I admit I'm hooked on those bite-sized romances in the check-out magazines. If you are too, you might enjoy this free short story. ***
You've got Mail
Tracy peered through her curtain at the post-woman coming up the steps. She picked up her tray and swung the door open. "Hi Penny, ready for iced tea?"
It was their Friday routine after Penny finished her rounds. Tracy's house was the last on her route and they would sit on the porch with their drinks watching the town go by.
"Whew! it's a warm one today," said Penny, fanning herself with a brochure before passing it on to Tracy.
Then she suddenly gave Tracy a nudge. "Look, there's your neighbor, heading out with his Schnauzer. Isn't he gorgeous? if I weren't happily married, I wouldn't even try to introduce you. I'd grab him for myself."
"Give it a rest, Penny, I'm not looking for a set-up. Besides, you don't know anything about him." Tracy wasn't going to admit she'd already met her neighbor, well sort of. She walked by every afternoon with her own dog, Juniper, on leash. Frank (she knew his name from the sign on his truck) always waved and smiled at her but it never went further than that. Tracy was afraid to linger at his gate, worried he'd think she was interested in him. Well, she was, but she wasn't going to tell him, or Penny. She didn't think she was ready for a man in her life just yet.
Penny was still answering her question. "I do too." She ticked the items off on her fingers. "He loves dogs, he's single, no kids in sight, drives a truck, works as a landscaper and has his own business. And did I mention he's gorgeous? What else would you need to know?"
"You are right about the gorgeous." Tracy smiled at the first friend she'd made since coming to Newdale to begin a new life after her last one ended so disastrously. She wasn't sure she was any good at relationships if her failed marriage was any indication. Someday, maybe, she'd like to meet her new neighbor, but on her own terms. She knew Penny would introduce her and leave her standing like a child in the centre of a room full of adults being told to perform.
After Penny had gone, she sat on the porch with her empty glass, thinking about her ex-husband Rich, and how she'd been caught by surprise when he took off with his secretary. How cliche can you get, she thought. But, Penny was right. It was time for her to get over it and look at meeting new friends. Maybe she should throw a barbeque and invite all her neighbors over this weekend. But what if no one came? She put her plan on the back-burner and giggled at her unspoken pun.
Next Friday Tracy had cold drinks all ready on the porch but Penny gave her a quick wave on the way by and said, "Sorry can't stop today. See you Monday."
Tracy sat with her iced tea lost in her thoughts when a voice came from the side of the porch. "Tracy?"
She looked up into the blue grey eyes of the neighbor who had starred in some of her best night time dreams.
He was holding an envelope in his hand. "Penny must have been in a hurry today. She put your mail in my box by mistake. I thought it might be something that couldn't wait till Monday."
"Thank you," stammered Tracy not sure what to say next, but knowing she didn't want him to leave. "Would you like some iced tea?" She gestured to the second glass. "Penny usually has one with me every Friday but she couldn't stop today."
"She must have been in a hurry today, mixing up the mail. I'm glad she was though. It gave me an excuse to come over. I hope you don't mind, but I've been wanting to meet you ever since you moved in. I always see you walking your dog but you fly by so quickly, I never got a chance to meet you."
"You always seemed busy in your yard when I passed, I didn't want to bother you."
"Maybe we could walk our dogs together," suggested Frank." That would be a start."
"I'd like that,' said Tracy. Then a horrible thought hit her and she flushed.
"What is it?" asked Frank.
"It's Penny. She never makes mistakes. She wouldn't have... She couldn't..." Tracy struggled to finish the thought.
"Oh but I think she did.' said Frank who appeared to know exactly what she meant. "Now would it be awfully pushy of me if I brought my dog over to meet yours? Then we could take that walk, and maybe stop for a hot dog at the park."
"I'd like that very much, said Tracy, imagining the talking-to she was going to give Penny on Monday.
If you'd like to read more like this check out A Baker's Dozen Short and Sweet Romances on Amazon
You've got Mail
Tracy peered through her curtain at the post-woman coming up the steps. She picked up her tray and swung the door open. "Hi Penny, ready for iced tea?"
It was their Friday routine after Penny finished her rounds. Tracy's house was the last on her route and they would sit on the porch with their drinks watching the town go by.
"Whew! it's a warm one today," said Penny, fanning herself with a brochure before passing it on to Tracy.
Then she suddenly gave Tracy a nudge. "Look, there's your neighbor, heading out with his Schnauzer. Isn't he gorgeous? if I weren't happily married, I wouldn't even try to introduce you. I'd grab him for myself."
"Give it a rest, Penny, I'm not looking for a set-up. Besides, you don't know anything about him." Tracy wasn't going to admit she'd already met her neighbor, well sort of. She walked by every afternoon with her own dog, Juniper, on leash. Frank (she knew his name from the sign on his truck) always waved and smiled at her but it never went further than that. Tracy was afraid to linger at his gate, worried he'd think she was interested in him. Well, she was, but she wasn't going to tell him, or Penny. She didn't think she was ready for a man in her life just yet.
Penny was still answering her question. "I do too." She ticked the items off on her fingers. "He loves dogs, he's single, no kids in sight, drives a truck, works as a landscaper and has his own business. And did I mention he's gorgeous? What else would you need to know?"
"You are right about the gorgeous." Tracy smiled at the first friend she'd made since coming to Newdale to begin a new life after her last one ended so disastrously. She wasn't sure she was any good at relationships if her failed marriage was any indication. Someday, maybe, she'd like to meet her new neighbor, but on her own terms. She knew Penny would introduce her and leave her standing like a child in the centre of a room full of adults being told to perform.
After Penny had gone, she sat on the porch with her empty glass, thinking about her ex-husband Rich, and how she'd been caught by surprise when he took off with his secretary. How cliche can you get, she thought. But, Penny was right. It was time for her to get over it and look at meeting new friends. Maybe she should throw a barbeque and invite all her neighbors over this weekend. But what if no one came? She put her plan on the back-burner and giggled at her unspoken pun.
Next Friday Tracy had cold drinks all ready on the porch but Penny gave her a quick wave on the way by and said, "Sorry can't stop today. See you Monday."
Tracy sat with her iced tea lost in her thoughts when a voice came from the side of the porch. "Tracy?"
She looked up into the blue grey eyes of the neighbor who had starred in some of her best night time dreams.
He was holding an envelope in his hand. "Penny must have been in a hurry today. She put your mail in my box by mistake. I thought it might be something that couldn't wait till Monday."
"Thank you," stammered Tracy not sure what to say next, but knowing she didn't want him to leave. "Would you like some iced tea?" She gestured to the second glass. "Penny usually has one with me every Friday but she couldn't stop today."
"She must have been in a hurry today, mixing up the mail. I'm glad she was though. It gave me an excuse to come over. I hope you don't mind, but I've been wanting to meet you ever since you moved in. I always see you walking your dog but you fly by so quickly, I never got a chance to meet you."
"You always seemed busy in your yard when I passed, I didn't want to bother you."
"Maybe we could walk our dogs together," suggested Frank." That would be a start."
"I'd like that,' said Tracy. Then a horrible thought hit her and she flushed.
"What is it?" asked Frank.
"It's Penny. She never makes mistakes. She wouldn't have... She couldn't..." Tracy struggled to finish the thought.
"Oh but I think she did.' said Frank who appeared to know exactly what she meant. "Now would it be awfully pushy of me if I brought my dog over to meet yours? Then we could take that walk, and maybe stop for a hot dog at the park."
"I'd like that very much, said Tracy, imagining the talking-to she was going to give Penny on Monday.
If you'd like to read more like this check out A Baker's Dozen Short and Sweet Romances on Amazon
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