movies do you write? Comedies, thrillers… Wait, lemme guess. Romance?”
“Right now I’m just dabbling in it, you could say, but I’m a stereotypical woman, so you could safely assume romance. I’m not really sure that I’m good enough, but maybe someday I’ll get to see my name in the credits.” She inwardly winced at her confession. Was she telling too much about herself?
Experience taught her that vulnerability somehow always deterred men. The moment she got comfortable and open, they seemed to run off, leaving her to dust off her broken heart. With each male disappearing act, she had always chalked it up to the whole cat-and-mouse dating game, where a guy always wants a challenge, but that just wasn’t her style. She wore her feelings on her sleeve, period. And she kept assuring herself that one day a guy would appreciate that aspect about her. Something beyond Marc’s blithe smile told her Marc had other intentions for showing up today, and the thought caught her pleasantly off-guard.
“What about you? Do you have a dream?” she asked.
“Yes, but not this. I’m still waiting for some lightning bolt to strike me with some revelation of when to go after it. But this IT stuff pays the bills for now.”
“So you like working on computers and sneaking peeks at strangers’ personal lives!”
“Oh yeah, I love it. Give me five minutes with your PC and I’ll tell you things about yourself you never knew. Though some things I’d rather not know, I’ve found out over the years.” He leaned back in the chair, arms crossed, and looked up at her slyly grinning. “Though, I wouldn’t mind knowing more about you, Haley.”
Wow, that was forward . Oddly, his assertiveness didn’t feel intrusive.
“Thank you,” Haley mumbled, averting her eyes downward, then she noticed blue fuzzy slippers adorning her feet. She unexpectedly grew self-conscious of her appearance. Having changed into a vintage t-shirt and cut-off sweatpants, she could have been mistaken for one of the residents of the local shelter. Moreover, she didn’t remember taking a shower yet today because of her morning rush, adding to the homeless effect. Of course I would be looking and smelling my worst, she agonized.
Turning back to the computer in response to Haley’s bland reply, Marc began the process of shutting it down. He didn’t see her face turn every shade of red.
Color flowed into the room through a narrow window, creating tiny prisms on the corner of the glass desk. The deep reds and yellows illuminated Marc’s handsome profile, casting an almost heavenly glow. Scruff peeked out from under his chiseled jaw. As Haley examined him, entranced, Marc turned toward her. Their eyes met. She shied away.
“Well, I really appreciate all you’ve done. So what exactly did you do?”
“It looks like the cable somehow got unplugged from the hard drive. But it’s up and working now.”
“Wow, you’re a genius. So, what do I owe you?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s on me.”
“That’s so nice of you, Marc. Really.” She didn’t want to end the conversation, but she was fumbling for something more to say. Nothing came to mind.
Her captivation left her speechless, and she noticed Marc’s faltering steps toward the door. The conversation took a clumsy turn, and they both stood frozen, as if time was put on pause, waiting for someone to press the “resume” button. Haley sized Marc up while he stood before her in silent confidence. Her gut told her that perhaps her presence was stripping him of that, rendering him more tongue-tied by the second.
“Well, I guess I better get going now,” he said with his back half facing her.
One last try. Say something . Butterflies swarmed her stomach and she realized she lost him to the silence. Walking downstairs, he turned around at the bottom step and held out his hand.
“It was nice seeing you again, Haley. I hope to see you around.” As their hands met, she felt him
“Right now I’m just dabbling in it, you could say, but I’m a stereotypical woman, so you could safely assume romance. I’m not really sure that I’m good enough, but maybe someday I’ll get to see my name in the credits.” She inwardly winced at her confession. Was she telling too much about herself?
Experience taught her that vulnerability somehow always deterred men. The moment she got comfortable and open, they seemed to run off, leaving her to dust off her broken heart. With each male disappearing act, she had always chalked it up to the whole cat-and-mouse dating game, where a guy always wants a challenge, but that just wasn’t her style. She wore her feelings on her sleeve, period. And she kept assuring herself that one day a guy would appreciate that aspect about her. Something beyond Marc’s blithe smile told her Marc had other intentions for showing up today, and the thought caught her pleasantly off-guard.
“What about you? Do you have a dream?” she asked.
“Yes, but not this. I’m still waiting for some lightning bolt to strike me with some revelation of when to go after it. But this IT stuff pays the bills for now.”
“So you like working on computers and sneaking peeks at strangers’ personal lives!”
“Oh yeah, I love it. Give me five minutes with your PC and I’ll tell you things about yourself you never knew. Though some things I’d rather not know, I’ve found out over the years.” He leaned back in the chair, arms crossed, and looked up at her slyly grinning. “Though, I wouldn’t mind knowing more about you, Haley.”
Wow, that was forward . Oddly, his assertiveness didn’t feel intrusive.
“Thank you,” Haley mumbled, averting her eyes downward, then she noticed blue fuzzy slippers adorning her feet. She unexpectedly grew self-conscious of her appearance. Having changed into a vintage t-shirt and cut-off sweatpants, she could have been mistaken for one of the residents of the local shelter. Moreover, she didn’t remember taking a shower yet today because of her morning rush, adding to the homeless effect. Of course I would be looking and smelling my worst, she agonized.
Turning back to the computer in response to Haley’s bland reply, Marc began the process of shutting it down. He didn’t see her face turn every shade of red.
Color flowed into the room through a narrow window, creating tiny prisms on the corner of the glass desk. The deep reds and yellows illuminated Marc’s handsome profile, casting an almost heavenly glow. Scruff peeked out from under his chiseled jaw. As Haley examined him, entranced, Marc turned toward her. Their eyes met. She shied away.
“Well, I really appreciate all you’ve done. So what exactly did you do?”
“It looks like the cable somehow got unplugged from the hard drive. But it’s up and working now.”
“Wow, you’re a genius. So, what do I owe you?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s on me.”
“That’s so nice of you, Marc. Really.” She didn’t want to end the conversation, but she was fumbling for something more to say. Nothing came to mind.
Her captivation left her speechless, and she noticed Marc’s faltering steps toward the door. The conversation took a clumsy turn, and they both stood frozen, as if time was put on pause, waiting for someone to press the “resume” button. Haley sized Marc up while he stood before her in silent confidence. Her gut told her that perhaps her presence was stripping him of that, rendering him more tongue-tied by the second.
“Well, I guess I better get going now,” he said with his back half facing her.
One last try. Say something . Butterflies swarmed her stomach and she realized she lost him to the silence. Walking downstairs, he turned around at the bottom step and held out his hand.
“It was nice seeing you again, Haley. I hope to see you around.” As their hands met, she felt him
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