Through the Looking Glass
Page 3
Leaning one hand on the tall bar, he tilted his head in consideration. "I come in here once in a while, but I’ve never seen you--more’s the pity."
There went that hot flush again. Could he possibly be? "You wouldn’t know anyone named Rabbit, would you?"
"Just the one on my bike," he said with a flash of white teeth. He glanced out the window, frowned at the rain. "Bad day for a bike, though, so the fat boy is home, pouting."
"Fat boy?"
"My Harley," he said ruefully. "It has a white rabbit painted on the tank--it’s an inside joke. My buddy has one with the Mad Hatter. Are you all right?" he asked in sudden concern, reaching out to steady her as she tottered.
"Head rush," Ali said quickly, sitting down right where she was. It was early, they were alone, and she’d just had the shock of her life.
He hurried around the counter. "Here, put your head between your knees. Have you eaten breakfast yet? Maybe that’s the trouble."
"No, no breakfast," she said faintly. That wasn’t the problem, but she wasn’t going to enlighten him. How would she explain? Gee, did you know I’ve been dreaming of you every night? Have you ever been to Wonderland? Do you remember the Mad Hatter offering me psychedelic brownies? Um, no, I haven’t been sniffing glue this morning.
"Well, here." Unaware of her frantic mental scramble, he got up and fixed two blueberry bagels and some coffee, then helped her to a table in front of the window. "I’m buying."
She managed a weak smile. "Maybe I should get the tip." They shared a laugh, then had breakfast.
"By the way, my name is Brian … Brian Ott. I’m the architect in charge of that new church down on Lime St."
"The huge one with the stained glass windows? I love that place! You really designed it?" There were several big churches in town, but none of them had the style of Brian’s creation. Build to resemble a medieval cathedral, it had been two years in the making and was the talk of the town.
He smiled. "I didn’t catch your name?"
"Oh! Sorry. It’s Ali."
"Short for Alice?" He grinned. "Now I know I have to introduce you to my bike. You’re going to love the White Rabbit. Why don’t you give me your number? Maybe I could take you for a ride this weekend."
"Yeah," she murmured, bemused. The glint of amusement in his eyes woke her up from her daze. "Uh, yeah. I’d like that." Quickly, she jotted her number down on a napkin and slid it to him. She risked a glance at him and blushed. Things like this just didn’t happen to her.
His eyes sparkled as glanced at the window. "Looks like it’s letting up, and I’ve got to get to work. I’ll call you later."
He’d call her. Ali couldn’t stop her grin as she cleared the table. The man of her dreams--literally--was going to call her. No more lonely nights, no more futile daydreams, and if he kissed half as good as she hoped….
Her grin broadened as she greeted the first customer of the day.
Sometimes dreams did come true.