I don't know why it is—I guess it's because people have compassion—but if you suddenly become a widower at a fairly young age—and I would consider 51 to be young—relatives, friends and neighbors feel a compulsion to try and set you up with dates and invite you out to places. I guess they feel sorry for you. At any rate, I was one of those. At the age of 51,...
"36...24...36" I muttered to myself as I turned the dial on the safe. That had been the combination as long as I had worked at the small convenience store. Nobody could remember who set that as the combo. But no one knew how to change it either. At the end of the day I guess it doesn't matter. And at the end of a ten hour work day like this I didn't even car...
Beth arrived in Chicago just ahead of the storm. It wasn't predicted to be a very big storm, but by the time she was in the cab and on her way to the hotel, the wind had shifted and the snow was blinding. The cab driver didn't seem alarmed, so Beth tried to relax. Between the flight and the weather, she was tense. She told herself she would have dinner and g...
Try to picture it; and trust me, you're going to want to! Bob, and that would be me, is sitting naked in the hot bubbling water of a backyard Jacuzzi. I've got my hands tangled in curly, shoulder length hair. The only reason I knew it was a dark chestnut brown, was because that's how Dana described it. Actually, and you really do need to know this, it was he...
Thanks to everyone for their feedback on the previous chapters, with a special thank-you to my real-life editor. Remaining errors, if any, are mine. Reading the chapters of this story in order is highly recommended. All geek culture references are properties of their original copyright holders. ***** "Hey, Veronica, what's wrong?" Jenny asked as she poured...
Like bits of shredded paper struck to wet glass, the heavy snow continued to clog the wiper blades slowing the tiny electric motor to an unhealthy groan. The streaked windshield became impossible to see oncoming traffic, and both side-mirrors of the school bus were so caked, Jeff Morrison had to open the driver's side window every couple of minutes just to b...
Katrina cursed as her car slipped yet again, sliding toward the side of the road. The snow was falling thick and fast, the world a white blur that made it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. She'd been a fool to attempt to drive in it. The interview at the ski lodge had gone well, and she'd left feeling confident that she'd be receiving a call abou...
To say I hated Rebecca is too strong a word. Disliked, avoided, generally snubbed would better alternatives. Rebecca is married to my best friend, Steve, and so we are occasionally forced into each other’s company. Rebecca is an opinionated, feminist member of the lunatic left. Andy, my other best friend, says this is unfair and that the truth is I don’t lik...
There's a few weeks left of high school and sadly I'm riding the bus, something I haven't done since ninth grade. It's not something a person of my standing at school does very often, but it couldn't be helped—my car's in the shop, my boyfriend's away at a rugby tournament, and I didn't really feel like calling any of my other friends. The fact is, they are...
Chapter 1: Watching Her From My Hotel Room This occurred several years ago on a business trip to Denver. I was attending a dull, snowbound three-day conference and was regretting it from the moment I stepped out of the airport. The conference sucked. The speakers were weak; the materials were lousy; and the place just sucked. The downtown Convention Center...