Jamie woke bright and early to get ready for work. Today he felt renewed and lighter than he had in ages. He knew why, too. It was Claire. He had lain awake for hours thinking about her - how she would look lying next to him in his bed, how she would feel when he touched her, what their future might be like. He knew he was probably jumping the gun here - no one falls in love this fast, do they? Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was important - monumental even. Everything inside him was telling him that she was the one. Should he trust his instincts? They had never lead him wrong yet. He had never really believed in destiny...until now.
After showering, Jamie grabbed a cup of coffee on the way to his room to get dressed. He heard a telltale 'ding' coming from his computer. He smiled and padded over to his desk, clicking on the chat window.
Claire: Good morning, handsome! About to leave for work, but couldn't leave without saying hi.
Jamie smiled at her words, and his heart sped up a little. God, she was amazing.
Jamie: Good morning, yourself, beautiful Claire. Did ye sleep well?
Claire: Not really, had things on my mind.
Jamie: Oh really? What had you so distracted?
Claire: Well...to be honest...you.
Jamie: Me?
Claire: I thought about you all night, Jamie. Does that sound crazy?
Jamie: If you're crazy, I am too. I barely slept at all. I kept thinking about you too.
Claire: Do I want to know what you were thinking?
Jamie: Perhaps, but if I tell you, you might be late for work.
Claire: Now I've got to know. :)
Jamie thought for a moment, hoping that what he was going to say wouldn't scare her off.
Jamie: Claire, I've been wanting to ask ye...would ye be willing to talk to me on the phone tonight? Or is it too soon?
Claire: I think that would be nice, Jamie. I've been wondering what you sound like. I bet you have a deep, sexy voice.
Jamie: LOL. Weel, I dinna ken, lass. Ye will have to judge that for yourself.
Claire: Indeed I will. So, do you want to call me around 8? I'll send you my info.
Jamie: It's a date :)
They both went through their workday as usual, but the day seemed to drag on interminably.
"Jamie! Are ye listening to me, man?"
Jamie was working on book bindings with Geordie, his friend and coworker at the print shop. Jamie had ceased moving for at least 20 minutes and was staring off into space. At Geordie's words, he shook into awareness.
"Och, I'm sorry, Geordie. I've got a lot on my mind today. Did ye need something?"
"Lad, ye have been in a trace for the last half hour with a silly grin on your face. Tell me, who's the lass ye are pining for?"
"Lass? What makes ye think there's a lass?" Jamie tried to look serious, but he couldn't repress a grin.
"Jamie, I may not ken a lot about women, but I ken well enough when a lad has got it bad for a lassie. Who is she?"
"Claire," he said, smiling. "Oh, Geordie, she's amazing."
"Can I meet her sometime?"
"Aye, but *I* need to meet her first." Jamie laughed, seeing Geordie's confusion. He told him about meeting her online.
"Ah, I see. Weel, if ye two hit it off and do finally meet, perhaps someday ye can bring her by the shop."
"I'd like that."
At around 6 o'clock, Claire was nearing the end of her shift. It had been a relatively uneventful day, which was unusual for her. Unfortunately, that also made the day drag on even longer.
Now, as she clocked out, she couldn't wait to get home. She had it all planned. She would order chinese food for dinner, open a bottle of wine, get on her comfy clothes and wait for his call.
As it neared 8 p.m. she started getting nervous. What if he was nothing like she thought he was? What if he had a high-pitched squeaky voice? No, a man who looked like that would have a deep voice, smooth as velvet. She could imagine it now.
Across town, Jamie sat on his bed, staring at his phone. He was about to hyperventilate. Why was the thought of really talking to her making him so nervous? He took another drink from his glass of whiskey, a little kick of courage, as he liked to think of it. He stared at the clock on his phone. 7:59 p.m. God, this was it.
Claire's phone rang. She took a deep breath, cleared her throat, and answered it. "H-hello?"
"Hi, there. This is Claire, right?"
"Yes, it's me."
"You sound adorable."
She blushed. "I love that accent. Do you speak Scots?"
"Aye, wee lassie, I can speak wi' the best of 'em, ken?" He said with an exaggerated brogue.
She laughed. "I see, well, you sound wonderful."
"You do too. What are you doing right now?"
"Just finished eating Chinese food and now I'm drinking a bit of wine. And you?"
"Whiskey. I was a bit nervous, you see."
"Me too. But I feel better now that we're talking. God, you sound sexy as hell. Oh my, did I just say that out loud?"
He laughed heartily. "Aye, ye did, lass."
"Maybe I've had too much wine. Putting the glass down now."
"Och, dinna fash. I like that you think my voice is sexy."
"You do?" she said, hopeful. "W-what do you think I sound like?"
"Ye sound like an angel, Claire."
"Fallen angel, you mean." She giggled.
"Well, I don't know about that, but perhaps if ye are as feisty as I think ye are, that description might fit."
She smiled at that. "Are you flirting with me, Jamie?"
"Aye, am I doing a good job of it?"
"It's a good start. Tell me what you thought about last night. You never did say."
"Most of it isn't fit for your ears, lass. You'd be surprised at where a man's mind can go when enticed by such a beautiful creature as yourself."
"Ooooh, I'm intrigued."
"What about you, Claire? What did you think about last night?"
"I imagine it was along the same lines as what you were thinking."
"If it was, then you are definitely a fallen angel." They laughed together, snorting with mirth.
They talked and flirted for hours. At around midnight, after they'd relaxed with each other and had a couple more glasses of their chosen libations, they began talking seriously about what was to come.
"Jamie, can I ask you something?"
"You can ask me anything, Claire. Always."
"Is it possible to fall in love in just a day?"
Jamie swallowed. "Aye...it is."
"Has it happened to you, then?"
He thought about how he should answer. In the end, he decided that he wouldn't hold anything back. "Aye, it has...with you, Claire."
She gasped, not expecting that answer, but loving it all the same. She didn't know how to say what she wanted to say to him.
"Claire? Are you still there?"
She cleared her throat. "Y-yes. I'm here. Sorry, I just needed a moment."
"Did I say too much?" he asked, worriedly.
She smiled. "No, Jamie. I think you said just the right thing. It's the same...for me."
His eyebrows shot up. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? "Do you mean…?"
"I fell hard for you, Jamie."
Silence. After a moment, Claire said, "Jamie? Are you ok?"
"Aye, lass. I'm more than ok. You have just made me...the happiest man...on earth." His voice was husky with emotion.
"Oh, Jamie!" Her voice trembled.
"Should we say it, then?"
"You first."
"I love you, Claire."
"And I love you, Jamie."
They both smiled through their happy tears, amazed by what had just happened.
"Well, since we appear to love each other, it might be a good time to actually meet each other in the flesh, don't you think?"
She giggled, "Slow down, cowboy, our flesh will meet soon enough. How about dinner first?"
He howled with laughter, the nervous tension easing away at last. They were going to have so much fun together, talking, laughing, and sharing their dreams. He couldn't wait to see her.
"You're a witty one, you know that?" he said, trying to catch his breath from laughing so hard.
She smiled. "I've been known to be quite incorrigible at times."
"I wouldn't want it any other way."
They made plans to meet for dinner that Friday. Two days until they would see each other for the first time. Two days until the start of the life they'd only dreamed of.
"Jamie…"
"Yes, Claire?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, Claire. Goodnight my sweet lass."
"Goodnight."