by Ivy Jordan
My sticker was adhered to my window, and Kayla’s to hers. The large sign above was installed, and Kayla blew up balloons with a large ‘Grand Re-Opening’ sign placed in front of the store. “We’ll be busy tomorrow,” she said with a smile.
I finished cleaning up the store and left to go home. It was Sunday evening, and still no sign of Silas. “Just call him,” Kayla suggested.
“No way,” I argued.
“Why not?” she asked.
“He’s in Texas. He probably decided it was too far, and I’m thinking he’s right,” I shrugged her off.
On my drive home, all I could think about was Silas. What if he was my soulmate, my perfect match?
The old bakery sign was perched against the barn as I pulled into my parking spot. I stared it, wondering what my grandmother would have done in this situation. Would she have called him?
I knew she probably would’ve. My grandmother was fearless. She always went after what she wanted, and she usually got it. I remembered her telling the story of how she and my grandfather met. She had been on a trip after college with her girlfriends and saw him in a small shop by the sea. She’d approached him, telling him how handsome he was in his sailor’s uniform. I leaned back in my seat, just staring at that sign and thinking about how she took the chance on a boy that was a thousand miles away from home.
Inside, I turned on the lights and started my laptop. I was working on a new formula for a lip balm and a few things had to be ordered for packaging online. After that, I was going to call Silas. If my grandmother could do it, then I could, too.
I finished uploading my package design and clicked the ‘submit’ button for my order. My nerves were making it feel as though my skin was crawling. I took a deep breath and gripped my phone. I found the number from where Silas called, saved it with his name, and added the picture he sent me to his profile. I was stalling, I knew that, but I couldn’t get myself to do it. What if he didn’t want to talk to me?
My phone vibrated and rang in my hand, causing me to jump in my seat. My heart raced and my palms started to sweat as I stared at Silas’s image on my screen.
I took another deep breath and then slid my thumb across the answer button.
“Hello,” I said softly.
“Lucy, it’s Silas. Are you busy?” he asked.
“Hey, Silas. No, I just finished up with work,” I said.
“Great. I’d love to chat, if you still want to,” he said.
“Sure. I thought you’d forgotten about me,” I admitted.
“Oh, no. I was just really busy this week. I wanted to have enough time to actually talk to you. I have to admit, I’ve been thinking about you a lot. There’s no way I could have forgotten,” he said.
“I’m glad you called,” I said.
My cheeks were burning as I spoke. His voice filled me with excitement and curiosity.
“So, what work were you finishing up? It’s pretty late there, isn’t it?” he asked.
I told him about my packaging, and the grand re-opening of the bakery and beauty store. He seemed genuinely interested, and very impressed by my use of the organic ingredients grown on my farm.
“I miss the farm,” he said calmly.
“Are you planning on staying in the military? Or, are you planning on going back home after you finish your next tour?” I asked.
“I was planning on staying in. But I would like to find a home, and from there, I’ll weigh my options,” he said.
He told me how his grandfather and dad taught him to fly when he was just a boy. They had a crop-dusting business when they were both alive, but now, it was just him, his sister, and his mother. His sister moved their mother to the city to live with her and her family, so the farm was gone, and home was something he’d have to make on his own.
I longed to tell him he had a home with me, but had to remind myself I didn’t even know this man. Talking to him made me feel as though I’d known him for years. He was so easy to share with, and such a good listener.
“Is that why you joined the Air Force, because you loved to fly?” I asked.
“My grandfather was a fighter pilot. I loved listening to his stories.” His voice drifted off into a softer tone as he continued to tell me some of the stories he’d heard as a kid.
“I just wanted to make him proud. I still feel like that’s all I want,” he said.
I loved the gentle tone of his voice. The deep, masculine tone was replaced with a softer, warmer one that made my heart melt.
My phone beeped to alert me of the low battery. I checked the time. “We’ve been talking nearly two hours,” I chuckled.
“Really?” he said, sounding as surprised as I was. “I’m sorry to keep you so long. I’m probably boring you with all the military stories,” he apologized.
“Not at all,” I said.
“I do have to get up early,” he said.
I hated to hang up. His voice had become like a soothing entity, lulling me into a calm like I’d never felt before.
“Me too,” I agreed reluctantly.
“Oh, yes. You have your grand opening in the morning,” he said cheerfully.
“Don’t remind me,” I groaned.
“You’ll do great. How about I text you when I get a chance to see how it’s going?” he asked.
“I’d like that,” I replied.
“I’ve really enjoyed talking to you, Lucy. Would it be strange if I asked you out on a date?” he asked.
I giggled. He was a thousand miles away, so it was a strange question to me. “That’s a long drive for a date. Would we meet half way?” I laughed.
“We could Skype,” he suggested.
“I’ve never used it,” I admitted.
“Well, would you?” he asked.
“I would,” I replied.
“Saturday night?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Great. It’s a date,” he boasted.
I hung up and fell back into my favorite orange chair. My fingers caressed the arms, rubbing the velvety fabric against my skin. I was tingling all over, my heart was racing, and for what it was worth, I was really looking forward to our date next weekend.
Silas and I had a lot in common, that much Christine got right. But he was still a thousand miles away, so I wasn’t sure how this would all work. All I knew was my face hurt from smiling so much, and I had butterflies in my stomach. It was worth a try.
Chapter Three
The grand re-opening day at the bakery and beauty store was a huge success. The entire town came out to show support, and by the end of the day I was sold out of everything I’d brought in.
“Wow,” Kayla said, sliding into one of the booths.
I turned the sign to ‘closed’ on the door and locked it before joining her.
“I can’t believe we were that busy today,” I said.
The shelves I ordered were delivered and still sitting in a pile by my counter. I’d planned on having a slow moment so I could install them, but it never slowed down.
Kayla smiled and looked up toward the ceiling. “We have grandma to thank for that,” she laughed.
“I’m sure she was watching,” I agreed.
“Did you find a place for the old sign?” she asked.
“No. I was up late talking to Silas,” I admitted.
“Oh, he called? How did that go?” she pushed for details.
I told her how sweet he was, and how much we had in common. She stared at me with a warm smile as I gushed about how much I really liked him.
He’d sent a text earlier that day asking how everything was going. All I could manage to type back was ‘extremely busy’ and I hadn’t heard from him since. I hoped he didn’t think I was blowing him off.
“So, have you guys made plans to meet?” she asked.
I shrugged and shook my head. “We are having a video date this weekend though.” I chuckled, feeling embarrassed by the entire situation.
Kayla assured me that video da
ting was nothing to be embarrassed about. “Lots of people are meeting online. It gives you a hell of a better range of people,” she laughed.
I thought about that. Out town wasn’t exactly tiny, but it was pretty small when you considered the eligible men in the area. I worked a lot, and spent most of my free time on the farm, so meeting someone would be limited to whoever came into the store.
There wasn’t anyone in the town that I found interesting enough to date. Even if I did find someone, chances are they would know my ex, Jimmy, and for me, that was just awkward.
“Maybe you’re right,” I admitted.
The rest of the week, the store continued to stay busy. I had plenty of orders for products that I’d run out of stock on, and Kayla was up to her knees in cake batter for special orders.
Silas had texted me every day until Thursday, and called a couple times late at night before bed. He said he had a big assignment to get ready for, and that he would probably not be around much to talk until our date.
I was becoming accustomed to his ‘good morning, beautiful’ texts, and hearing the sound of his voice before lying my head down at night.
Friday was rough, and Saturday even rougher. I wanted to hear from him, even just a quick hello, or a text to say hi. Kayla pushed for me to text him, but I didn’t. “He told me he was going to be really busy,” I defended.
A part of me knew if he was able to find a minute to say hello, he would. I didn’t want to bother him. His job was important, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine the dangers he faced each day. I wanted him to be ready for whatever this big assignment was.
“Big date tonight,” Kayla teased playfully.
I was absolutely exhausted from the week, and even though I was excited about finally getting to talk to Silas face to face, I was afraid I would be a drag.
I smiled. My nerves were starting to go wild. I’d never talked through video before. What if I looked stupid?
“You’ll be fine,” Kayla assured me.
I knew my anxiousness was shining through, but I tried my best to believe her.
“I’ll lock up. You go on home and get ready,” she insisted.
Get ready? Shit. I hadn’t thought of that. What was I going to wear? Should I dress up?
I didn’t hesitate to take Kayla up on her offer. I blew her a kiss and rushed out the front door. “Where’s the fire?” a familiar voice asked.
I turned to see Jimmy, my ex, standing on the sidewalk in front of the store. “Is this your shop now?” he asked, pointing up to the sign.
“Yes,” I replied, pushing my key into the lock on my car door.
“You’re in an awful hurry. Hot date?” he asked.
I smiled, and probably blushed. “Oh, wow. It’s about time some man snatched you up,” he laughed.
There wasn’t any way in hell I was going to explain my situation to Jimmy, of all people. “You still look good, Juicy Lucy,” he smirked in my direction.
I smiled and slid into my car. He was so crude at times. I hated that nickname, and he knew it. He was immature, and always would be. I needed a real man. A man like Silas, with hopes and dreams.
I plugged my laptop in as soon as I got home and put my phone on the charger. I ransacked my bedroom closet looking for something sexy enough to show through the video. I didn’t want to look slutty, but sexy. Since I hadn’t spent any time running the clubs with my friends in college, and my time since had been spent mostly on the farm, I didn’t really have anything that fit into either category.
I settled on a blue blouse that my mother bought me. I’d never worn it before, but I remembered how she raved about it bringing out my green eyes next to my auburn hair.
My body tingled as I undressed, like the nerves were pinching at my skin from excitement. I turned on the shower, stepped inside, and let the water tickle my skin, like tiny fingers all over my body.
What was I thinking? What was I doing? This was crazy. I kept telling myself he was a thousand miles away, and I’d probably never even get to meet him face to face. It wasn’t like he could just leave the military base, and with my new business, I couldn’t exactly afford to just take off whenever I wanted. Ugh!
My nipples hardened against the water as I thought about his deep, dark eyes. That body, my God, that damn body of his. I let my head fall back against my shoulders and felt the warm water rush along my neck and down my chest. I thought about the ripples in his chest, and the powerful mounds of muscles that pushed out from his shirt sleeves.
I let my hand slowly caress my body, rolling gently to my belly. My fingers stretched out, reaching through the tight curls above my swollen flesh to my engorged clit. I pinched the delicate flesh between two fingers, squeezing it gently as I worked my hand up and down to create friction.
I tugged softly on my clit, pulling it away from my body as my fingers clamped around it. I could feel the pulsations starting, slowly at first, then faster and harder as I continued.
My legs trembled beneath me, causing me to grip the side of the shower wall with my free hand. The water teased my hard nipples while my mind tortured me with thoughts of Silas’s hard body pressed against mine.
I opened my legs, giving my fingers the reach needed to feel my juices flowing from my pussy. My eyes opened. I felt dizzy, but satisfied. The water rushed down my body, cleansing me from the excitement I’d stirred between my legs. I pressed both hands against the shower wall, calmed my breathing, and slowly opened my eyes to the reality of being alone.
Silas said he’d text me before he called on Skype. It was already six thirty, and we were scheduled for seven. I slipped into the blue blouse, leaving it unbuttoned enough to show off some of my cleavage, but not too much. My hair fell softly past my shoulders, cascading down my back as I blew it dry, and after a quick shake, a couple brush strokes, and another shake, it looked perfect.
Kayla told me not to wear too much makeup, not that I ever did. She was afraid the video would make me look gaudy and made me promise to only use lipstick and mascara.
I smudged some foundation under my eyes, just to make sure my circles from lack of sleep wouldn’t show through, and then applied the little bit of makeup Kayla suggested.
This was it, seven o’clock. My first video date.
I opened my laptop and signed into the Skype account I created earlier that week. I pulled my phone from the charger, sat it next to me on the couch, and placed my laptop on the coffee table.
I had a bag of shrimp, a bunch of fresh cilantro, and a large baguette of French bread ready for our dinner we planned to cook together. My stomach was growling, but I was nervous to cook, and then eat, over a computer screen with a man I barely knew, and had never met.
My body relaxed onto the couch, waiting for him to call. After seven passed, I felt my eyes growing heavy from the hard day at work, and my mind settled on the fact that he may not call at all.
I reached for my throw blanket, snuggled up on the couch, and decided to go to sleep without dinner, and without Silas.
My phone vibrated next to me as soon as I found my comfort zone on the couch. It was Silas.
Silas: Sorry I’m late. You still want to have our date?
I looked at the time. He was a little over thirty minutes late, but I was certain he had a good excuse.
Me: Yes. I’m ready.
Almost as soon as I hit send, the laptop sounded with a ring, and his Skype name and picture appeared on my screen.
I sat up, wiped my eyes, and clicked ‘answer.’ His face was dark, making it hard to really see him. “Hey there,” he said in that sexy, deep voice.
“Hey. I can barely see you,” I said, moving my screen to adjust the glare.
“How about now?” he asked. Suddenly the screen brightened, and his face was crystal clear.
“Yes. That’s perfect,” I replied.
“Can you see me?” I asked.
“I can. You look beautiful. But you look like you were sleeping,” he laughed. “I’m
sorry. Did you need to get some sleep?”
“No. I’d rather talk to you,” I admitted.
“Good,” he chuckled.
“I feel weird doing this,” I said softly.
“Why?”
“I’ve never done anything like this,” I said quickly.
He paused, but I could see him smiling. I was waiting for him to say he hadn’t either, but he didn’t.
“Have you?” I finally asked.
He laughed. “Yes. A couple times,” he admitted.
“Really?” my interest piqued.
“Well, I am in the military. Not exactly a lot of women here, and not many around here close,” he explained.
“Texas is a huge state. There are no women around you?” I asked.
I hoped he hadn’t detected the twinge of jealousy and disbelief in my voice as I spoke.
“I guess there are plenty of women around. I just rarely leave base, and the women I’ve met haven’t exactly been what I’m looking for,” he said.
“What are you looking for?” I asked.
He laughed. It was obvious I was making him a little nervous, or possibly even uncomfortable.
“I’m not looking for anything. My grandpa always said the only time you’d find love is when you’re not looking,” he joked.
“Mine too,” I said, remembering those same exact words from my grandfather when I was a teenager and thought I’d die without a homecoming date.
“Wise men,” he said. “So, to clear up the answer to that question, I’m not looking, but I’m certainly ready and open to finding that perfect someone.”
That was exactly how I felt in the moment. I was young, just turning twenty-five, there was no rush for me to fall in love and start a family. But I knew I wanted love, but only from that perfect someone. I’d know when I found it, or at least my grandpa told me I would.
“You hungry?” he asked, his tone perking up.
“Yes! I’m starving,” I said, rubbing my belly.
“What are you making?” he asked.
