house phone ring at the same time.
With a few movements, she was up. But the sound of the phone echoed around the room. Where was it? Argh!
Trying to move toward the sound of the phone, she finally gave up right before it went to voicemail. Whoever it was would just have to call back later.
Making her way through the house guided by the dim lights and shadows, she vaguely picked up; she finally came to her make-shift bedroom, and felt around on her vanity for her perfume and brush. She’d have to make do with trying to be as cute as she could by memory. Spraying perfume on her chest, she heard him come through the door.
That was fast.
“Hope,” Michael called out.
She liked the way that he said her name. “In here,” she answered, setting down her brush and at the same time knocking some of the other contents on the vanity onto the floor. Butterflies erupted again. Feeling for her lip balm, she smeared it on quickly.
She could hear his large steps come towards her room. With each single echo, her heart lurched more.
Stop being nervous , she said to herself. He’s just a man.
Michael looked around her bedroom and smiled. Again, another place in this magnificent home that felt like a warm blanket. There was so much love in it, so much history.
“It’s nice in here,” he said, walking up to her. He found a certain amount of privilege in being in her bed chambers. It gave him more clues about her life. He liked the many colorful silk scarves, the checkered flower comforter, the warm green walls, the muted carpet and rugs, the antique lamps and the smell of sweet, intoxicating perfume. It was like a garden.
“Thank you. It’s not my real bedroom. That’s upstairs, but Bree brought my things down here until I get my sight back,” she said, seeing a shadow as he approached her. “Oh my,” she gasped, hands over her mouth.
He paused. “What?” Did he not freshen up enough?
“I can see something,” she said with a bright smile. Excitement rang in her voice like bells. “I can see…something!”
“You can see me?” he asked, walking closer to her.
“Shadows. That’s progress, right?”
Her smile was intoxicating. “It is,” he said, taking her hand in his own and fighting the urge to kiss her. “Are you ready to go?” he asked, moving a piece of her hair from her face.
“Yes,” she said, letting him guide her.
***
Michael was thankful for Hope’s blindness yet again as he looked in the rearview mirror. How else would she be able to ignore his entourage unless she was blind? Pulling into the park, he eyed the black Yukon behind him. They could ruin a wet dream. But Hope was in her own world. She rather enjoyed the ride. All the way to the park, she kept her window down and her face toward the wind while he played 107.5 The Q. He liked the station. Its pop music kept the mood light with the exception of Hozier’s Take Me to Church . Strangely, the tune reminded him of her.
Putting the truck in park, he looked over at her and felt accomplished. Whether she knew it or not, this was their first date. It was a first for him in many ways. He’d never gone on a literal blind date before, never put on a woman’s shoe, never assisted a woman on such an intimate level and quite frankly never felt this way.
Ready to get out and explore the park, Hope found the handle and opened the passenger door.
“Wait. I’ve got that,” he said, quickly jumping out. He waved off the men as he rounded the truck and mouthed, go away . But he knew that as long as he was there, they would be there also.
Michael looked up at the sky and the low dark clouds that were starting to form. Earlier it was a sunny morning with blue skies, but now rain was in forecast for the afternoon for sure. Only, he didn’t want to tell her that. What if she decided that she wanted to go back?
Hope inhaled the strong, fragrant
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