Love Takes Time (Christian Romance) (16 page)

“Ultimately
the truth is that I didn’t know what to say to you.  
How 
to
even start that conversation.  Chelsea, I let you walk out of the door --
out of my life. For all I knew at the time, it was going to be forever and . .
. and I didn’t even have the courage the tell you how much I didn’t want
you to go.  I was a coward.  How could I call you after that?”

She
saw how serious he was about it.  Had he missed her as much as she missed
him?  She didn’t know the answer to that question.

“Ryder,
I am probably part to blame too.  I never really wanted to go but I just
thought that we were in completely different places in our lives.  You
didn’t say you were done with me.  You just needed to work some things out
and I was too impatient to give you that time.  Truth be told, I was
probably more of a work in progress than you were but I didn’t really see that.
 All I knew at the time was that I was almost sure that you would never
change, and look at you
now
. You’ve done exactly that.
 I don’t know if it would have been different had we stayed together but
there have been quite a few times when I wondered if I had made the right
decision.  Maybe I should have called you instead.”

“They
say hindsight is twenty-twenty but one thing I have always been proud of is
that I try to learn from my mistakes.  This may sound like the dumbest
thing you have ever heard but…”

He
turned towards her with a look that said it all.  I miss you...I love you…
and everything else in between.  He took her hand in his, rubbing her
knuckles softly with his thumb.

“What
about now, Chelsea?”

“You
mean you and me?  Don’t you think we are still in separate places a little
bit because I think so?  For heaven’s sake, look at us right now.
 You’re playing catch with Eddie, who is the cutest dog in the world by
the way.  And me.  I still find it hard to believe that I am in
school full time.   We’ve practically switched places if you forget
that you’re rich and I live in a flat with a half working half sleeping
roommate.”

Ryder
put his hands on his hips and dropped his head, releasing a heavy breath before
starting again.   

“Ok
Chelsea, I agree that we are different but you say that like it’s a bad thing.
 It wasn’t our differences that broke us up.  The issue there was
that we were trying to change one another instead of loving things that were
different between us that we liked.  I mean there were mostly good times.
 The funny thing is that since we have been apart I think that we have
individually found ways to change the things about ourselves that we needed to.”

He
was fully gesticulating now, trying to make sure that he got his point across
to her.  

“Yes
you are in school right now, but you’re still enjoying life.  Look at you
studying in the open here in the park.  Not like a lot of students who are
probably huddled up in their rooms, or the library studying.  That part of
you that needs to be free still exists, you’ve just made it better.
 Bigger than that, look at just how much you really have helped me.
 Now I’ve got my own business.  I work at my own pace and I do what
matters to me.  I bet you won’t believe this but I haven’t gotten on a
plane for business since I got back months ago?”

“You?
 The guy who was traveling every other week for some business thing or
another.  Not even once?  Really now?”

“Really.
 True story.    More than all of that, Chelsea I enjoy the
things I do now.  I look forward to my mornings and whatever life the day
may bring.  I am happier now than I have ever felt in my adult life.
 No…. that isn’t true.  Chelsea I did feel happier in the time that I
allowed myself to be with you.”

His
honesty was touching to her and she felt herself getting more emotional than
she had in a long while.  

“Chelsea,
I miss us.  I miss us being together.  I need to know if you think
you could give ‘we’ another shot.”

Chelsea
didn’t know how to respond.  She never expected to be in that situation
again.  Not with him.  It didn’t take her long because she knew what
her answer would be but she wanted to have a little fun with him.  She
looked away from him and then walked away, kicking at the ground softly before
turning around, looking at him again and away once more.  

“I
don’t know Ryder.”

She
grasped her chin in her hand and looked around in an indecisive manner while
tapping her index finger to exude the false impression of making a tough
decision.  

“I
just look at you here and I see this guy roaming all over the park aimlessly
with his dog while I am trying to make the dean’s list with weekly cram
sessions.  I just don’t know if I can fit you into my busy schedule.”

She
couldn’t keep her face serious and he didn’t give her a chance to recover.

“Oh
really?  So you are too busy for me now are you?”

“Yep.
 Well not really.  I’m only going three quarter time and since I
think you are a cutie pie, I’ll find a way to make it work but on one condition
only.”

“And
that is?”

“Well,
you just have to come over here and give me a hug because I have been missing
them desperately.”

“With
pleasure.”

He did.  Afterwards they sat on the bench a
little longer talking and catching up before he asked her to go to dinner with
him that night.

Chelsea
couldn’t believe she had just spent the day walking around the streets of
London but she had Ryder to thank for that.  They had been dating again
for three months and they were closer than they had ever been before.  She
had finally finished her first semester of school and it was her birthday so
Ryder surprised her with a three-week trip to Europe, culminating in their time
together here.  Needless to say, she was totally surprised.  She
squeezed his hand a little tighter as they made their way down the streets of
the historic old city.  

“Ryder,
thank you again for bringing me here.”

“It’s
been my pleasure Chelsea.”

“It
really is nice here, isn’t it?”

“Hold
on for a second Ryder.  Look at that building?”

They
stopped to look at the building and marveled at the rich history of where they
were.  They had stopped in a couple of other countries the first few days
they were here.   Sicily in Italy, Paris in France, and Madrid in
Spain.  Each had country had its own unique flair but she was partial to the
UK.  Either way, it was a once in a lifetime trip and she was beyond
thankful that he had brought her.  It was so romantic that he had decided
to do all that for her.

“I
would not have wanted to miss seeing this place.  You’ve made it a very
special birthday for me Ryder.”

“Hold
on Chelsea, you talk like it’s over.  We’ve only been traveling for two
weeks.  This week is the highlight of the trip but you have no idea what’s
on tap for tomorrow.”

“Enlighten
me then, why don’t you sir.”

“I
plan on doing just that, but first I want to go ahead and get something to eat.”

Chelsea
realized for the first time all day just how hungry she was.  It was
getting close to supper time and they had eaten a light breakfast and lunch so that
they weren’t weighed down as they walked about the city. She put her hand on
her stomach.  It was like him mentioning it made it come to the forefront
of her mind.  

“I
think that’s a great idea.  Where should we go?”

“Well
at the hotel this morning, they said the restaurant on the corner was really
popular with locals and tourists alike.  What say we head back to the
hotel and get freshened up first.”

“Great
idea.”

When
they got back to the hotel, they went to their rooms and freshened up.  She
was excited when she first heard about the trip. In fact, she felt that way
right up until the point when they got to the first hotel room and reality hit
her.  What if he thought they were staying in the same room? 
Hopefully he didn’t mistake her taking his invitation to travel to Europe on
his dime as carte blanche for whatever he wanted to do.  She was sure her
relief was evident when he laughed at her while giving her the key to her own
room.

The
warm shower did wonders for her as she didn’t realize how tired her body was
from all of the walking that they had done.  After she showered she got
dressed in a flowered halter dress, with black pumps and matching clutch.
 She wore the earring and necklace set that he had given to her earlier that
day.  When he knocked on her room door, she walked out and into his
adulation. 

“Chelsea,
I know I have said these things to you before but you look more beautiful
tonight than I can ever remember.”

She
didn’t want to blush.  She tried not to but she couldn’t help it.
 His words were always silk and she felt that he meant every one of them.
 She looked him over and beamed.  He looked really nice as well in
his suit and tie, moving on to the more tailored and individualized suits that
people his age wore.  

“Well
if I am going to be stepping out with the most handsome man in England tonight,
then I need to make sure I at least look the part, right?”

“Funny,
I was thinking the same thing about going out with you.”

He
stood up, offering Chelsea the crook of his arm.

“Well,
shall we?”

“Yes,
lets.”

They
walked out of the door and hailed a taxi to take them to the restaurant.  

***

“Table
for Chatham please.”

Ryder
spoke to the maître de.

“Ah
yes, right this way sir, Madame.”

He spoke
with a spot on English accent that made her wonder where he really was
from.  Of course it made sense seeing that his mother was from
England.  He’d traveled to the country many times when he was
younger.  She laughed when she thought back to earlier on their
trip.  For her, every country they went to, she tried to work an
accent.  She was having fun with it until she gave up when he played a
secret recording of how she sounded back to her.  It was when she was
trying a particularly bad Italian accent. 

“Hey, you can’t record
my voice without my permission.  That’s law in America, I think.”

“And I’d be worried if
we were back home but we aren’t. 
Plus
the only
real problem with that train of thinking is that if anyone heard how you were
butchering the accent, they wouldn’t hold it against me.”

After
that she decided that maybe a good old New York accent was the one that she’d
stick with. 

At
the table, Chelsea kept it simple.  She had already eaten so much
delicious food in countries that were known for their cuisine that she didn’t
mind a basic, simple meal. The whole time they had been in England, she ate one
meal for dinner and it was probably just because she liked the way it
sounded.  Bangers and mash.  It just sounded fun to her and she found
herself loving the taste.  Ryder, of course ordered steak.  It was
his meal of choice at most restaurants.

“So,
how is your food Chelsea?”

“It’s
great, you know.  Do you want to try it?”

“I
don’t mind if I do.”

She
stuck her fork back into her plate and then fed him a mouthful of the mashed
potatoes with a small chunk of sausage.

“Wow.
 Simple looking but unbelievably tasty.”

“I
know.  The chefs are masters of what they do.”

They
talked for a good while more about a host of things.  As their main course
began to wind to an end, Chelsea mentioned how much she loved being in London
and enjoyed the culture.  Ryder went on to talk about how they should
visit there every few years and redo the trip. Visit the same places, and stay
in the same hotel.  

“That
would be fantastic Ryder.  You know that sounds like you plan on staying
around for a while.”

“Of
course.  Something about you has me hooked Chelsea.  Oh that reminds
me…”

He
dropped his fork on the plate, surprising Chelsea.  

“What
is it Ryder?”

“Nothing. 
I’m just so happy about tomorrow’s itinerary.  Tomorrow I’ve arranged for
us to attend a Chelsea F.C. game at Stamford Bridge stadium.”

“Oh
great.”

She
didn’t want to let it show, but his announcement was a little bit anticlimactic.
 Sure she was named after the team but she didn’t really follow soccer.  

“You
don’t seem excited about it Chelsea.”

“No
I am.  You will probably have more fun than me though.  I’m more of
an American Football kind of girl, if I watch sports at all.”

“Believe
me, I know.  Still I figured . . . Chelsea F.C. and all.”

“I’m
sure it will be fun babe.  I just thought you were going to say something
romantic like being ferried across the river in one of those two person boats
or a hot air balloon for two.  Maybe a picnic.  That kind of thing.”

“Well
I thought it would be really nice if you and pop could go to a game together.
 Sort of like a bonding kind of thing.”

She looked
at him, completely confused by both the words he was saying and the devious
smile on his face.  Something was up.

“Whoa
now buddy. Two things.  First is that I never would have taken your father
as a soccer fan so even if he were it’s more likely to be for a business deal
and less likely a soccer game.   Secondly, I love your family and
all, but I have no idea why you’d think I want to spend part of my birthday
vacation with your dad.  No offense but I have all the Chatham I want and
need right here.”

“No,
no Chelsea, you misunderstood me.  You are one hundred percent correct
that my dad is not a fan.  Not of any sport actually, except investing in
the monetary gains he can get from it.  He has no time for what he calls
the ‘frivolous games that are eroding our culture’--his words, not mine.”

“Then
what are you talking about?  You said that you wanted me to go with your
dad.”

“No
I didn’t.  That’s what you heard.  What I said was ‘pop’.  
Your 
father
Chelsea.”

“My
father?  Wait, he’s 
here?!
”

“Yup.”

Chelsea
couldn’t believe it.  Of all the gifts he had given her for her birthday
that had to be the best.  It was a dream of hers to be able to send him to
a game there.  She had felt so bad that she was coming to London without
him, but he had assured her that he just wanted her to have a good time.
 Very matter-of-factly actually.  All he asked her for was an
authentic jersey directly from the stadium.  No wonder he was so
nonchalant about it.  

“How
is he here Ryder?  And why?”

“He’s
been here the whole time. I invited him and your mother last month before I
even told you.  They flew out on a commercial flight after ours.
 They’ll fly back with us next week on the private jet.  I didn’t
want you to know that they were here yet so I had them go to Rome the days we
were in Sicily and vice versa.  It was working out pretty well until this
morning.  Remember that old man waiting outside the ladies’ room that you
said looked just like your father?”

“No
way!”

She
laughed, remembering that she had called her parents phone, leaving a voice
mail for her father about how she had seen his exact twin in a hotel lobby she
was staying at.

“Definitely.
 I tell you that our cover was almost blown.  He played it off pretty
well though.”

“Wow.
 But why Ryder?  Why go through all that?”

The
demeanor on Ryder’s face completely changed.  No more jokes or playing, he
was as serious as she had ever seen him.

“Because
then it might have given away my secret.”

Chelsea
saw him glance behind her and then she heard music playing.  She had no
idea when they had even come up behind her but there was a small band behind
her, playing music that was directed solely at her.”

“Chelsea,
I wanted your parents to be here to celebrate with us on the night that I pray
you say yes to me.”

Her
throat tightened and her heart started to race.  Her hand flew over her
mouth in astonishment as he slid off of his chair and got on one knee before
her.  

“You
have been the most wonderful thing that has happened to me in all my years of
life.  The time we have spent together, I have laughed and cried and
smiled and everything in between.  And I did it all with you.  Beyond
that, you helped me find out who I am and who I want to be and for that I will
be eternally grateful.  If you were to say no to me right now, I would not
be angry with you.  You’ve already made me happier than any man deserves
to be.  But if you say yes, I promise to be everything you could ever want
and need.  We’ll learn about us and grow old together, and that is
something that I look forward to more than anything I can think of.  So …”