IwatchedthemoonlightglistenonthewatersofLagunaBeach."I'llmissithere,butlivingintheBigAppleiseverythingI'veeverwanted-adreamcomestrue."
Wemetagroupofourfriendsatalocalcafe,andIjabberedonaboutthepossibilityofmymove.Laughtereruptedfromanearbytable.Iwatchedasahandsomemancapturedtheattentionofhisfriendswithhisengagingstory.Hisbroad,warmsmileandairofconfidenceheldmeinatrance.Stacynudgedme."You'restaring,Michelle,andabouttodrool."
"Wow,"Iwhispered.Iwatchedthegorgeousguypushupthesleevesofhisbulkysweater.Everyoneathistablehadtheireyesfixedonhim."That'sthemanIwanttomarry.""Yeah,right,"Stacydroned."Tellusmoreaboutwhereyou'dliketoliveinNewYork,becauseweallplantovisityoutherewhenyoulandthisjob."AsIspokemygazedriftedbacktothedebonairman.
ThreemonthslatermyfriendsandIgatheredatthesamerestaurant."TolifeintheBigApple！"theycheeredaswetappedourglassestogether."Mychanceofalifetime！"Wetalkedforhours.Itoldthemofmyplantosavemoneybymovingoutofmybeachcottageandrentingaroomforthefewremainingmonths.Ourfriendoffered,"IhaveafellowSouthAfricanfriendwhoisconsideringrentingoneofthefourbedroomsinhishouse.HisnameisBarry.Agreatguy."Hescribbledonanapkin."Thisishisnumber.He'saforty-two-year-oldconfirmedbachelor.Sayshe'smuchtoobusybeingasingledadtobeahusband."
Imadeanappointmenttoseetheroomthesameday.Iapproachedtheentranceofthespacioushouse,andthedooropened."YoumustbeMichelle,"hesaid.Hepushedupthesleevesofhisbulkysweaterandflashedhishandsomesmile.Itwasthemanfromtherestaurantmonthsbefore—themanIwantedtomarry.
Istoodstaring,mymouthgaping,hopingIwasn'tdrooling.
"YouareMichelle,aren'tyou?"hesaid,coaxingmeoutofmytrance."Wouldyouliketoseetheroom?"
Ifollowedhimthroughatourofthehouse,thenacceptedwhenheofferedmeacupoftea.BarryhadasophisticatedkindnessabouthimandlistenedattentivelyasIchatterednervouslyaboutmyself.Hissilver-rimmedglassesaccentedafewgraystreaksinhisdarkhair.Soon,hiswarm,invitingsmileputmeatease,andwespentthenexttwohourstalkingcasually.Ultimately,Idecidednottotaketheroomandreluctantlybadehimgood-bye.
ThemonthswentbyquicklywhileIbusiedmyselfwithpreparationforthemove.IthoughtofBanyoften,butcouldn'tconsidercallinghim.
"I'mmovingtoNewYorkinthreeweeks,"IsaidtoStacyaswewalkedoutofmyofficeandintothediningarea."AsmuchasI'dliketoseehimagain,itwouldonlycomplicatemylife.
"Well,braceyourselfforcomplications,"Stacymuttered,thennoddedtowardthedoor.Barry,withhisbigblueeyesandengagingsmile,walkedintomyrestaurant.
"Hello,"hesaidsoftly."Doyouhavetimetojoinmeforacupofcoffee?""Ofcourse."Itriednottogasp.
Weslidintoaboothandourconversationpickedupwhereitleftoffbefore.He,too,wasmakingacareerchangeandwasmovingbacktoSouthAfrica.Hisdeparturedatewasoneweekbeforemine.NowIknewIhadtocalmmypoundingheart.Weobviouslyhadnofuturetogether.Hetookmyphonenumberandinvitedmetodinnersometime.Iaccepted,suppressingmysadness,knowingIwouldbeleavingintwoshortweeksandthedatewouldprobablyneverhappen.
Butitdid.Hepickedmeupafewdayslaterforamovieanddinner.Wetalkedforhoursaboutourlives,ourhopes,ourseparatedreams—mineinNewYork,hisinSouthAfrica.NeverhadIspokensofreely,socomfortably,withaman.Hereachedacrossthetableandtookmyhand.IthoughtIsawinhiseyesthesamelovelfeltswellinginmyhear.Hesaid,"I'mjustsorryImetyouonlyoneweekbeforelleave."
"Westillhavesevendays.」Isaidmeekly.
"Thenlet'smakethemostofit."Hehelpedmeonwithmysweater.Handinhand,westrolledtothecarandmadeplansforthenextdayandthenextandthenext.Ashedrovemehome,TracyChapmansang,"Givemeonereasontostay,andI'llturnrightbackaround."Washisheartsingingalonglikemine?
「這可是我生命中的一次機遇。」我對斯泰西說。說著，我鎖上辦公室的門，離開了我經營多年的飯店。「在紐約生活，這可是每個27歲的女人所夢寐以求的——還有幾個月我就可以知道能否獲准遷入。」
我凝視著倒映在拉古納灣水面上的月光。「我很留戀這裡，可住在紐約是長久以來我心中惟一的夢想——如今，美夢就要成真了！」
在街上的一家小咖啡店裡，我們遇到了一群朋友，我便和他們閒聊著我可能要走的事。這時，鄰近的一張桌子爆發出陣陣笑聲。我應聲望去，看見一個英俊的男人正在給他的朋友講一個引人入勝的故事。他那坦率、溫暖的笑容和自信的模樣讓我不由地發怔。斯泰西輕輕地捅了我一下，說道：「嘿，米歇爾，你發什麼呆，好像著魔了一樣。」
我看著那英俊的傢伙捲起他那寬鬆外套的衣袖。他桌邊的同伴都全神貫注地望著他。我輕呼道；「哦！那正是我要嫁的男人。」「的確不錯，」斯泰西說，「不過，還是快說說你在紐約打算住哪兒，要知道我們都打算等你工作定了去那兒看你。」我回答著她的問題，目光卻不由自主地移向那個神采飛揚的男人。