Chapter 2
Henry Duval ran all the way to Café Francois. He didn't want to be late for their meeting, not this time.
It really wasn't his fault, it was the catering business again; the one his father left him. He had to cover for another server who didn't show up. It was the second time this week.
And it wasn't that he hated it, Henry had done well. He lived comfortably and never wanted or asked for anything.
Except that he was lonely and needed companionship.
So he searched a few online dating services on the web and applied to one, which matched him up with a woman who was the same age and had basically the same interests.
Her name was Nicole Lindsay and from her picture and profile, she had been the perfect choice. They had everything in common; they liked the same movies, the same books, they even liked the same music.
He had never expected her to be so beautiful even though her photograph proved her to be. Sometimes, the women he met never looked like their pictures.
Nicole was the exception. He considered her to be the most beautiful woman in the entire kingdom of Haven. Henry had thought that from the moment he first saw her sitting at that table at the café. Her long auburn hair had been draped over her shoulders and it was hard not to notice her large brown eyes smiling at him, as he got closer to her table.
And she wasn't difficult to speak with either, a big surprise to him. They had felt very comfortable with one another, as if they had known each other for hundreds of years.
But she was secretive. He couldn't see her every night and it was only when she wanted to, which is another thing he found fascinating. She didn't stay very long at any of their meetings, using the excuse that she was late or had some business to attend to.
She had looked familiar though, and he couldn't remember where he had seen her before. He couldn't place her no matter how hard he tried.
Well, this time he was hoping she would stick around a little longer. They had been seeing each other for almost three weeks now and he knew that he wanted to marry her. He wasn't sure how she felt though. He could never get enough time to ask her.
Well, this time he would ask her. Henry brought out the small box that he had been playing with in his pocket. He opened it and stared at the small diamond inside. This would do. It wasn't big, but it was all he could afford right now. He was planning to open another store, a small café next to his catering shop. The customers had been asking him to do it for the longest time.
He placed the ring back into the box and closed it, smiling slightly, and then he looked up. He was standing in front of Francois' and hadn't even realized it.
Henry started to climb the steps. He was hoping that she would be here and not late as usual.
Henry Duval ran all the way to Café Francois. He didn't want to be late for their meeting, not this time.
It really wasn't his fault, it was the catering business again; the one his father left him. He had to cover for another server who didn't show up. It was the second time this week.
And it wasn't that he hated it, Henry had done well. He lived comfortably and never wanted or asked for anything.
Except that he was lonely and needed companionship.
So he searched a few online dating services on the web and applied to one, which matched him up with a woman who was the same age and had basically the same interests.
Her name was Nicole Lindsay and from her picture and profile, she had been the perfect choice. They had everything in common; they liked the same movies, the same books, they even liked the same music.
He had never expected her to be so beautiful even though her photograph proved her to be. Sometimes, the women he met never looked like their pictures.
Nicole was the exception. He considered her to be the most beautiful woman in the entire kingdom of Haven. Henry had thought that from the moment he first saw her sitting at that table at the café. Her long auburn hair had been draped over her shoulders and it was hard not to notice her large brown eyes smiling at him, as he got closer to her table.
And she wasn't difficult to speak with either, a big surprise to him. They had felt very comfortable with one another, as if they had known each other for hundreds of years.
But she was secretive. He couldn't see her every night and it was only when she wanted to, which is another thing he found fascinating. She didn't stay very long at any of their meetings, using the excuse that she was late or had some business to attend to.
She had looked familiar though, and he couldn't remember where he had seen her before. He couldn't place her no matter how hard he tried.
Well, this time he was hoping she would stick around a little longer. They had been seeing each other for almost three weeks now and he knew that he wanted to marry her. He wasn't sure how she felt though. He could never get enough time to ask her.
Well, this time he would ask her. Henry brought out the small box that he had been playing with in his pocket. He opened it and stared at the small diamond inside. This would do. It wasn't big, but it was all he could afford right now. He was planning to open another store, a small café next to his catering shop. The customers had been asking him to do it for the longest time.
He placed the ring back into the box and closed it, smiling slightly, and then he looked up. He was standing in front of Francois' and hadn't even realized it.
Henry started to climb the steps. He was hoping that she would be here and not late as usual.