath away. And he was healthy, which meant that, barring disaster, a future existed. One in which, he determined, he would be a better human being.
He glanced at Kim’s resolute profile, looking straight ahead toward home and the life she’d built in Serendipity. It was too late to make amends with her, though he ached to do just that. He ached to touch her, pull that clip out of her hair and let it fall, dark and glossy across her shoulders. To hold her, cherish her, and promise to do better.
If only they could start over with a clean slate. In such a parallel universe they’d meet at David and Emily’s wedding, where he would not have taken Andrea, and Kim noticed, but let slide, his facial resemblance to someone from her past.
He’d have walked up to her, taken her hand gently in his, and looked into her eyes. “Hi, I’m Jon. Care to dance, and then spend the rest of your life with me?”
She would have smiled that glorious, room-lighting smile, and maybe laughed aloud before saying, “I’m Kim. You know, I think you’re just the man I’ve been looking for.”
But second chances didn’t happen in real life. There was no way to roll back time, take back hurtful words, reach out in faith for what you just realized you’ve been starving for all along.