Linked by Barbara Huffert

Tori’s sobs broke as she wrapped her arms around his waist without giving him a chance to take his coat off.
    Guy shrugged out of the sleeves one arm at a time, letting his coat fall where they stood. He backed them to one of the overstuffed chairs and, with gentle pressure, urged her to release her hold enough for him to sit down, pulling her on top of him as he sat. She didn’t seem to notice that he arranged her so he could surround her as much as possible.
    It felt like forever before Tori’s tears ended. When they did, she became aware of how he was whispering softly while he cuddled her.
    “I really don’t cry all the time like this. I hardly ever cry at all.”
    “Then you were due. I remember asking my father once why my sisters were always crying.” Guy tried to distract her. “I think I was about twelve. I was the middle child, the only boy with four sisters and my youngest sister had just gotten her first period. She was only ten but they all matured young. Between them and my mom there were only a few days a month when one of them wasn’t hormonal. Well, Dad took me out to the garage. That’s where we always went for our man-to-man talks. He spent the afternoon giving me a very explicit explanation of everything female as he knew it. My father is a very insightful, intuitive man and I can’t tell you how often I’ve drawn on something from that conversation. For instance, Dad said that sometimes things are clearer after a good cry. He made a point of stressing that that applied to everyone, not just females even though some men weren’t secure enough to let themselves cry.”
    “Are you?”
    “Secure enough to cry? Definitely.”
    “When?”
    “When my grandparents passed on. When my sister, Terese, she’s Todd’s wife, had her miscarriages, two of them. When Barry told me he knew Carla was the one for him. When—”
    “Wait, why?”
    “Why did Barry’s happiness make me break down? Because he’d found what I was still searching for. Don’t get me wrong. I couldn’t have been more pleased for him. It didn’t stop me from being envious and feeling sorry for myself.
    “I grew up in a big affectionate family who all believe that there is a perfect match for everyone and when you meet, you’ll know right away. My oldest sister, Marie, met her husband in third grade and there was never any question that they wouldn’t always be together.
    “Todd’s car broke down on the highway when I was fifteen and working in my uncle’s garage after school. He had to wait overnight for one of the parts and we’d spent a good few hours talking so I invited him home for supper. He and Terese wound up talking all night on the porch swing. In the morning, before he left he asked my dad’s permission to visit often because he intended to marry her when she graduated from high school. I could tell you plenty more stories about various cousins and friends but you get the idea.”
    Tori felt her heart race at the sudden thought that she wanted to be the one for him and rapidly changed the subject. “Why did you come here tonight?”
    “I told you on the phone. I was sleeping and then I wasn’t. I woke up and couldn’t shake the feeling that you were scared. Did you have another nightmare? Is that why you turned on all the lights?”
    “Yes.”
    “Want to talk about it?” She shivered. “You don’t have to, Tori. I’m sorry. I don’t want to upset you.”
    “What?”
    “You started trembling when I asked if you wanted to talk about it.”
    “Oh.” Tori blushed and fought the urge to hide her face in his shoulder. “It’s not that. I’m just a little cold. Or the part of me that’s not against you is. The rest is nice and warm.”
    Guy hid a grin. “Yeah, now that you said that it does feel chilly in here. Maybe I should check your furnace.”
    “No. I turn the heat down when I go to bed because I like lots of covers. You called before I turned it up and then I got sidetracked.”
    Guy