November 4, 2016

Mary adjusted the shutters of the bay window enough to peek at Jared, who was mowing the grass at the back of the yard. A baseball cap covered his white-blond hair and a facemask guarded his mouth and nose from the dust and grass clippings kicked up by the mower.

A vague memory from their childhood stirred in the back of her mind. She closed her eyes to bring into focus the sight of Jared sneezing as a neighbor cut grass. Even as a child, he’d worn a bandana around his neck and frequently pulled it up over his mouth and nose whenever he encountered freshly cut grass.

She wondered if he hadn’t outgrown those allergies, which made her question why he would take a job that entailed breathing in grass on a regular basis. She shrugged, turning away from the window to move upstairs for her chat with David. She had more important things to think about than Jared working in her yard.

She slid into her computer chair and logged onto the chat forum a few minutes early. She grinned when David’s icon blinked.

Mary: Waiting for me, are you?

She felt ridiculously flirty this afternoon. And why shouldn’t she flirt with David. He was available and interested in her. She toyed with the idea of being more open about her growing attraction to this man who filled her thoughts during the day and her dreams at night. She might have a future with a man like David, if only he wasn’t going to Peru. But she shouldn’t get ahead of herself.

David: I feel like I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.

Zing went her heartstrings. Her fingers tingled as she typed her reply.

Mary: And now that you’ve found me, you won’t let me go?
David: Isn’t that a line from a song?
Mary: You do like Alison Kraus. I knew it.
David: Okay, so I gave her a listen after you went on and on and on about her singing a few weeks ago.
Mary: Nice to know I have some influence on you.
David: You have more than you know.

Her pulse kicked up a notch and for once it had nothing to do with anxiety and everything to do with the man on the other end of the chat.

Mary: Mmm, why don’t I believe you?
David: You should be careful with us cyber-guys. <:{ This is me raising my eyebrows and giving a sinister laugh.
Mary: Oh, now you tell me. I gotta go.
David: Don’t go, please. Have you no heart for this lovesick pup?

Lovesick, was he. Mary bit her lip and considered her reply. Part of her wished his words didn’t come across as so practiced in his flirting, but another part of her thrilled to be the recipient of his efforts.

Mary: Somehow I doubt your heart is that sick.
David: I didn’t have you pegged for such a cynic.
Mary: Not at all. I believe in love, except it usually happens to others and not to me.
David: Ah, been burned a few times, have you? Give me their names and I’ll take care of them for u J.
Mary: That’s sweet of you to offer, but there’s no need.
David: For you, I would lasso the moon.
Mary: Now who’s stealing famous lines. George Bailey to Mary in It’s a Wonderful Life.
David: It’s a great line and you remind me of that Mary.

Mary fanned her face with her hand. Whew, it was getting hot in here and it had nothing to do with the warm early June day. Her watch beeped and she sighed. It was probably a good thing she had to end their chat before she got in way over her head.

Mary: Sorry to end our lovely chat, but work awaits.
David: When are you going to tell me what you do?
Mary: Maybe one day.
David: You don’t trust me? L
Mary: It’s not that, but a girl can’t be too careful nowadays.
David: That’s okay. I’m a patient man. I’ll be seeing you in my dreams tonight anyway, and that’ll have to do until we talk again tomorrow.
Mary: You’re too much. Night.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Phantom Love is copyrighted and cannot be used in any form without permission from Sarah Hamaker.