send my soul enveloped by yours into the realm of spirits – yes, I regret, it must be. You will get over it all the more as you know my faithfulness to you; never another one can own my heart, never – never.
Sarah knew to whom the words belonged. It was Beethoven’s love letter to his Immortal Beloved. She read the familiar words slowly a second time and felt her breathing grow shallow. Someone knew her well. Someone had done their homework. The man between the shadow and her soul wasn’t shy about letting her know just how well.
She picked up the flower and gave an extended inhale, filling her lungs with the sweet smell of the gorgeous sterling rose.
Turning the card over, she again looked for any clue as to who her mystery man might be and fantasized about his identity. Tall dark and handsome – or maybe just Mike Montgomery.
Pulling her phone from her pocket, she gave a fleeting thought to calling him. A knock at the door startled her and she put the phone away.
“Sarah, they’re ready if you are.”
“Yes. Thank you. I’ll be right there.”
She quickly pulled her head back into reality, knowing whomever she dreamed about couldn’t possibly be as spectacular in the flesh as he was on the cards he sent. It just didn’t happen.
“You wanted to see me?” Ellen asked as she peeked her head around the corner of Mike’s open office door.
“Come in, Ellen. Shut the door.”
Ellen rolled her eyes. “Am I on research duty again?”
“This isn’t about me,” Mike gestured to the seat in front of his desk. “Sit.”
Ellen cringed. She didn’t have a clue as to what was coming next.
“I crossed paths with someone interesting at Starbucks yesterday.”
“Really? Who might that be?”
“Tall, muscular, bald. I guess you could argue that he was a handsome guy. Sound familiar?”
“You met Penn?”
Mike rose from his chair and walked to the window and looked out over the city. “Penn.”
Ellen didn’t say anything, waiting for Mike to make a comment. But he didn’t. He stood with his back to her, continuing to look away.
“What?” Ellen asked, breaking the silence. “I met him at yoga.”
“What else do you know about him?” Mike continued, still not turning to look her in the face.
“He’s a chiropractor in town.”
“Anything else?”
“He’s nice?” Ellen asked trying to give the correct answer.
“I think you need to give this guy a chance, Ellen.”
“What makes you think he’s interested in me?”
“Do you think he’s interested in you?”
“Yes.”
“Very well then.”
“No. No,” she repeated standing from her chair. “Not very well then. What do you know that you’re not telling me?”
Mike turned to face Ellen’s demanding tone. “Does he know your story?”
“You mean does he know I’m a widow?”
Mike didn’t say a word. His face did all the talking. Raising his eyebrows, he dropped his head and pursed his lips.
“What do you want me to say, Mike?”
“Nothing, Ellen. I care about you. And I know you’ve been through a lot. But–”
“But what? Seriously, Mike. Spit it out. We’ve known each other way too long to beat around the bush.”
“I don’t think you know this guy’s real story. That’s all.”
“Are you saying there’s something wrong with him?”
“I’m saying there’s something very right about him, Ellen. I think you should give him a chance.”
“Since when are you so interested in my love life?”
“We’ve known each other way too long to beat around the bush – Ellen . It’s time.”
“No offense, Mike, but I don’t think I should be taking advice on love from a man who hasn’t had a real relationship…ever.”
The words were true and cut to the very core of him. “Love? Who said anything about love? That’s clearly your word. Not mine. And at least I’m finally trying,” he replied, refusing to be angry with her for the comment. “I think it’s time you tried too. Besides, I care
Sarah knew to whom the words belonged. It was Beethoven’s love letter to his Immortal Beloved. She read the familiar words slowly a second time and felt her breathing grow shallow. Someone knew her well. Someone had done their homework. The man between the shadow and her soul wasn’t shy about letting her know just how well.
She picked up the flower and gave an extended inhale, filling her lungs with the sweet smell of the gorgeous sterling rose.
Turning the card over, she again looked for any clue as to who her mystery man might be and fantasized about his identity. Tall dark and handsome – or maybe just Mike Montgomery.
Pulling her phone from her pocket, she gave a fleeting thought to calling him. A knock at the door startled her and she put the phone away.
“Sarah, they’re ready if you are.”
“Yes. Thank you. I’ll be right there.”
She quickly pulled her head back into reality, knowing whomever she dreamed about couldn’t possibly be as spectacular in the flesh as he was on the cards he sent. It just didn’t happen.
“You wanted to see me?” Ellen asked as she peeked her head around the corner of Mike’s open office door.
“Come in, Ellen. Shut the door.”
Ellen rolled her eyes. “Am I on research duty again?”
“This isn’t about me,” Mike gestured to the seat in front of his desk. “Sit.”
Ellen cringed. She didn’t have a clue as to what was coming next.
“I crossed paths with someone interesting at Starbucks yesterday.”
“Really? Who might that be?”
“Tall, muscular, bald. I guess you could argue that he was a handsome guy. Sound familiar?”
“You met Penn?”
Mike rose from his chair and walked to the window and looked out over the city. “Penn.”
Ellen didn’t say anything, waiting for Mike to make a comment. But he didn’t. He stood with his back to her, continuing to look away.
“What?” Ellen asked, breaking the silence. “I met him at yoga.”
“What else do you know about him?” Mike continued, still not turning to look her in the face.
“He’s a chiropractor in town.”
“Anything else?”
“He’s nice?” Ellen asked trying to give the correct answer.
“I think you need to give this guy a chance, Ellen.”
“What makes you think he’s interested in me?”
“Do you think he’s interested in you?”
“Yes.”
“Very well then.”
“No. No,” she repeated standing from her chair. “Not very well then. What do you know that you’re not telling me?”
Mike turned to face Ellen’s demanding tone. “Does he know your story?”
“You mean does he know I’m a widow?”
Mike didn’t say a word. His face did all the talking. Raising his eyebrows, he dropped his head and pursed his lips.
“What do you want me to say, Mike?”
“Nothing, Ellen. I care about you. And I know you’ve been through a lot. But–”
“But what? Seriously, Mike. Spit it out. We’ve known each other way too long to beat around the bush.”
“I don’t think you know this guy’s real story. That’s all.”
“Are you saying there’s something wrong with him?”
“I’m saying there’s something very right about him, Ellen. I think you should give him a chance.”
“Since when are you so interested in my love life?”
“We’ve known each other way too long to beat around the bush – Ellen . It’s time.”
“No offense, Mike, but I don’t think I should be taking advice on love from a man who hasn’t had a real relationship…ever.”
The words were true and cut to the very core of him. “Love? Who said anything about love? That’s clearly your word. Not mine. And at least I’m finally trying,” he replied, refusing to be angry with her for the comment. “I think it’s time you tried too. Besides, I care
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