PART TWO – "Come Go With Me" by Stunna2300
"I know I’m probably the last person you’d expect to see today. Do you have a minute?"
"Sure, come in. Greenlee and the gang will be over in about an hour or so for my bachelorette party."
"Oh, you’re having the party here?" John asked, looking around her condo, noticing packed boxes everywhere.
"No, they’re picking me up and taking me somewhere. I’m not even sure where I’m going," she said with a chuckle.
John joined her in the laugh. Evangeline realized that it was the first time she’d let out a genuine laugh that day. They looked at each other and connected. While it should have felt uncomfortable on Evangeline’s part, it felt strangely easy. Easy like it had that night six months ago, and like it’s felt almost every time she and John were together in the same room since that eventful evening.
John broke the silence. "So you’re really going through with it? You’re really gonna marry Alan-Michael tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Everything’s set," Evangeline began trying to avoid eye contact with John. "All of the invitations have been mailed, the caterer has our food, I have my dress…"
"So this is really what you want?" John asked staring intently at Evangeline.
"Yeah," Evangeline began, taking a deep breath. "It’s a little late now to change my mind," she said with a nervous laugh.
John shook his head. "I gotta say," he began, running his hand through his dark mane, "I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it."
"Why wouldn’t I John? Alan-Michael is a wonderful man. I love him," Evangeline stated simply and calmly.
"Yeah, but are you in love with him?" John asked with a serious look on his face. He knew the answer to his own question and wondered if Evangeline would be honest with him and herself.
Evangeline looked at John, and then away from him. Why was he asking her such a question on today of all days? Everything had been done. Everything was ready for tomorrow. All she had to do was just show up. Now, John was questioning her love for Alan-Michael.
She nervously put her hands inside her back jean pockets. "Yeah, of course I’m in love with him, John. We’re getting married in a few hours."
"I know you Evangeline. We’ve been working together for some time now. And I gotta say, I don’t think you’re in love with him. You’re certainly not in love with him the way you should be, the way you want to be," John said desperately trying to talk some sense into Evangeline.
"John, you’re right. We do know each other well. And you know that I love Alan-Michael."
"If you love him as much as you say you do, then what happened between us six months ago in Mary Barnes’ basement wouldn’t have ever happened!" John semi-yelled to Evangeline.
Evangeline looked around her condo, as if checking to see if anyone heard the rise in John’s voice. She had never told anyone about her encounter with John that night. She wanted to keep it that way.
"John!" Evangeline returned with loudness of her own. She then walked toward him, lowering her voice. "We both know that was a mistake. Too close quarters, and definitely too much wine. And you knew I was engaged to Alan-Michael!"
"Exactly. You knew you were engaged to Alan-Michael too. And if you love him as much as you claim, close quarters and wine wouldn’t have been enough for you to sleep with me," John said as if pleading with Evangeline.
Evangeline stood silently for a few moments. "John, what do you want from me?" she asked looking deeply into his eyes.
"Evangeline," he began, taking her hand. "I want you to be honest with me and with yourself. You deserve so much more. You’re settling. Think about it. You know we share a special connection with each other. Don’t try to deny it because if it weren’t true you wouldn’t ask to be reassigned to different cases. You wouldn’t purposely keep your distance from me."
"I don’t try to keep my distance from you," she said, taking her hand back. She couldn’t just let him hold her hand right there in her condo. It felt too good and too right. She knew John was telling the truth but what could she do about it now?
John responded with a grin. "See?" he said gesturing to her hand that was now at her side.
Evangeline smiled. "John, you’re a wonderful person. We did have an incredible night together, but that doesn’t make it right. It was a mistake. If Alan-Michael ever found out, he’d be so hurt. I can’t bear to hurt him that way."
"So you’re willing to put aside your own happiness for the sake of Alan-Michael’s?"
"It’s not like that John!" Evangeline said turning away from him, walking toward her fireplace.
"It’s not?" he asked questionably. "Then what’s it like? Tell me Evangeline. I’d like to know."
Evangeline didn’t respond. Slowly, John began walking towards her. He stopped, standing closely behind her. So close that he could smell the sweet sun-ripened raspberry scent of her shampoo.
"Tell me, Evangeline. Do you ever think back to that night in Mary’s basement? Do you remember how passionate we were? I do. Do you remember how we couldn’t get out of our clothes fast enough? Do you remember how intensely we made love?" he said, lightly sliding a finger down Evangeline’s right arm. "Do you remember falling asleep and waking up in my arms the next morning?"
Evangeline turned her head to the left, and John noticed tears coming down her cheeks. Everything about that night that John mentioned Evangeline loved. She was crying because she knew she had intense feelings for another man, not her fiancé.
"That wasn’t a mistake Evangeline. That was real. What I felt for you that night was real. What I feel for you today is real. And I know you feel the same. I can see it in your eyes. Every time I look at you, I see it. Just like you see it when you look at me," John stated, lightly rubbing both of her arms.
"John," Evangeline began, turning around to face him, wiping away her tears. "Yes. I think about that night. I think about that night way more than I should. I think about that night when I’m lying in bed with Alan-Michael. There! I said it! Is that what you wanted to hear?"
"I want you to be honest with me and with yourself. If you sincerely, genuinely, honestly are in love with Alan-Michael Spaulding, then I will believe you, wish you well, and walk out of that door. But if you’re not, I want you to know that I want you. I want to be with you, Evangeline Williamson. I want there to be an us. I want to wake up with you every morning and go to bed with you every night. I want to call you in the middle of the afternoon to hear your voice. I want to send you flowers ‘just because.’ Hell, I hate the Country Club but I will go there with you to play tennis because I know you love that stuff."
Evangeline smiled at John. "John McBain. You are such a good man. If only I’d met you before I got involved with Alan-Michael."
"I don’t understand Evangeline! There’s still time to change this. You’re not married to Alan-Michael yet. You can’t even tell me that you’re in love with him. In our one night encounter, you felt more for me than you ever have for Alan-Michael."
"Okay John! You win! I’m not in love with Alan-Michael. As much as I love the man he is, the truth is the night you and I made love, I realized that I wasn’t in love with him. When you and I are together, I have to stop myself from getting too close to you or spending too much time with you because I don’t know what will happen. The attraction between us was there before we slept together, and it’s been even more obvious since. So, there you have it. Are you happy? What more do you want from me?" Evangeline asked drained, sitting on her sofa.
John stood watching Evangeline as she sat. He knew in his heart that they belonged together. He hadn’t felt this way about anyone else. Even though Evangeline was promised to another man, he knew that he was the man that would forever make her happy in every way. They already had a great working relationship and considered each other friends. Now, if they could just both agree to try for a real-deal personal relationship.
"Come go with me," John blurted aloud.
