Flirting With Destiny(10)

When he walked up the steps to the massive Victorian house, he hesitated for a brief moment. I held my breath, hoping he would turn around, hoping to catch another glimpse of his handsome face. He didn’t. He simply pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, continued up the steps to the huge porch and went inside the funeral home. As he did, my eyes were glued to his backside. Even that was impressive. His shoulders were broad and filled his jacket nicely. His stature was powerful and erect, exuding confidence with every step. His hair was dark and well cut, in a modern style to go with his modern-cut suit. My heart picked up again as this image of his masculinity was absorbed into my brain. I smiled to myself. I was so easy, so gullible. A tall dark stranger arrives in town, in a black limo and look at me… I’m giddy as a schoolgirl. I shouldn’t be so patently impressed. It was obvious he was just going to the funeral home after all. But still, he was a mystery and a distraction from the ho-hum boring monotony that had become my life.

I hadn’t realized the dry cleaning clerk had finished with her customer and I blushed when I realized she had to call my name a second time. She gave me a curious look and said, “There must be something very interesting out that window.” She was standing on tip-toe to get a glimpse.

I stepped to the counter and handed her my ticket. I pursed my lips and asked, “Do you always know what’s going on at the funeral home? I mean, since you’re right across the street, I imagine you see everything.”

She shook her head. “I keep to myself. Mind my own business, if you know what I mean. This is a small town, it’s not good for business for me to be gossipy. Why, if I told people whose shirts came in with lipstick on the collar and smelled of perfume that wasn’t his wife’s, I’d go out of business. My job is like being in the Secret Service.” She laughed at the exaggeration. “Don’t ask; don’t tell. Just give me your shirts and I’ll launder the secrets away. That’s what I say.”

I looked at her quizzically. “Are you trying to tell me something about the shirts I pick up every Wednesday?”

She shook her head. “Like I said, I mind my own business…”

I felt my face grow cold at the insinuation and found I could no longer hold her gaze. My hands twisted in anxiety while I worried my bottom lip. Seeing this, she quickly assured me, “Okay, okay. I can see I got your feathers all ruffled. I can tell you this much. I’ve never noticed anything about those shirts you bring in, except for a coffee stain or two,” she said with a chuckle, confirming that Chip may be a slob, but not a cheat.

I smiled, relieved. Now I was just being silly. I’d been letting my imagination run wild and the mystery man I just saw didn’t help matters either. My reaction was probably based from guilt as I found myself thinking of things I shouldn’t.

I paid for the dry cleaning and took the shirt hangers. But before I opened the door, I gave one more glance across the street. As I reached for the doorknob, I noticed the limo had moved. It was now parked in the lot to the east side of the funeral home. I took my time, trying to dally as I made a grand gesture to open the door and close it, hoping he might come back out and I could get a better look at his face. Once on the sidewalk, I even pretended to drop my purse just to buy myself more time. What was wrong with me? Was I this desperate for entertainment in my life?

Yes.

I even considered kneeling down to tie my shoe, but happily didn’t embarrass myself by bending over and trying to tie my high heels. I glanced around, desperate for a reason to loiter, but trudged along when a brilliant strategy failed to reveal itself. I walked slowly, but my luck didn’t changed. Mystery man never appeared and before I made myself look like a total idiot, I decided to call Jules to meet me for lunch.





Chapter 5

Lauren

The sandwich shop that Julie and I called our favorite place was also a bread shop, specializing in delicious homemade breads that you could smell the minute you walked in the door. Each day featured a specialty, like Honey Whole Wheat, Sun-Dried Tomato Herb Parmesan Sourdough and Apple Cinnamon Swirl, just to name a few. You could pick which bread to have your sandwich made from, never an easy decision. A few steps before I entered the shop, I stopped to make the call to Jules.

“Hey Jules, come meet me for lunch. I need some girl time with my best friend.”

“It’s Chip again, isn’t it?”

“Well, yea. That and… have you heard any news about anyone who passed away recently?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I saw a guy, er, a man, a very well dressed man going into the funeral home just a while ago when I was at the dry cleaners. I didn’t recognize him, from what I could see of him anyway. I only got a glimpse of his face and I just wondered who he was. He’s very distinguished looking and pulled up in a limo.”