Unexpected Romance - 5 Romantic Short Stories (7 page)

"When you said you love the arts, you had me. That's when I knew I was in big trouble," Linda whispered, enjoying even more the now familiar warmth of his hand in hers.

"Linda, we're a great fit, no doubt about it. I'm so happy we're having this conversation. I was so worried I was expecting too much and that you wouldn't feel the same way. This is such a relief."

"Oh, me too, I'm so happy, so happy I met you, you turned up right on time. Dreams do come true, it's true, it's true!" Linda giggled. "Oh no, there I go again, what are you doing to me George?"

"Don't blame me Linda, I didn't do anything," George laughed and looked into Linda's sparkling eyes. "Tell me though. Now that you mention dreams, I'm curious. Do you have any dreams for the future? Maybe a thought that is always there in the back of your mind, something you'd always love to do one day?"

"Yes, I do have one secret dream. I've only ever told one other person about it, Karen, I tell her everything. You'll get what I'm talking about when I tell you, I know you will, I can see already there's a romantic side to my professor, a side of you that's adventurous and daring. A side that most people don't see. Am I right?"

"You are actually," George laughed, "But, come on, don't keep me in suspense any longer, I can't take it. What is this secret dream of yours? Does it include me?"

"It most certainly does, George," Linda whispered as their faces touched and they kissed, softly, finally, at last. George looked into her eyes and felt his heart soften even more. "I simply adore you Linda," he replied and kissed her again.

Linda whispered in his ear, "Now that I've broken my golden rule by kissing a client I suppose I can tell you about my dream..."

"It's a perfect day darling, look at that sea," George shouted from the terrace.

Linda skipped out of the open kitchen doors and kissed George firmly on the lips, "Oh my, the Caribbean is stunning today, simply amazing, just like my husband."

George put his arm around Mrs. Preston's waist. "I have some good news to report. I just got off the phone with London. The garden concert is on schedule. And by special request, they'll be performing that Bach piece you enjoyed so much in Vienna. I'm sure you remember that evening."

"I'm sure I'll never forget that evening, George. How would I ever have guessed you were such a good kisser? You don't look like the type. You are just full of surprises, all good ones of course. Any surprises lined up for me today? What do you have planned for me today?"

"Oh, I thought we'd take the boat and go into town. Go to that great seafood place you like so much, and after lunch, I have in mind a lingering siesta with my beautiful wife."

Linda hugged her man and kissed him again, "Am I dreaming? Are you really here, with me, in our plantation house, by the Caribbean, do dreams really come true?"

"Yes darling, dreams do come true, dreams come true but only when you dream with your heart," George held his wife and knew he was home, home at last.

7 AM Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 Cafe

Helen dropped her back pack on the floor, placed the skinny latte on the table and sat down. She had two hours before the second leg of her journey and she was looking forward to reading her book. It was noisy in the packed cafe but she didn't care as she dived into the newly released thriller.

"Excuse me, mind if I sit here?" Helen looked up at the tall stranger and just stared at him. He had long black hair, a dark tan and a wonderful big smile. She guessed he was about 35. Someone like him could not be talking to her, he looked like he had just stepped out of a movie. She felt a rush of energy to her stomach and she felt lost for words.

"Is that ok? Sorry to bother you," he continued as he stood there with a heavy tray of coffee and sandwiches. He looked at the cute girl and wondered why she didn't answer his question. She looked to be about 32 and she was easily the best looking girl he'd seen all week. He liked her long brown hair, her slim figure and her light tan. She was just the kind of girl that did it for him.

"Yes, of course, please do, let me make some room for you," Helen croaked as she snapped back to life and hurried to move her empty tray to the table behind her, adding it to the debris of the previous occupants.

A little nervous and to avoid staring at him, she went straight back to her book, Helen was engrossed in the story, flying through the chapters when her freshly fed table companion spoke up, "Is that Harry Devon's new book? I didn't know he had a new one?"

"Yes, I just bought it at the newsagents before I came in here. I got the last copy, lucky me. It's great. So, do you like Devon's work?" Helen looked up from her book and tried to sound polite.

The man's eyes lit up and he moved forward in his seat. "I loved his last book. It really was a page turner, I was up until 4 one night finishing it. I literally couldn't put it down. That should be good flight reading for you. Where are you flying to today anyway?"

Helen's eyes twinkled. "I'm on my way to Chiang Mai. I'm taking a healing course and some time off to chill out."

Her male companion smiled and put his hands through his long black hair. "I love Chiang Mai. I spent a month there last summer, it's beautiful. I'm off to Lima today myself. I'm quite excited about it, I've never been there before. I'm attending a course too. It's a shamanic wisdom training, I've heard very good things about it so it should be well worth the long journey."

Helen put her book down, "It sounds like we have more in common that just books in that case. I was in Lima two months ago. On another healing course. Healing is my thing, it's what I do for a living."

"That's interesting. I've not studied healing myself but a lot of my friends are into it. I'm more of a meditation and alternative world view person myself. In fact, I give courses on personal transformation."

"In that case, is this a chance encounter or is it fate? My life seems to be one coincidence after another." Helen giggled and looked into his dark brown eyes.

"Definitely a random event. You and I have nothing whatsoever in common. I'm Tom, by the way, very nice to meet you." The tall dark stranger laughed and held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you Tom, I'm Helen," Helen smiled as she felt the energy in his hand, she noticed a warm pulse she hadn't felt before in anyone she'd met and she wondered what it meant.

"Do you always travel so light, Helen? You don't have much hand baggage."

"Yes, that's me all over, very little baggage of any kind. Us successfully single healer girls don't need a whole lot. Oh my God, I can't believe I said that. Too much information, sorry," Helen blushed.

Tom laughed, "Me too, I like to travel light, no need to apologize, the way of the warrior eh?"

"Something like that," Helen responded while avoiding eye contact. She forced herself to look away from those lovely brown eyes and instead stared blankly at her book.

Tom stood up and reached for his backpack. "Well, it was great meeting you. I must remember to get that book. Okay if I grab a photo of the cover as a reminder?"

"Sure, go ahead," Helen replied as she held up the book and Tom flashed a copy of the image onto his phone.

"Thanks. There's a great book shop where I live in Kew Gardens. I'm sure they'll have it."

Linda looked up and sneaked a look at Tom's eyes. "Kew? That's where my sister lives."

"Small world eh? I'm sorry, I'll have to dash. It was great talking to you. Bye." Tom grinned, grabbed his hefty backpack and dived into the crowd storming the departure gates.

Helen's eyes followed him and watched his back pack bounce up and down in the distance until he disappeared out of sight.

Interesting. Never met someone like him before. His energy is unusual. Very pure. Helen sat there, thinking, staring into space, she'd lost her interest in reading.

Sitting on the sofa in Sarah's Kew apartment, Helen and Sarah giggled as they both agreed a second glass of red wine was an excellent idea.

"Chiang Mai sounds wonderful Helen. You must take me with you next time. You simply must. Promise me you will," Sarah insisted.

Helen playfully punched Sarah's shoulder. "Of course, little sister of mine. I will. It's a deal."

Sarah countered with the question she'd been waiting to ask. "So, did you meet any nice guys over there?"

"One or two, nothing special though. I didn't find that special connection I'm looking for."

Sarah frowned and shook her head. "Here we go again with that special connection thing. Are you sure that's not just a figment of your imagination? I'm not so sure that it even exists in the real world, sis'."

"It is real, very real. I had it with Tom," Helen confessed before she knew what she was saying.

"Tom? Who exactly is Tom? You've not mentioned him before. Is he your secret Thai lover?" Sarah teased.

"I met him at Heathrow before my flight. We shared a table in the cafe, the place was packed so I let him sit with me. He's hot too. Tall, dark and handsome. And, get this, he teaches personal transformation courses," Helen beamed.

"Wow, Helen, he sounds like your perfect man. When are you seeing him again?"

"I'm not."

"Why not Helen? Come on sis, what is it this time? Does he not have enough of that special energy?"

Helen frowned. "His energy is amazing, I never felt anything like it. Very pure, beautiful actually. The thing is we didn't exchange contact details. I feel like such an idiot."

Sarah punched her sister in the shoulder. "Oh my God, you must be kidding me. Helen, what are we going to do with you? After the spell of dating disasters you've been through you finally met someone good for you and you let him walk away."

"I know, I know, no need to remind me, Sarah. I'm sure I can track him down, so it's not that bad."

Sarah picked up her computer, "What's his name and where does he live?"

"Like I said, his name is Tom, I don't know his surname, and he said he lives in Kew, he could be one of your neighbors for all I know. The only other thing I know about him is that he travels a lot and he reads the same kind of books I like."

"Well, Helen, that's not much help is it? You must know more than that, surely."

"No, Sarah, that's it. We only had a quick chat before he dashed off to catch his flight. I never thought I'd be sitting here talking about how to find him."

"You're such a nightmare, Helen, really, I don't know anyone else who gets into these bizarre predicaments," Sarah put her computer away and shook her head.

"I know. No need to remind me. Look, Sarah, I need to be realistic about Tom. I'm never going to see him again so I better just get on with it and get out there to meet new people."

"Sounds like a plan. Surprisingly sensible for you, actually. I'm impressed." Sarah smirked.

"If I meet enough guys I'm sure I'll find someone with that special energy I like."

"Oh No, here we go again. Helen, you're doing my head in with this energy obsession. Don't you think you'd have that by now if it was meant to be?"

Helen shrugged her shoulders. "Ok, I won't mention it again. Anyhow, to change the subject I joined a green consciousness online community. It's the busiest site of its kind in the UK so it's ideal for promoting my healing workshops. And, get this, there's a dating section too. So, I added my profile yesterday."

"Good job, Helen. Sounds like the right place for you to meet someone. Any emails so far?"

"I've not checked yet. Let me get my phone, I'll see." Helen giggled when she saw she already had 26 messages. Maybe things would work out after all. Maybe Tom would join and find her there.

Tom parked his car right outside Kew Gardens and ambled across the road to the Kings Arms. Jim was already set up by the roaring fire with a pint of bitter. Tom ordered a Belgian lager and joined his best friend, friends since the age of 11.

Jim shook his hand. "What's up Tom?

"The usual. Lima was a blast. I just got back two days ago."

"Cool, so what were the girls like, Tom?"

"Stunning, I met a lot of amazing Latina girls. Absolutely stunning."

"So, you got lucky, I take it." Jim grinned and poked Tom in the ribs.

"Not at all, it wasn't that kind of vibe. It was spirituality and good karma. It's not like going to a night club, Jim," Tom laughed.

"Ok man, maybe I'll have to see for myself one time. Maybe I can sex up these gatherings you go to."

"Anyway, I'm still seeing Wendy," Tom confessed, awkwardly.

"You're not? But, Tom, I thought she was driving you up the wall."

Tom sighed. "She is hard work but I end up getting grief with any woman I go out with. I don't know what it is but I seem to have that effect on women. I seem to rub them up the wrong way."

"Yes, I've noticed that over the years. But still, why stay with her if you're not happy?"

"Jim, it's not that I'm unhappy being with her, it's more a case that I'm not happy, not as happy as I want to be, if that makes sense."

Jim shook his head. "No, actually, that makes no sense whatsoever."

Tom tasted his beer and paused for a moment. "What I want more than anything is a special connection. I can't really explain it. It's a special feeling you get with someone. It's not just feeling in love, it's more than that."

Jim groaned. "Right, and you've found this before? I don't think so. Time to get real man."

Tom paused again and slowly scratched his chin. "I have had moments. I met a girl at the airport, in a cafe, we had a special connection, like I'm talking about."

"That's great, Tom. So when do I get to meet here?"

Tom gritted his teeth. "I didn't get her number."

Jim rolled his eyes and put his drink down. "You idiot. You complete idiot. Am I not always telling you to jump on opportunity when it comes along? God!"

"I feel like an idiot, I assure you. I do have her photo though," he passed his phone to Jim.