My Heart Says Yes (7 page)

“Well, isn’t this a nice
surprise having such a pretty young lady to join our party.  What do you do
Emma?”

I told Jack how I had
just moved to Chicago from Wisconsin and I was in portfolio school.

“Oh, I bet you’ll be a
big advertising executive one day, I can tell that you are a smart cookie.  I
saw you come in with Caleb, is he your boyfriend?”

I had to laugh at that and
it was cute that Jack asked. 

“No, he’s not my
boyfriend Jack, I’ve only met him a couple of times.”

“Oh, I think you two
make a nice couple.  Do you have a boyfriend?”

I smiled at Jack because
his question was so innocent.  “No, I’m not dating right now.  I recently broke
up with someone after two years and I decided that I want to take a year off
from dating to focus on me.”  I shrugged my shoulders, pushed my hair behind my
ear that was falling in my face, and looked at Jack.  “I figure after that I’ll
be ready to give my all to a relationship if the right guy happens to come along.”

Jack patted me on my
hand.  "I think when you least expect that he will come along. Life has a
funny way of making choices for you and not the other way around.”

He was so sweet and so
genuine in his advice that it made me like him even more.  I saw Jack’s eyes
shift toward the door and huge smile spread across his face and I turned to see
who he was looking at.

“Mary’s here.”

In just those two words
I could tell that Jack had a crush on Mary and it was the sweetest thing.  She
walked over to our table to sit in the seat next to Jack and he stood up,
although slowly, and held Mary’s chair for her as she sat down.
So sweet
. 
Everyone seemed really happy that she was there and everyone started saying
happy birthday to her and then she looked at me and smiled.

“And who is this pretty
young lady?”

I started to answer but
Jack beat me to it. “Mary, I’d like for you to meet our newest volunteer, Emma.
She just moved here from a small town in Wisconsin and she goes to school for
advertising.”  Jack smiled at me.  “She’s also my new friend.”

“Well it is very nice to
meet you at Emma.  Jack always likes to be surrounded by the pretty girls.”

I thought I saw Jack
blush as he shifted a bit in his chair.  “Well, yes, that is true, but I only
have eyes for one special lady.”  He smiled at Mary and she giggled like a
school girl and playfully tapped him on his arm.

“Oh Jack, you big
flirt.”

Just then Jean brought
out the birthday cake illuminated with candles and everyone began to sing happy
birthday to Mary.  She looked so happy and it was really nice to be a part of
this group.  I glanced around to see where Caleb was and I saw him sitting a
couple of tables away.  My stomach sank into my toes when I noticed that seated
next to him was the skinny, blonde, model type from the party that past
weekend. I quickly turned back around because I did not want her to see me
looking at them.  
What is she doing here? 

Everyone finished
singing happy birthday and they were all clapping when I felt as if someone was
watching me.  I quickly glanced behind me and my eyes met Caleb’s and he winked
at me.
 
I spun back around to face the people at my table as I felt my
cheeks flush. 
Why is he winking at me if she is sitting right next to him? And
even more than that, let’s acknowledge that he actually winked at me!
 I
swear I felt like a schoolgirl who had a crush on the quarterback. You know the
type of daydream where you fantasize about some unattainable guy? Well that was
how I was feeling about what was going on with Caleb.

We finished lunch and
were enjoying cake and ice cream when Mary reached in front of Jack tapped me
on my hand which was resting on the table.  I welcomed the distraction away
from my thoughts about Caleb and smiled at her.

“Did you need something
Mary?”

“Oh no dear, I just
wanted to know if you were enjoying yourself.”

“Yes, I am!  I am having
a great time celebrating your birthday with you.  Are you having a good time?”

“Oh, it’s just wonderful
dear.  You know I have been coming to this center for five years now, I am 75
today.”

“75?  You don’t look a
day over 50, Mary.”

Mary giggled a little
bit. “Oh, sweetie you’re too kind.”

We continued to talk
about her children and grandchildren who live in California, and her career as
a dressmaker.  She had designed dresses for many actresses back in her day. 
Her husband had passed away almost 10 years ago and she told me that she still
missed him every day but she was happy to have Jack as a friend in her life.

I thought it was so cute
because both Mary and Jack seemed to have crushes on each other but neither one
did anything to take it beyond friendship.  I found out that they had not even
gone for a cup of coffee together. 
Somehow I have to get these two
together.

“Emma dear, do you have
a boyfriend?”  Mary’s blue eyes were bright as she waited for my answer.

“No, not right now. I
was telling Jack earlier that I just got out of a two year relationship and I’m
going to take some time off from dating for at least a year to just kind of
spend time on myself.”

“Oh, well there is
nothing wrong with that. But, just remember, that many people find someone when
they are not looking or when they least expect it. In fact, your Mr. Right
could be someone that you already know and you just don’t know yet that he’s
the one.”

“Well, we’ll see, if he
happens to come along during this next year I’ll be sure to keep my heart
open.”

Jack chimed in. “You be
sure to tell us if it happens. You seem like such a nice girl and you deserve a
nice young man.”

“Aw, thank you Jack,
that is very sweet.”

Just then Jean stood and
thanked everyone for coming to the party and told us it was time to get
everyone back home.  The volunteers stayed behind to clean up while all of the
senior friends went home. I was washing dishes in the kitchen when Caleb came
in to say goodbye.

“Just wanted to let you
know that I’m taking off and it was really good to see you again Emma. I will
see you in a couple of weeks.”  He gave me one of his killer smiles and I
literally wanted to melt into the floor.
He is so damned good looking.

“Okay, see you in a
couple of weeks Caleb!”  I tried to sound as cheery and nonchalant as possible
when what I really wanted to do was run over to him and throw my arms around him
and ask him not to leave yet.  But I couldn’t do that so I had to just play it
cool.  I finished up my cleaning duties, said goodbye to Jean, and I headed
home for the day.  I could not wait to tell Kelly about my day when I got home
and when I did, she was totally shocked.

“You are kidding! Caleb
Morgan is a volunteer at Friends of Seniors also? This is totally fate Emma,
you guys are
so
meant to be.”

“You’re being silly
Kelly, but I think it’s kind of cool that he volunteers there.  I mean, I
totally could not believe it when I saw him walk in, I thought I was going to
faint!  He is so hot!”

“Yeah and according to
Sophie he’s also really spoiled and used to getting what he wants, so be
careful there.”

“I know what she said
and I would never let a guy think he can have whatever he wants with me, but he
is super hot and get this, he’s also really sweet.  You should have seen him
with all of the seniors, he was so sweet to them and they just love him.” 

I know I was gushing but
I couldn’t help it, I hadn’t felt this way about a guy ever and I wanted to
live in my little fantasy world, and believe that he was actually interested in
me, for just a little while longer.

“Wow Emma, I have never
seen you like this over a guy.  Caleb really seems to have gotten to you. But I
don’t blame you, you’re right, he is hot!” 

We both erupted into
giggles like schoolgirls and fell over laughing.  We gossiped about him for a
little bit and I asked Kelly if she had seen him at school since they went to
the same school, but their paths had never crossed, at least not yet.

“Well Kel, if you ever
see him hanging all over some girl or something like that, make sure you tell
me who the skank is.”

“Oh definitely, are you
kidding?  You will totally be the first to know!”

I smiled at her. “I knew
there was a reason you are my best friend.”

“Yep!  I will always
have your back.”

The next couple of weeks
flew by and Marta and I spent almost every evening together after class working
on projects.  We had a big presentation due at the end of the semester so, in
addition to all of our other school work, we had to constantly work on that
one.  We couldn’t leave the work for our final project until the end because so
much work was involved, and if we didn’t do it throughout the semester, we’d be
screwed. 

I had done nothing but
work out and study for two weeks, so I was really looking forward to
volunteering and I couldn’t wait to see Caleb.  I got up extra early that
Saturday so that I could take my time getting ready because I wanted to look
perfect for him.  When I arrived at the center, Caleb wasn’t there yet so I
started setting up for the festivities.  I noticed a big puddle of water under
one of the tables and figured that someone spilled a glass of water earlier
that day and forgot to ask someone to clean it up, so I asked Jean where I could
find a mop.  She told me I could find a mop in the closet down the hall but she
didn’t tell me which door, so I was opening a bunch of doors trying to find the
right one.

“Need some help?”  My
belly flipped at the sound of his voice.

I turned around to see
Caleb’s gorgeous face smiling at me.

“I can’t seem to find
the utility closet.”

“It’s this one here.”
Caleb reached out and opened the door that was two feet away from me.

“I feel so silly that I
couldn’t find it.”

“Don’t worry about it.” 
His eyes found mine and I wanted to melt right into him as he smiled at me.  
“By the way, hi, it’s good to see you again.”

I could feel my cheeks
burning and I’m sure they were bright red as the butterflies went crazy in my
belly.  I smiled back at him and my words were very soft.  “Hi, it’s good to
see you again, too.”

We stood there for a
minute and then Caleb raised his eyebrows.  “What did you need from the
closet?”

“The closet?”  I
realized that I was staring at him and I snapped out of it feeling even more
silly. 
Pull it together Emma!
 “Oh, right!  The closet!  Um, I need the
mop, someone spilled water under one of the tables.”

“It’s right here.”  He
reached in around me and as his arm brushed mine, his touch made my skin
tingle.

“Thanks.  Well, we
better get in there.”

His eyes held mine for a
few seconds and I started to feel uneasy under his intense gaze.

He gave me a sexy half
smile as he stood literally six inches from me and his eyes searched mine
before settling on my lips.  “Yeah, we better get in there.”

Oh, what I
would give for a kiss from him. 
We turned to walk back to the main room and
I was thankful that I was walking ahead of him so that he couldn’t see my mouth
that had fallen open. 
Oh my gosh, he’s so flippin’ hot!
  When we got
into the main room Caleb mopped up the water for me and I helped set the
tables.  When the seniors arrived Jack and Mary walked in together and sat
together.  When they saw me they waved me over to their table to sit with them.

“How are you dear? It’s
good to see you. Did you have a good week?”

“Hi guys, I’m doing
well, very busy with school.  How are you both doing?”

“I had a great week,
Emma.  Jack and I talked on the phone a couple of times this week.”

“Yeah, I think it’s
going to be a weekly thing that we do.”  Jack winked at Mary when he said that. 
I have to get Jack to ask Mary out on a real date because I know they both
like each other!

Caleb sat at another
table and when I glanced over at him, blondie was sitting right next to him
again. 
Great.

We had lunch and then
Jean stood and announced that we were now going to play games.  Mary and Jack
paired off to play Go Fish, a game I later found out was a favorite for both of
them.  I helped to clear the tables and started cleaning up while people were
playing games.

I was in the kitchen
washing dishes when Caleb came up behind me, stood close enough to me that I
could feel his body heat, and whispered in my ear. 

“I saw you over at the
table with Mary and Jack and you looked like you’re having a good time. Did you
enjoy sitting with them?”

I felt goose bumps on
the back of my neck from his warm breath, and I felt a little bit weak in the
knees having him so close to me.  I turned to look at him over my shoulder.