time, I don’t believe it. I’ve had things put over on me that anyone with even a little psychic ability would have known about. Things that anyone with a brain should have known about. But every once in a while, something happens that makes me wonder.”
“So you did imagine us at the Falls?”
“Yes, just like you said.”
He leaned back in his chair and interlaced his fingers behind his head. “There’s a perfectly rational explanation. A psychic connection isn’t necessary for two people to have the same thought at the same time. If you mention the word honeymoon in a crowd, most everyone would think of Niagara Falls. That’s because it’s a popular honeymoon destination. Try it the next time you have the chance.”
“There are other things, a lot more intriguing than us having the same thought, that have been going through my head. Things that can’t be real.”
“Okay, please tell me because I rattled off all that crap to convince myself more than you.”
“If you hadn’t been here, I’d probably be an Audrey Popsicle by now.”
Stephen couldn’t help but let his mind run with that imagery. He would have loved nothing better than letting her melt in his mouth. “That’s definitely intriguing, but not in the context that you meant.”
“You can’t be here, Stephen, you can’t be real.”
Stephen patted his cheeks and hair, then raised his chin and turned his profile to her. “The ladies all tell me I’m dreamy, but I assure you I’m real.”
Audrey flopped her head down onto the table, groaning loudly. “I’m beginning to think that I might have gotten knocked out when I crashed my car. I’m probably still sitting behind the wheel, sucking exhaust fumes, slowly suffocating. You’re just a fantasy, Stephen. There’s no other way to explain you.”
The words she spoke echoed his thoughts about her. His heart raced at the implications. There had to be something more to their meeting than mere coincidence. Some cosmic force had brought them together for a purpose. The utter stupidity of the ideas running through his mind made him cringe. He was clearly losing it. Snowed in for half a day and I’m already stir crazy. “So, I’m your fantasy man? Tell me something else intriguing.”
Audrey raised her head and rolled her eyes at him. “This is like trying to communicate with a two-year-old.”
“Sorry, I’m genuinely interested to know why you think you’re dreaming.”
“I’ve said too much already. I have a commitment to keep. On the off chance that you’re real and I’m not dying or insane, I can’t let my imagination run away with me.”
“Yes, you’re right, of course.” He raised his hand and wagged a finger at her. “Please keep those fantasies in check, young lady. Now, eat your lunch before it gets cold and no whining.”
She shot him a smirk. “Thanks, Mom. So, I’m just one of the guys, right?”
Stephen sighed heavily and slumped down in his chair. He knew that he should humor her, just say yes, and pretend that his heart didn’t feel like it was ready to implode, but he couldn’t let the conversation end without expressing at least a little of his true feelings. “I’m sorry, Audrey, that doesn’t work for me. How about I agree to respect you as a woman who is engaged to be married? I can’t help finding you attractive, but I’ll do my very best to reign in my out of control hormones and refrain from making any more suggestive comments. Does that work for you?”
All the joy drained from her face. She didn’t answer, just nodded and took a bite of her sandwich. Stephen had given her what he thought she wanted, but something was obviously wrong. Her bubbly personality turned somber, and she ate in total silence. It could have been that she wasn’t feeling well, but he knew in his heart there was more to her sudden change than a queasy stomach.
If the woman sitting across from him had been his girlfriend, he’d believe he had done something
“So you did imagine us at the Falls?”
“Yes, just like you said.”
He leaned back in his chair and interlaced his fingers behind his head. “There’s a perfectly rational explanation. A psychic connection isn’t necessary for two people to have the same thought at the same time. If you mention the word honeymoon in a crowd, most everyone would think of Niagara Falls. That’s because it’s a popular honeymoon destination. Try it the next time you have the chance.”
“There are other things, a lot more intriguing than us having the same thought, that have been going through my head. Things that can’t be real.”
“Okay, please tell me because I rattled off all that crap to convince myself more than you.”
“If you hadn’t been here, I’d probably be an Audrey Popsicle by now.”
Stephen couldn’t help but let his mind run with that imagery. He would have loved nothing better than letting her melt in his mouth. “That’s definitely intriguing, but not in the context that you meant.”
“You can’t be here, Stephen, you can’t be real.”
Stephen patted his cheeks and hair, then raised his chin and turned his profile to her. “The ladies all tell me I’m dreamy, but I assure you I’m real.”
Audrey flopped her head down onto the table, groaning loudly. “I’m beginning to think that I might have gotten knocked out when I crashed my car. I’m probably still sitting behind the wheel, sucking exhaust fumes, slowly suffocating. You’re just a fantasy, Stephen. There’s no other way to explain you.”
The words she spoke echoed his thoughts about her. His heart raced at the implications. There had to be something more to their meeting than mere coincidence. Some cosmic force had brought them together for a purpose. The utter stupidity of the ideas running through his mind made him cringe. He was clearly losing it. Snowed in for half a day and I’m already stir crazy. “So, I’m your fantasy man? Tell me something else intriguing.”
Audrey raised her head and rolled her eyes at him. “This is like trying to communicate with a two-year-old.”
“Sorry, I’m genuinely interested to know why you think you’re dreaming.”
“I’ve said too much already. I have a commitment to keep. On the off chance that you’re real and I’m not dying or insane, I can’t let my imagination run away with me.”
“Yes, you’re right, of course.” He raised his hand and wagged a finger at her. “Please keep those fantasies in check, young lady. Now, eat your lunch before it gets cold and no whining.”
She shot him a smirk. “Thanks, Mom. So, I’m just one of the guys, right?”
Stephen sighed heavily and slumped down in his chair. He knew that he should humor her, just say yes, and pretend that his heart didn’t feel like it was ready to implode, but he couldn’t let the conversation end without expressing at least a little of his true feelings. “I’m sorry, Audrey, that doesn’t work for me. How about I agree to respect you as a woman who is engaged to be married? I can’t help finding you attractive, but I’ll do my very best to reign in my out of control hormones and refrain from making any more suggestive comments. Does that work for you?”
All the joy drained from her face. She didn’t answer, just nodded and took a bite of her sandwich. Stephen had given her what he thought she wanted, but something was obviously wrong. Her bubbly personality turned somber, and she ate in total silence. It could have been that she wasn’t feeling well, but he knew in his heart there was more to her sudden change than a queasy stomach.
If the woman sitting across from him had been his girlfriend, he’d believe he had done something
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