thought of doing. Like she claimed, she was good at organizing, really good.
We were so involved in our discussion that we almost didn’t hear her cell phone. When she did, she took it out of her pocket and tapped on the surface. Her face broke into a huge smile.
“It’s Tom.”
Seeing the joy that lit up her face reminded me of the way I felt when I received a call from Paul half a world away. That sense of happiness, of being connected, of being loved. It did me good to see that in someone else and know that I had experienced that same contentment once myself.
Chapter 6
“Hello,” Ellie said, gripping the phone and pressing it so hard against the side of her face that her ear ached.
“Hi,” Tom answered, and he sounded as excited as Ellie was herself. “So you got into Cedar Cove okay.”
“Yes. I’m at the Rose Harbor Inn now.”
“Your flight was smooth?”
He was asking about more than just the time in the air, she realized. “No problems.” She didn’t mention the troubles with her overprotective mother.
“I know your mom was dead set against this.”
“My mother doesn’t rule my life.” Not from a lack of trying, however.
“I was sincere about talking to her, reassuring her.”
“No.” Ellie was adamant. Experience had taught her that nothingTom said or did would ease Virginia Reynolds’s worries. Over the years her mother had ruined Ellie’s dating prospects far too often. She’d lost count of the number of promising relationships that had gone down in flames, all because of her mother’s fears. What angered Ellie was how she had let it happen. Well, not this time. Not with Tom.
“I’m excited to see you,” Tom said, his voice dipping slightly.
“Me, too … see you, I mean,” she said with a nervous laugh.
“I’ll be off work in another couple hours, but I’d like to run home and change clothes before I come to the inn. I made dinner reservations at DD’s on the Cove. We can walk there from the inn, but I’d rather drive in case we want to go somewhere after dinner.”
“It’s perfect. I walked down to the waterfront shortly after I arrived.” After being cooped up on the plane and then the bus, Ellie had felt the need to exercise her legs. Walking had helped her burn off nervous energy.
“I won’t be more than fifteen minutes longer than the time I gave you.”
“No problem. I’m not going anywhere,” Ellie assured him. The anticipation was all part of the excitement. Meeting Tom was like Christmas times ten. “Are you nervous?” she asked. They’d spoken frequently, and she knew the sound of his voice, and she could hear the unease in him now.
“Very.”
“Me, too.”
“I don’t want to disappoint you,” he said.
“That’s my big fear, too.”
“You couldn’t … it isn’t possible. You’re beautiful … inside and out; more than I ever expected to find in a woman.”
Ellie felt the same way about him. He made her feel cherished and loved. Compliments didn’t roll off his tongue with practiced ease as if he’d said the same words to a dozen women before her. He seemed just as ill at ease about this first meeting as she was, which reassured her.
“Promise me one thing,” Tom whispered.
“I will if I can,” she whispered back.
“That no matter what happens this weekend, that you’ll …” He hesitated, as if he wasn’t sure how best to continue.
“That I’ll what?” she urged, eager to reassure him nothing would change between them.
Again he paused. “I have to go. Personal phone calls are frowned upon. My supervisor is giving me the eagle eye. I’ll be at the inn to pick you up as soon as I can manage.”
“I’ll be waiting, and Tom, please don’t worry. Everything is going to work out.”
“That’s my hope. Bye for now.”
“Bye,” she repeated. She returned her phone to her purse and heaved a sigh, wondering what it was that had Tom this concerned. Despite reassurances, he seemed to think she’d
We were so involved in our discussion that we almost didn’t hear her cell phone. When she did, she took it out of her pocket and tapped on the surface. Her face broke into a huge smile.
“It’s Tom.”
Seeing the joy that lit up her face reminded me of the way I felt when I received a call from Paul half a world away. That sense of happiness, of being connected, of being loved. It did me good to see that in someone else and know that I had experienced that same contentment once myself.
Chapter 6
“Hello,” Ellie said, gripping the phone and pressing it so hard against the side of her face that her ear ached.
“Hi,” Tom answered, and he sounded as excited as Ellie was herself. “So you got into Cedar Cove okay.”
“Yes. I’m at the Rose Harbor Inn now.”
“Your flight was smooth?”
He was asking about more than just the time in the air, she realized. “No problems.” She didn’t mention the troubles with her overprotective mother.
“I know your mom was dead set against this.”
“My mother doesn’t rule my life.” Not from a lack of trying, however.
“I was sincere about talking to her, reassuring her.”
“No.” Ellie was adamant. Experience had taught her that nothingTom said or did would ease Virginia Reynolds’s worries. Over the years her mother had ruined Ellie’s dating prospects far too often. She’d lost count of the number of promising relationships that had gone down in flames, all because of her mother’s fears. What angered Ellie was how she had let it happen. Well, not this time. Not with Tom.
“I’m excited to see you,” Tom said, his voice dipping slightly.
“Me, too … see you, I mean,” she said with a nervous laugh.
“I’ll be off work in another couple hours, but I’d like to run home and change clothes before I come to the inn. I made dinner reservations at DD’s on the Cove. We can walk there from the inn, but I’d rather drive in case we want to go somewhere after dinner.”
“It’s perfect. I walked down to the waterfront shortly after I arrived.” After being cooped up on the plane and then the bus, Ellie had felt the need to exercise her legs. Walking had helped her burn off nervous energy.
“I won’t be more than fifteen minutes longer than the time I gave you.”
“No problem. I’m not going anywhere,” Ellie assured him. The anticipation was all part of the excitement. Meeting Tom was like Christmas times ten. “Are you nervous?” she asked. They’d spoken frequently, and she knew the sound of his voice, and she could hear the unease in him now.
“Very.”
“Me, too.”
“I don’t want to disappoint you,” he said.
“That’s my big fear, too.”
“You couldn’t … it isn’t possible. You’re beautiful … inside and out; more than I ever expected to find in a woman.”
Ellie felt the same way about him. He made her feel cherished and loved. Compliments didn’t roll off his tongue with practiced ease as if he’d said the same words to a dozen women before her. He seemed just as ill at ease about this first meeting as she was, which reassured her.
“Promise me one thing,” Tom whispered.
“I will if I can,” she whispered back.
“That no matter what happens this weekend, that you’ll …” He hesitated, as if he wasn’t sure how best to continue.
“That I’ll what?” she urged, eager to reassure him nothing would change between them.
Again he paused. “I have to go. Personal phone calls are frowned upon. My supervisor is giving me the eagle eye. I’ll be at the inn to pick you up as soon as I can manage.”
“I’ll be waiting, and Tom, please don’t worry. Everything is going to work out.”
“That’s my hope. Bye for now.”
“Bye,” she repeated. She returned her phone to her purse and heaved a sigh, wondering what it was that had Tom this concerned. Despite reassurances, he seemed to think she’d
Similar Books
