When Hearts Collide

Charlie lifted her hand to her neck to toy with her beloved, opal ring, only to find her fingertips grazing at her bare skin. She swallowed hard, returning her hand to her lap. She had forgotten that she'd taken off the necklace for the dinner that night, assuming the jewelry didn't exactly tie into her outfit.

Nervously, she began drumming her fingers out of time with the song. Her right leg began to bounce as her anxiety began to heighten.

Of all the things there were to talk about, Jamie wanted to discuss the one thing that Charlie was struggling to remember. It wasn't like her to get so drunk, let alone forget large bits and pieces of the night.

"I'm... I'm not sure how you felt about it..." Jamie piped up. "But... I'm sorry if I... complicated things further."

Charlie wasn't sure how to respond.

It was apparent to her that, in fact, something had happened with Jamie - otherwise, why would he have been bringing it up?

She licked over her lips, unable to fight the blush creeping across her cheeks, her neck, and her chest. Charlie hoped that her make-up would conceal her embarrassment, but could only assume her luck would fail her.

"What... do you mean?" She stuttered.

"I'm not trying to be hot and cold with you," He explained, his blue eyes never leaving the highway. "Telling you not to bother one minute, kissing you the next..."

Charlie felt her eyes widen. Her lips parted, as though she was ready to speak, but no words came out. Her embarrassment intensified. Of all the things she had to forget - why the kiss? She looked to Jamie apprehensively, noticing the rosiness across his own cheeks.

"You just.." Jamie finally looked in her direction. Their eyes briefly met before he returned his attention out the windshield. "It felt like... old times."

Charlie nodded in understanding. Her own attention flickered out the window.

"But... I'm sorry," He said. "It was out of place. It... shouldn't have happened."

She pursed her lips together. From her scattered memories of the night before, Charlie was left with many unanswered questions. At the beginning of the night, she remembered clearly that things hadn't gotten off to a great start - not after her first real opportunity to talk with Jamie. Charlie had felt like she had only made things worse. However, things had seemed to turn around for them both - somehow resulting in them sharing a kiss before the night was over.

It was a lot to wrap her hungover head around.

"We were both hammered, for one," Jamie continued, capturing Charlie's attention. "For two... a part of me isn't... really.. over you, Charlie. I'm not over what happened. You'll pardon the expression, but I ain't about to throw myself into a bear trap just for the thrill of it."

"A bear trap, Jamie?" She rolled her honey brown eyes. "Really?"

"You're not an easy person to forget," He told her with a shrug.

"Neither are you," Charlie fired back.

They traveled in silence for several minutes. The hum of the truck cruising down the highway, the wisps of passing cars, and Bad Company playing in the background provided helpful distraction from the pressing quiet. As they ripped past another sign, alerting them of their upcoming exit, Jamie cleared his throat, softly.

"Besides... soon enough, you'll be leaving again," He sighed.

"So?" Charlie snorted. "I'll come back."

"Right," Jamie scoffed, a smile finding his soft lips. Despite the fact that she had told him she still loved him the night before, Jamie had his reservations. He'd been taught as a young boy that if it sounds too good to be true, it typically is. In love, there were no exceptions.

"I came back, didn't I?" She retorted.

"Seven years later," He reminded her.

"I'm still here, right here, right now, Jamie," Charlie snapped, her throbbing head getting the worst of her. "We could have spent this week no better than strangers, but... I'm beginning to think that fate has other plans for us."

His brow furrowed and his lips parted, words at the ready to defend himself. Charlie, however, inhaled sharply. She wasn't ready to pass over the argument for his rebuttal. Instead, she kept speaking.

"You don't have to agree with me," She continued. "You're hurt. I... know that I really can't apologize enough for all of the mistakes that I've made and all the pain that I've caused. Like you said already, it's seven years too late and it doesn't change anything. I fucked up; trust me... I get it..

"But... frankly, that's not right now. THIS is right now," She pointed back and forth between the two of them, catching Jamie's attention briefly before his eyes flickered away. The truck began pulling away from the highway, off onto the exit into the next town. "Me sitting here, trying to make things right... and us, ultimately falling right back into the same, old patterns."

Jamie sat in silence for the rest of the ride. Though it was only several minutes, it felt like an eternity for Charlie. Had she been insensitive? Had she said the wrong thing?

Upon arriving at the hall, Charlie felt relieved to see her Uncle's red truck. She knew that she could confide in Nora. As Jamie parked the truck, Charlie unbuckled her seat-belt. She threw open the door as soon the vehicle's engine stopped. Jamie followed after her into the hall, though they were both stopped at the door by none other than Caleb and Heather.

"Welcome, guys!" The happy couple greeted them.

Heather handed them both a program for the rehearsal ceremony.

"We're not.... I don't have to... say my speech tonight, do I?" Jamie asked, looking over the program itinerary. Caleb cracked up into laughter.

"No, no," Heather assured him. "This is just a practice run. Come tomorrow, you'll know when you'll be speaking."

"Yeah, don't worry, J," Caleb teased. "We know you haven't finished your speech yet."

"Actually, I'll have you know... it just... needs some edits," Jamie smirked.

While Charlie mustered up a half-smile, the rest of her company shared a laugh. Caleb ushered Jamie and Charlie into the main hall, leaving Heather at the door to hand out programs.

Charlie's eyes wandered the room, taking in the arrangement of tables, not to mention the long table at the front of the room for the wedding party. There were no decorations up yet, and only a skeleton selection of silverware and plates set up on at each table.

A group of women she assumed to be bridesmaids were standing by the long table, drinking flutes of champagne and giggling among themselves. A few of them looked in their direction, no doubt checking out Jamie as they passed by. While Caleb and Jamie walked the room, mingling with guests and staff, Charlie excused herself. Unsure of where to go, she headed for the bar, not surprised to find her cousins already there.

She approached Nick and Nora, feeling defeated.

"So, how was it?" Nora smirked, wiggling her eyebrows. Of course, she was referring to the drive into town with Jamie.

"Fucking... terrible," Charlie sighed.

Nick burst into laughter over her sullen expression. She scowled at him, snatching his glass from out of his hands. In a swift motion, Charlie brought the glass to her lips and downed the remaining contents.

"That bad, eh?" He scoffed.

"What happened?" Nora asked, eyebrows knitting together.

"I... may have let my mouth run away on me," Charlie grumbled, setting the empty glass on the wooden bar. "If you can... believe that."

"Nothing that some gin can't fix," Nick shrugged, followed by a smirk.

She sighed, letting her slender shoulders rise and fall.

"The man has a point," Nora smirked.

"I just hope that I don't have to drive back with him," Charlie shook her head, leaning against the bar. Nick took it upon himself to order another drink for both him and his cousin. "Awkward... doesn't even begin to cover it."

"Isn't that what you were both trying to avoid?" Nora laughed.

Charlie rolled her eyes.

"Why do people insist on making everything so dramatic and complicated?" Nick shook his head. "It's simple, Charlie. If you still love the guy, you fuck him. If you don't, then... you go home... and fuck someone else. Really."

"Incredible insight," She shook her head, accepting the fresh drink from the bartender.

As she brought the glass to her lips, Charlie felt eyes on her from across the room. Her attention darted towards the long table at the front, finding Jamie now surrounded by the bridesmaids. Even after several years apart, she didn't like seeing him with other girls - especially pretty, seemingly charming women, at that.

And though the ladies tried their best to engage with him, chat him up, even flirt with him, Charlie noticed the hesitancy in his smile. Those dimples never quite made themselves known, not in true, genuine Jamie style. Instead, his wandering eyes met Charlie's intense stare. She never broke his gaze, even as she took a small sip of her gin and tonic. The rest of the room became somewhat of a blur.

"... she's gone, off in La-La Land," She heard Nora say.

"I told you, cuz," Nick snorted, his hand finding Charlie's shoulder. His laugh snapped her out of her trance. "If you love him, fuck him. There's no need for all this dramatic longing."