Finally after what seemed like a lifetime I snapped out of it, but only because she smiled, and oh what a smile it was. She wore red lipstick that lined her lips perfectly and her teeth were like pearls shining so brightly I swore she had the intention of blinding me. I blinked hard twice and managed to smile back at her. “you’re fine, I too am running late but couldn’t be bothered enough by it to not get my morning fix.” She smiled and turned back around. I was still captivated. I was held prisoner by her beauty. She ordered her coffee that was more like sugar and milk. She turned to me again to say good bye and thank me once more for letting her rudely take my place in line by swooshing by me at the door. I almost let her pass me to leave but something struck me. I grabbed her arm gently to get her to stop. She was taken back and looked at me a little frightened. “I mean you no harm. Im sorry, I just… can I see you again?” I’ve never been that courageous in my entire life. I don’t normally do those kind of things. She chuckled a little, “im not sure that’s a good idea. Im still getting over a bad relationship, im flattered though. Maybe we will be running late again someday.” I let her arm go, a little disappointed but I knew it was a long shot.
I approached my office building a half hour later. My assistant Leo met me at the door and took my coat. “good morning sir. You’re late.” I smiled at him and nodded my head, “I know Leo, im sorry. Thank you.” He hung my coat up on the rack next to the door and handed me a huge stack of mail, “lots of fan mail today sir. Your recent novel is a hit with the teenage girls.” I smiled and laughed a little. It was a good book. One of my best. i regretted following the trend at the time of vampires and romance but it seemed to work out for the best. I sat at my desk and put my mail in a drawer that was overflowing with letters I’ve yet to open. I turned on my computer and started to read over what was hopefully going to be my next suspense novel. While looking at the ratings of my latest children’s book as well about a dog that saves his owner from a fire. “Say Leo, you know anything about illustration?” Leo looked up from sweeping the floor and laughed hard, “sir, I know you miss Kathryn, but unless you want stick figures, and very bad ones, I’d like to stick to the house work around here if you don’t mind. I’d rather not be responsible for your career being over.” Kathryn was my last illustrator. She got married and decided to move to Boston with her new husband. He was a doctor and told her that she no longer needed to work. She left to become a housewife. I laughed at the thought of one of my books having stick figures as pictures.
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