Free Chance Encounters by J. Sterling

didn’t say a word.
    “Well, what did he send you? What’s the “ little something ” he’s talking about on this card?” Bailey demanded.
    “I don’t know. Do you see anything? ’Cause I don’t see any…”
    Caroline was cut off by the sound of the receptionist at her desk again. “Caroline, this box was at my desk. I think it fell out of the flowers from Clay. I’m really sorry about that.”
    “It’s okay. Thank you, Lucy.”
    Bailey looked at her longtime friend. “Well, OPEN IT!” Caroline stared at the small white box in the palm of her hand. It was tied delicately with a simple yellow satin ribbon that matched the tulips.
    “If you don’t open that box right this second, Caroline Weber, I will!” Bailey threatened.
    “Okay, okay. Stop pressuring me!” Caroline slowly removed the top of the box. The first thing she noticed was a business-sized card that read:
    “ Sometimes When A Heart Is Separated, It Becomes Stronger ”
    Her heart battered against her ribcage as she carefully removed the card from the box. Under it lay a silver heart charm. It belonged on a necklace, but there was no chain attached. She knew Jackson had purposely left it out. She couldn’t wear a necklace with a heart on it that wasn’t from her boyfriend.
    She removed the charm and looked at every detail. She’d never seen anything like it before. There was a small separation in the top of the heart where the two halves would normally meet. At the bottom, the right half of the heart was slightly longer than the left half. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
    “Good God, Care. This guy’s in love with you,” Bailey breathed while she inspected the charm.
    Caroline stared at her best friend through tears that began to spill over her eyelashes.
    “Oh no, you don’t.” Bailey grabbed Caroline by the sleeve of her silk blouse and pulled her toward the ladies’ restroom. Once inside she peered underneath each stall to make sure they were alone.
    “What am I supposed to do?” Caroline implored her best friend for an answer.
    Bailey simply hugged her. “What do you want to do?
    “I don’t know,” she cried, her heart at odds with her mind.
    “Do you have feelings for him?”
    Caroline looked silently into Bailey’s blue eyes. It was one thing to know how she felt about Jackson, but keep it buried within herself; it was quite another to admit her feelings to someone else. Once she allowed the words to breathe outside of her lips, she gave them life. She wasn’t sure she wanted to give those feelings any more life than they were already taking from her.
    “Caroline, come on. Do you have feelings for the guy or what?” Bailey pushed.
    “Obviously I do, or I wouldn’t be a blubbering idiot in the bathroom right now, would I?” Caroline snapped.
    “I knew it,” Bailey said smugly. “I just wanted to hear you say it.”
    “Thanks for the support.”
    “Could be worse.” Bailey shrugged.
    “Really? How could it be worse?”
    “You could be a horrible person that no one loved or wanted to date,” Bailey teased.
    Caroline grinned. “I’ll work on it.”
    Bailey walked over to the paper towel dispenser that hung on the wall and grabbed a single sheet. She turned the left handle on the faucet and placed the towel into the warm running water. Once the towel was thoroughly moist, Bailey turned off the faucet and walked toward Caroline. Black lines of mascara streaked down Caroline’s face and Bailey wiped at them, struggling to get them off. “Please tell me you have some makeup here.”
    Caroline nodded. “In my purse.”
    “I’ll be right back.” Bailey rushed out the bathroom door.
    Caroline pulled out her cell phone and turned on the screen. She opened her text messages and sent, “ Just got the flowers and the charm. They are equally stunning, thoughtful, and unbelievable. Thank you so much.”
    Before Bailey returned, Caroline’s phone vibrated in her hand. She looked down and read,