Ella stood at the counter of her favorite coffee shop adding
sugar to her cup when someone bumped into her.
She had spent the morning arguing with her husband so having her coffee
spilled on the counter and dripping onto her old sneakers was not making it any
better.
She turned to give a piece of her mind to the culprit but
came face to face with the most beautiful blue eyes she’d ever seen. For a moment she couldn't speak.
“I’m so sorry! Let me help clean up that mess,” he apologized. “My name is Joe, by the way.”
Ella stood speechless staring at Joe. He took a pile of napkins from the counter
and wiped up the spilled coffee.
Joe noticed Ella’s shoes and once again apologized.
“I’ll pay to have
them cleaned,” he offered. “Unfortunately,
I do this all the time so I’m on a first name basis with the dry cleaner.” Joe smiled at Ella.
Ella fought to find her voice, “No, no, that’s fine. Accidents happen.” She fumbled with the words. Never in her life had she been so mesmerized,
not even when she’d met her husband. She couldn’t imagine someone so strikingly
handsome being clumsy.
Joe ordered two coffees and two muffins while Ella dried her
shoes and continued to stare at this well-dressed stranger.
“Join me, please,” offered Joe as he placed the drinks and
muffins on a nearby table.
Thoughts of her husband raced through Ella’s mind as she
considered her uneasy feelings for this complete stranger. She glanced down at the simple wedding band
on her left hand and wondered how could she be feeling this way about someone
whom she had barely met or spoken to?
She stood unmoving for several minutes contemplating her
feelings, her past – everything about her life that led her to this particular
moment.
Ella sat down in the chair across from Joe and extended her
right hand.
“I’m Ella. It’s nice
to meet you.”
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9 comments:
hmmm, what will be the ramifications of Ella's choice?
Nice beginning to a possibly longer piece
Oh no! I was hoping she'd decline and walk away. I agree with Carrie. This is a great beginning to a longer piece!
Joe is so adorably awkward and polite :3
Oh YES!!! I loved the way the whole story built to that last line. I was left wanting to know more about the character, and especially about this new friend.
Nice job! The pacing and conflicted emotions in this are wonderful. Please do write more on this one!
Nice job leaving us wanting more! I like the way you've crafted Joe's character. Thanks for linking up.
Ah, life's about choices. I hope her choice to dine with a stranger she's obviously attracted to doesn't lead her into a bigger mess of tangled emotions. I agree with the others that this is a great start to a longer story. I'd read it :)
Makes me wonder about her relationship with her husband! Great ending.
Someone made the wrong choice. Great writing.
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