Breathless

Chapter 10: Reveling - April 1

She was reveling in her swing again. Her heart must be healing. He had hope that the roses had helped her along that salubrious path. And now his poems too.

His eyes slid along the copper curve of her head. Her hair had always been glorious. In this moment, it was unbound and flowing in curling waves down her back, the natural sunlight striking golden glints off of it. He had yearned to slide his fingers through it for over ten long years. Of course, he had believed her completely lost to him for a whole decade. But then he had learned of her divorce. Out of the mouth of her ex-husband.

Owen.

His lip curled. That man had never deserved her. She couldn't have found a man less worthy of her if she had tried. Yet she had chosen him for some reason that had always been incomprehensible. What had she seen in Owen?

Her secret admirer had overheard that jerk telling his girlfriend that his divorce was final. That he was free of precious Ruby. And his own gentle heart had broken for her. Her admirer had never wanted to see her endure such pain. He had hoped for several years that she would eventually break up with her boyfriend of eight years. But instead, she had married him. Only to see him leave her for another woman less than two years later.

Now her mystery man watched that gorgeous abandoned woman bending her head over his flowers and drinking in their luscious scent. The look of rapture on her countenance gave him immense pleasure. Even if she never accepted him, if he could help her heart to heal, he would be satisfied.

—

After a while of savoring the sweet morning zephyr that breezed by her as her swing sailed through the air on the scent of hundreds of rich red roses, Ruby carried her happy armful of flowers inside. She unearthed every vase she could find to refresh her lovely blooms with a drink. Then she set those vases in rooms throughout her house. As she walked past several rooms on her way towards the front door, the delightful perfume of his roses once more enveloped her. He had permeated her entire home with his marvelous scent.

A smile of pure joy curving her lips, she locked her front door and turned to drag the bin to her car. Wondering how she was going to get the tote off the porch. But her heart skipped a beat when she discovered that both the plastic tub and the poem that she had written to her secret admirer were missing. Her pen still lay on her porch. The poem he'd written to her was still on the swing.

She crossed the porch to pick it up. She put his lovely words into her purse and zipped it shut. But where had her precious flowers gone?

Swamped by a sudden sorrow, she turned towards her car. Only to discover the bin resting on the ground near her trunk. She glanced around. Had he moved it for her? Was he somewhere nearby watching her?

She wasn't sure whether she should be touched or creeped out by such an occurrence. Had he read her mind? How had he discerned her intent? He'd known she wanted to take the roses with her today?

Her eyes slid out towards the street. And then down the block. Craving a glimpse of him. But she still saw no one.

She shrugged her shoulders and headed for her car. Would she be able to lift that big bin into the back of her trunk?

After opening her trunk, she bent to pull the tub up off the ground. It was very heavy. But she found that she could manage this much, at least. She was so thankful that she hadn't had to carry it from the porch down to the ground, though. He had definitely come to her rescue. As she pulled her car away from the curb, she glanced back. Hoping to catch a peek at him in her rearview mirror. But there was only an empty road behind her.