This interview’s gone extremely well considering I felt emotionally wrung out by the time I’d checked in to my hotel last night.

Elise is finishing up the full tour she’s been giving me of their location, informing me that the Jacksonville offices are nearly finished—they’re in the final stages of installing basic décor—and will look much like these.

“You’ll be one of my first picks to come aboard.” She gives me a sly smile. “So that means you’ll get your choice of which office you’d prefer there.”

“Wow,” I breathe out in surprise. Their building is located in one of the best, most scenic spots overlooking the St. Johns River, so it’s practically guaranteed to have gorgeous views.

“However,” she adds, “part of your job requirement will necessitate you to fly up here for three weeks every quarter within the first two years, in order to facilitate things more smoothly and ensure everyone’s on the same page.”

Oh, wow. I’d be required to fly to New York for nearly a month four times each year.

“Do you think you could give me a firm answer by Monday?”

Nodding slowly, I smile. “I definitely will.”

“Great.” Elise beams at me. “I look forward to hearing from you on Monday with the news that you’ll be joining the ECC family.”

I leave ECC intent on returning to the hotel to grab my luggage and catch a cab to the airport for my flight back to Jacksonville. Yet somehow, I find myself taking a slight detour and entering a nearby florist. When I exit the shop with a single daisy in hand, I amble along the bustling sidewalk and give in to the urge.

Releasing a sigh, I begin plucking petal by petal, muttering to myself, “Take the job. Stay. Take the job. Stay…”

* * *

I’m finishing packing up my suitcase when I finally notice the voicemail notification on my phone. I’m surprised at the sound of the voice that greets me.

“Hey, it’s me, Knox. I, uh, wanted to call because I just…shit.” He breaks off and I imagine him dragging a hand through his short hair and slightly ruffling it. “Hell, EJ,” his voice deepens with emotion, “I just keep replaying our conversation at the airport, and I know it means nothing, but I wish I could’ve been there for you back then. When you were in the hospital and—” He clears his throat abruptly. “I just know that I never want you to have to go through anything like that without me again. And if you ever want to talk about it, I’m always here.” There’s a brief pause before he speaks again, and his voice is husky, intimate sounding. “I’m sorry, Emma Jane.”

* * *

“Sweet Pea, I was hoping you’d call.”

Normally, the sound of Granddad’s voice lifts my spirits, but it’s not working its usual magic today.

“I don’t know what to do.” I slump into a seat in the far corner of the gate area for my flight, away from the majority of the other passengers. Everything pours out of me, and I find myself divulging what happened between Knox and me years ago, why I left, the miscarriage, and the job dilemma.

“Do you know why I never pushed you to tell me why you left?” he asks, gently.

“I always wondered.”

And I had. Even now, I can recall his voicemail message with the simple request.

“Please call me when you’ve made it safely to wherever your destination might be. Love you, Sweet Pea.”

He’d never asked for more information. Months passed and he still never pushed me for an explanation. He’d simply accepted my decision to leave everything behind.

“Your grandmother taught me to never mess with fate.” Before I can manage a response, he continues. “Did I ever tell you about how your grandmother was engaged to someone else?”

This stops me in my tracks. Leaning back in my seat, the din of the airport disappears. “I never knew she was engaged to someone else.”

“She was engaged to Mathias Bentford. His family was wealthy, and she loved him…or so she thought. But when we met while I was delivering milk for my family’s farm, it changed things. I knew she was the one the moment I laid eyes on her.” The wistfulness in his voice amidst the layers of emotion is a testament to how much he adored my grandmother.

“She saw me set down one of the milk bottles to help Old Lady Huntly when she’d tripped and twisted her ankle. Your grandmother came rushing over to help, and the moment our eyes met, there was something there. Something I can’t describe. After we made sure Old Lady Huntly was safely inside her house, your grandmother insisted on accompanying me to deliver the milk, and then I escorted her home.

“We talked about everything under the sun. She told me about her engagement, about the man she planned to marry. And once we arrived at her door, I knew what I had to do.” He releases a soft chuckle. “I kissed her and told her that she belonged with me. That I would make her happier than he could.” Another chuckle slips from him. “And then I turned around and left.”

“What happened then?” I’m fascinated by this tale I’ve never heard before.

“I didn’t hear from her for two whole weeks.”

“What?”

He laughs. “I thought for sure she figured I was a few sandwiches short of a picnic. But two weeks passed and then one Saturday, when I was delivering milk on the same route we met on, she was waiting for me.

“She said that fate should never be ignored or tampered with, that something told her to come back to me.”

“What happened next?” I ask, hanging on his every word.

“She called off her engagement, and I courted her for the next four months before I asked for her hand. I knew then, just like I know now, that fate intervened that day. Fate brought us together. But you don’t mess with fate. You let it operate on its own timeline, Sweet Pea.”

Faintly, I register the announcement that my zone is boarding for my flight. Granddad finishes with words which resonate with me.

“Emma Jane, always respect fate. It knows best. It always had a plan for you and Knox.”

Minutes later, when I’m buckled into my seat on the airplane, I’m curious about fate’s plan.

I wonder what it has up its sleeve next.