Heart of the Matter

by bbflabradors

This is a Jack and Elizabeth modern romance set in Chicago, Illinois. Jack is a cardiothoracic surgeon, and Elizabeth is a social services supervisor. But when they introduce themselves, things are not exactly what they seem. Will they get to the truth, and if they do, are they willing to put things aside and start over?

1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."

Chapter 1- To Tell the Truth-or Not

Elizabeth Thatcher- Chicago, Illinois…

Elizabeth Thatcher, age 30, was 5'9" tall with auburn hair, and blue eyes that rivaled the waters of the Caribbean. Her body was exquisitely toned, especially for a woman who hated to go to the gym, and only did so when all excuses failed. She did, however, like to run, and tried to do so several times a week, loving it more in the spring, and fall than in the winter and summer.

Although her family was from Boston, Elizabeth attended Northwestern University for her undergraduate and graduate degrees, and decided to remain in Chicago when she received a job offer from the Cook County Department of Social Services. She began her career at the age of twenty-four (24), and now, at the age of thirty (30), was promoted to a supervisory position in the Child Protective Services Department.

Elizabeth loved her job, however, many of the situations she encountered were both emotionally draining, and occasionally physically challenging, with a slice of danger thrown in from time to time. As a result, she was on a first name basis with many of the police officers and detectives who patrolled the Cook County area, thankful to them for their timely assistance when emergency calls from her agency were made.

Although asked out on many occasions by officers and detectives in the police force, she always graciously declined, advising it was too difficult to mix work with pleasure. Truthfully, she could probably handle mixing the two, but she was actually more afraid of becoming involved with a man in such a dangerous profession.

On many occasions, she was present when officers were called to the scene of a disturbance, most times having made the call herself. Although she was well protected, the officers put their lives on the line dealing with hostage ordeals, domestic disputes, assaultive situations, and during one incident, a detective lost his life when a woman, experiencing a mental 'episode' lunged at him with a screwdriver, mortally stabbing him in the heart. Doing what she could to stop the bleeding while EMS was enroute, it was all for naught, and she walked away covered in blood.

Sadly, that was the first of several detective/police officer funerals she attended. Some she knew, while others she attended out of respect for the deceased and as a sign of solidarity for the department.

Elizabeth was considered to be a bright spot in the lives of everyone who knew her. She was well thought of by her friends, co-workers, and clients, both those she assisted while employed as a social worker, and others she still worked with since her promotion. She was always available to help when needed, even going above and beyond to organize fundraisers in hopes of providing much needed services to the community that city officials consistently professed they had no money for.

One such fundraising event was the upcoming annual benefit and spring fashion show to be held on Mother's Day. This was Elizabeth's first time working on this particular fundraiser, and desperately wanted it to be a success.

It was a combined event, in conjunction with a silent auction, to be held in a large private hall inside Northwestern Memorial Hospital, with all proceeds going to equally benefit both Cook County Social Services, and the hospital's Volunteer Department.

Elizabeth was not one to flaunt her 'stuff' on a runway, so she felt her skills were put to better use behind the curtain. She worked diligently to entice high profile personalities and professionals, such as newscasters, local actors, politicians, doctors, lawyers, and large company CEOs, both men and women, to donate their time as models. Additionally, they planned to highlight local designers such as Borris Powell, Lascala Design, Sew Anastasia, and Vicegerent, among several others.

She also heard during one of their planning meetings that a bachelor and bachelorette auction would be the highlight of the benefit, five men and five women, and would finish out the evening's festivities. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, she buried her head in her iPad, pretending to be focused on other aspects of the benefit until the group moved on to another topic. She blew out a hard breath, 'tragedy averted,' she whispered.

Living in a large city, Elizabeth enjoyed putting on her earphones, turning on her favorite tunes, and running along Lake Michigan with the well-known Chicago breeze blowing in her face. However, for safety reasons, she usually met Anthony Brewer, an orthopedic surgeon, who lived seven floors below her, at 6am, down in the lobby of their apartment complex, and they ran together.

Thankfully, having already run on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of this week, her minimal three days of exercise were complete. It was now Friday, Anthony had an early shift at the hospital, and feeling uncomfortable about running alone, she was thankful that today, she could hopefully relax.

Jack Thornton- Chicago, Illinois…

Jack Thornton, age 34, was a cardiothoracic surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, having taken over as head of the department within the previous six months, the youngest person to ever hold that position.

He was a gorgeous man, standing 5'11" tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes, a muscular build, and dimples that seemed to go on forever…that is when he took the time to smile. As a result, he was the most sought-after bachelor, and if he ate only a fraction of the baked goods the single female nurses and other staff brought to him on a regular basis, he would have had a serious weight problem. But not Jack, not the man who, in an attempt to benefit any staff interested, had a gym constructed in an available room on the third floor of the hospital. He often found himself there in the middle of the night, lifting weights, or running on the treadmill, trying to relieve the tension that had built up over work issues, or the wants, and desires that for him he'd pushed aside and left unfulfilled.

Jack was easy on the eyes, and women practically fell over themselves trying to make a good impression upon him. However, once they learned that he was a cardiothoracic surgeon, with a seemingly bottomless bank account, their hooks went into overdrive, and all they seemed to see was marriage, money, and status, and not necessarily in that order.

Jack honestly had no idea who he could trust, and as a result, he stopped looking, figuring that his job and the people he could help would have to be enough.

He spent most days, and if he were honest with himself, most nights, as well, at the hospital. He wanted to make a good impression on the hospital's powers that be, but his main focus was in helping others live longer, healthier lives.

By all accounts, Jack had no social life, and with the exception of his best friend, Lee Coulter, the only people he spent time with were his mother, his brother, (whenever he managed time for a visit), his patients, and the staff at the hospital.

Most days, Jack was busy running the department and continuing to hone his own surgical skills. Many evenings he found himself following the progress of a patient, or engaged in fundraising functions that he always attended alone, with the exception of a few where his mother came as his 'plus 1.' However, on those occasions he had to deal with his mother's concern that he was closing himself off to love, and she worried about him…not to mention that she wanted grandchildren while she was young enough to enjoy them.

Jack was no different from most men. He wanted to have a successful career, be a confident department head capable of keeping things running smoothly while remaining in the 'black' financially, and he hoped to find that one special woman who would set his heart on fire, and give him a reason to find a compromise in his life between work and pleasure.

Maybe the last part is the reason he spent so much time at the hospital. During the day he was incredibly busy and although he often observed loving couples throughout the halls, he was too in tune with his obligations to truly notice. However, at the end of the day, when he returned home, everything was so quiet and gave him time to reflect on those things he wanted, but missed in his life and was beginning to doubt he'd ever find them.

As a man, Jack knew the difference between having sex, and making love, the distinction between the two having been lost on many of his friends while in college and medical school. For most of Jack's colleagues, they were perfectly content to 'love' a woman for the night before moving on to the next conquest. Although he admittedly was no virgin, and had a few relationships through the years, he'd never said 'I love you' to any woman, reserving that for the one who would eventually steal his heart.

Jack was never into casual sex, and truth be told, no woman, other than his mother, of course, had ever stepped foot in his townhouse, let alone spent the night. But, on the rare occasions when he'd pull himself away from the hospital and spend the night at home, the silence was truly deafening. As he crawled into bed, he knew how much he missed having a woman to hold, and cuddle, and make love to…he knew that work was not enough. So, to keep those feelings from consuming him, he simply spent more and more time at the hospital.

This weekend, however, renovations were being done to his office, which included a separate bedroom suite with a kitchenette and bathroom with shower facilities, therefore, requiring that he spend the weekend at home. He had been working more hours per day than he remembered doing as an intern, and was looking forward to some serious sleep. His plan…pull the curtains, curl up in bed and sleep all weekend. Yep, that was his plan.

Friday morning…

Elizabeth's apartment- Michigan Avenue (Chicago)…

Elizabeth lay still. Even as the alarm clock repeatedly screeched its announcement to get out of bed, she was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and although she knew it was time to get her day started, her body refused.

She slammed her hand onto the top of her alarm clock, but was unable to silence the irritating morning necessity until she knocked it from its perch, shattering the face, bending the hands, and effectively silencing it forever.

"Well, that will show you," she initially cursed, until a pang of appreciation for the many years she'd depended on this clock to wake her, during high school, college, and grad school, caused her to slip out of bed and lovingly carry it to the trash can before dropping it inside.

"Well, I certainly got my money's worth out of that," she stated as she ran her hand heavily over her face, turned on the coffee pot on her way through the kitchen and into the bathroom for a shower.

Standing in the shower as the hot water ran over her body did more to wake her up than the obnoxious alarm clock alarm. Realizing that it was now Friday, she did her best to put a smile on her face, hoping to find the strength to get through the day… "Come on weekend…" she muttered.

Standing in the kitchen waiting on her piece of toast to brown, she heard a ding on her phone. Glancing at her screen, she observed a text from Anthony…

"Hey, just checking n. Did u run this morning…?

"No, ran M, T, and TH. I'm good. Besides, don't like going alone…"

"I'm off 2morrow morning. Wanna run at 6…?"

"Sure. Meet u in the lobby…"

Seeing the 'model' paper in her bag for the fashion show, she typed out another text to Anthony… "Hey, do u kno a Dr. Thornton…?"

"No, y, are u OK…?"

"I'm fine. I sent a message 2 ask him 2 model in the benefit fashion show, but he hasn't responded…"

"Hmm, not sure y…"

"What does he look like…?" Elizabeth asked.

"He's my ht. w/ brn hair, and eyes. Built like me, maybe not as muscular…"

"Sounds good looking. Y won't he respond…?"

"Not sure…"

"Wait u said u don't kno him. U just described urself…"

He sent laughing emojis which covered her screen. "Go out w/me…"

"I've seen the bevy of beauties that enter the elevator w/ u. No Thx…"

"We could b so good 2gether…"

"U just want me because u can't get me…"

"OUCH, that hurt…"

"Sorry, but it's true…C u 2morrow morning. Let ur woman of the night sleep in…"

"I'm saving myself 4 u…"

"Right, Tony the tiger. I don't believe u. Hey if u see Dr. Thoughtful, tell him I'm waiting on an answer…"

"He's not at my hospital…"

"Oh, I just assumed u doctor guys knew each other…"

"No, but I've heard his name. Head of cardiac department, I think at Northwestern and I'm sure he's busy…"

"2 busy 2 help out his community…?"

"Just saying he may not have the time…Don't b late 2morrow, 6am…"

Although Elizabeth felt good with three 4 mile runs under her belt for the week, tomorrow was expected to be a beautiful April day, with sunny skies and a nice wind to help keep her cool. So, she planned to map out an easy run of a few miles, get it done early and then the day was hers to do as she pleased.

Dressed for work with freshly washed hair pulled up into a high ponytail, Elizabeth sat at her kitchen table, eating a piece of buttered toast, and revising her 'model' list for the fashion show, which was now only a few weeks away. She folded the piece of paper in half and slipped it into her bag.

Having forgotten her favorite creamer when she stopped by the store on her way home from work the previous evening, she was forced to consume a cup of bland, black coffee. "Yuck, who in their right mind drinks coffee like that?"

She glanced down at the dark brew, and didn't need to taste it to realize that it was nothing like the maple caramel macchiato she occasionally treated herself to from 'Thanks a Latte,' a coffee shop located just off the green line, halfway between her apartment and the office.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she knew that she'd have just enough time, if she called in her order, to sprint to the coffee shop in between her switch from the green to the blue line.

She grabbed her bag, poured her practically unconsumed coffee down the drain, and left her two-bedroom apartment on the 9th floor, in a high-rise complex located on Michigan Avenue, right in the heart of Chicago.

She didn't have a car, mainly because the transit system in Chicago was so good that she didn't find it necessary. However, she had to admit that there were times when she wanted her own transportation, thereby allowing her to leave whenever she wanted without having to wait on the kindness of others, risk taking an Uber alone, or dealing with the weather and the schedule of the green, blue, and red transit lines.

Elizabeth walked two-tenths of a mile from her apartment to the green line at 43rd Street. The station wasn't particularly crowded until the train, having picked up passengers at several stops along the line, opened its doors, and commuters flooded out, heading to jobs, appointments, shopping, sightseeing or home.

She slipped inside and took her seat. Although she had never been personally accosted while on the train, she had witnessed several fights, verbal arguments, a domestic altercation, and a robbery attempt. As such, Elizabeth wasn't one to feel completely comfortable riding with so many strangers. To help keep her from looking nervous, she generally carried a book to occupy her time for the twenty-one-minute ride to her next stop.

With a need for caffeine occupying her thoughts, she quickly pulled up the app for 'Thanks a Latte' and ordered her extra-large maple caramel macchiato, to be picked up in twenty-two minutes.

"I'll run in to the shop, grab my cup from the 'to go' shelf, and head right back to the station. I should be there in plenty of time to switch to the blue line…" she whispered, her tone was encouraging, getting herself ready to bolt once the train stopped and the doors opened. She knew that she had several blocks to run, but she also had twelve minutes… "Plenty of time," she stated as she glanced at her watch.

She settled in, still several stops away from her switch to the blue line, taking this time to rest her body before her mad dash. The train wasn't particularly noisy, as most of the commuters sat and read the morning paper, snuck breakfast onboard to eat, or scrolled through social media.

Elizabeth took the opportunity to make notes on her 'model' list, thankfully realizing that every celebrity and/or local professional, but one, had confirmed their participation. Placing an "X" beside the person's name, she made a promise to herself that she would receive confirmation of their participation today, or she'd find someone willing to take their place. Either way, the ten celebrities/professionals needed for the fashion show would be confirmed, taking at least one thing off her already full plate.

Looking up from her paper, she glanced around at the nearly full train car. Everyone had some place to go, some place to be and when the doors opened, practically everyone would rush outside.

Elizabeth knew there was a reason she always carried something to occupy her eyes and mind while riding to work, and the reason became abundantly clear on this particular morning's commute.

Standing just outside in the adjoining train car, a young man, quite handsome, and by all accounts, well endowed, proceeded to change his clothes with nothing between him and the passengers in Elizabeth's car except floor to ceiling glass panes in the door, leaving nothing to the imagination of those within view, Elizabeth included.

Once dressed, he smiled and bowed to the train car of admiring fans, many of whom cheered and clapped for the show he'd provided, thankful for the jolt that got their morning started.

With a red face, and pounding heart, Elizabeth was embarrassed, although she didn't know why. She'd done nothing wrong, well, except maybe for failing to turn away. She returned to her book, reading the same paragraph over and over, but with no grasp of its contents, she finally stuffed it back into her bag.

Finally, the train stopped, and the doors opened. Elizabeth moved with the crowd, and made a beeline for the coffee shop, forgetting until that very moment that the three-inch heels she was wearing were barely made for walking, let alone sprinting.

Turning the corner, the coffee shop was within view, and she still had eight minutes before the blue line was expected to arrive at the station. She was still a slight distance away when the door opened, and a man, wearing a nice, tailored suit stepped out, turned away from Elizabeth and headed up the street to points unknown.

"Mmm, from this view, he looks delicious…" Elizabeth muttered through her ragged, practically non-existent breath. "But maybe not quite as delicious as my maple caramel macchiato," she stated having been dreaming of her coffee since leaving her apartment.

By the time she made it to the door, the man she was fairly certain she'd consider giving up chocolate chip bagels for had completely disappeared. She stepped inside, bent over, and placed her hands on her knees as she did her best to catch her breath.

Seeing one large cup on the 'to go' shelf, she checked the name…Nope, it didn't say Elizabeth, or Beth, or Betsy, or Liz, or even something as obscure as Ellie, Elspeth, or Bizzy. The name written on the side of the cup was 'DOC.'

"Excuse me," Elizabeth called out to the overworked baristas behind the counter.

"Sorry, but you need to get in line," one of the young girls called out.

"I'd be glad to, but I called in an order, and I don't see it."

"Your name…?"

"Elizabeth…"

"I made that," Beverly, a much older barista called out from the back. "It's on the shelf."

"No, it's not there…" Elizabeth replied as she stared at the smaller cup that she could only assume would not be nearly as good as what she had ordered.

"The guy that just left must have gotten yours by mistake," the young barista advised as she continued putting together the concoctions of those in line.

"Seriously, I mean, can he not read?" Elizabeth asked but received no response. "So, what do I do now?"

"Well, you can wait, and I'll fix you another one, or feel free to take the one on the shelf."

Checking her watch, she was now down to four minutes, and although she was quite athletic, sprinting several blocks in heels was not what she considered a good morning commute. She released a hard breath, grabbed the cup that was available, and headed out the door.

Before starting her sprint, she took a quick sip, hoping the caffeine would get her blood pumping. She gagged. Lifting the lid, the dark black liquid came nowhere near resembling her usually delicious and creamy maple caramel macchiato. Disappointed, she dropped the cup in the trashcan outside the door, had a few choice and whispered words to the thief, and took off running.

Elizabeth transferred to the blue line, barely making it through the doors before they closed. She quickly took a seat, thankful that her arms and legs were still attached to her body. Part of her felt that the doors closing on her would be poetic justice for the ugly things she said about her coffee bandit, "but really…don't mess with my morning coffee," she muttered.

She was thankful that this was Friday. She had nothing scheduled for this evening or the weekend, except a Saturday morning run with Anthony. It was her plan to stay inside, finalize details for the fashion show, then crawl back into bed and sleep until Monday morning. Yep, that was her plan!

She'd nearly caught her breath by the time the train stopped, and she continued her short walk to her office.

Elizabeth's office…

Elizabeth barely made it up the elevator to the 10th floor and into her office before her phone rang.

"Good morning, Rosie, and why are you calling me so early this morning?"

"You are at work, right?" Rosie asked.

"I am, but barely. You won't believe what some jerk did at the coffee shop this morning…"

"What; did he offer to buy you a cup of coffee?" Rosie giggled.

"I'm not that closed off, Rosie, and no, he didn't. Anyway, I called my order in, and some guy grabbed my coffee off the shelf before I got there. Then he left me with his, which was smaller than what I ordered, and it was black…no creamer and no Splenda. Seriously, who drinks it like that?"

"Ugh, where is the cup now?" Rosie asked.

"I took one sip and practically gagged. I dropped it in the trash can outside the coffee shop," Elizabeth replied. "I don't know who Doc is, but he sure knows how to ruin a cup of coffee."

"Well, sorry about your morning, but back to us…I know that helping to move me into my apartment last night was not what you had in mind, but I really appreciate it," Rosie responded. "So, I'm paying you back…"

"I told you last night when you tried to set me up with…oh, I don't remember his name, that it wasn't necessary…or appreciated."

"Well, his name is Eric Harper, and he's a well-known actor…"

"Rosie, he can't be too well known; I've never heard of him."

"Elizabeth, that's because you need to get out and socialize more."

"Well, if he's a well-known actor like you say, I don't see me coming across him by going out to Joe's Crab Shack, or Victor's Bar and Grill," Elizabeth replied. "Besides, where did you meet him…oh wait, are you representing him?"

"I'm not, but the agency has taken over from the old crap show he had working for him. You know, that's probably why you haven't heard of him. I'm telling you, he's starred in a few dramas, and was the lead love interest on a movie of the week. Give our agency time and he'll be a household name."

Before Elizabeth could respond, Rosie added, "Anyway, he saw you walking with me into the building the other day after we grabbed lunch. He tracked me down and he wants to meet you."

"I appreciate you being concerned about me, but I'm just not interested in a man right now. I already have so much on my plate, a relationship will complicate things, so, it'll just have to wait."

"Relationship…" No one says you have to go into it with wedding bells playing in your head, but you have to put what Ethan did behind you, and move on," Rosie stated, her tone was loving, and kind, but quite firm.

"I don't know why I have to. If I want to live my life without a violent, two-timing son-of-a-…"

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry to have brought him up, but you need to move on. Not every man is violent, and not every man will sleep with his girlfriend's roommate…"

"So, are you saying that I'm just the lucky one that it happened to?"

"Well, you are lucky…"

"Rosie, how do you figure that?"

"Look, you and Ethan had only known each other for a couple of months, nothing serious, and Rachel was a backstabbing you-know-what. You are lucky that you caught them and kicked them both out of your life."

"I know you're right, but every time I think about moving past it, in my mind I walk into the apartment to grab my gym bag and there they are having sex on my sofa…MY SOFA. That was the first piece of furniture I bought after I started working. I loved it, and at that moment, if I could have opened a window and tossed it outside without someone on the ground getting hurt, I'd have done it. You know, Ethan and Rachel would have been free to ride it down, too. It just makes me sick to think about them on my kitchen table, the den rug I love so much, and my bathroom counter."

"Well, you don't know that they had sex anywhere but the sofa."

"Rosie, I caught them on the sofa, but you can best believe that wasn't the only time they had been together," Elizabeth responded.

"I understand, but it was nine (9) months ago, and it's not like you were madly in love with him. I mean, you two had really just started dating. Were you even really a couple?"

"It's not that I was in love with him, because I certainly wasn't, but it's the idea that he shattered the trust I had in him. We may have only been dating for a few months, but he's the one who brought up being exclusive with each other…"

"Well, apparently he was exclusively dating you, but sleeping with Rachel and who knows who else…" Rosie responded.

"Well, he was never in my bed, so for that, I'm thankful," Elizabeth replied.

"Um, I hate to bring this up, but how do you know they didn't do the deed in your bed? I mean, he wanted to sleep with you, maybe he had some kinky fantasy about you while he had sex with Rachel."

"Ewww gross, Rosie. Aren't you supposed to try to make me feel better?"

"Sorry, but if you are assuming they did the deed throughout your apartment, what would stop them from hitting it on your bed?"

"Well, I often kept case files in my bedroom, so, I always locked the door."

"Well, good. I guess that keeps another piece of furniture from being tossed out."

"Rosie, with all the promises of loyalty and faithfulness he made, then he assaults me; how do you open up again and trust anyone. Men are all dogs…" Elizabeth's tone grew angry.

"I hate to remind you, but Rachel was a willing participant, so it's not just men who are the dogs," Rosie responded. "I choose to believe that there are at least two good guys out there, one for you and one for me."

"From your mouth to God's ears, but I'll believe it when I see it…" Elizabeth replied. "My lease runs out in three (3) months, and I think I'm going to have to move. There are just too many visuals swirling around in my head. "I hate it though, because I love this apartment."

"Move in with me…" Rosie stated.

"We're best friends because we don't live together," Elizabeth replied.

"Well then, donate your furniture, buy new and stay where you are."

"Hmm, that's a thought. Maybe I'll look into getting a decorator to take care of it. Thanks for the idea…I owe you one. Well, I guess I owe you more than one, because I should have listened to you."

"What are you talking about? I mean, if you want to owe me, I'm sure I can find a way to cash in…"

"I have no doubt, but in all seriousness, you told me not to let Rachel move in, and now that I think about it, you told me that Ethan was no good either," Elizabeth took her phone away from her ear and released a hard breath.

"Elizabeth, you are kind and thoughtful, and you are always there to help someone in need," Rosie began. "You see the best in people, and unfortunately, you run the risk of those same individuals trampling on your heart. I don't know Rachel well, but to me, she never seemed sincere, and well, don't even get me started on Ethan…"

"I've learned my lesson…finally. It took physical and emotional pain, but I won't be so willing to accept people at face value anymore," Elizabeth admitted.

Working for a national talent agency, Rosie put her call with Elizabeth on speaker phone. She glanced down at a pile of files on her desk and ran her hands through them. She scanned actors' pictures, all of whom were trained to make you believe anything from 'I hate your guts' to 'I love you with all my heart,' and every emotion in between.

Taking a deep breath, Rosie stated, "Well, I don't know what the balance is here. I don't like you being so cynical; closing yourself off isn't good either, because whether you know it or not, Elizabeth, there is a great guy out there who will give you the moon on a silver platter. He will be honest and true and will love you like no other. I don't know where he is, but you won't find him if you don't get out and socialize."

"If it were only that easy, but I'm beginning to think that people have an ulterior motive, 'get what you can while the getting is good, and then run…" Elizabeth remarked, "leaving you shell shocked in their rearview mirror. It won't happen again. I learned my lesson, black eye, broken nose, and all…"

"I won't deny that some people are like that, but a lot aren't. You just need to develop your 'spidey sense…'

"My what…?" Elizabeth asked as both women laughed into the phone.

"I don't know if that's what it's called, but whatever; you just need to develop your meter to gauge bullsh…"

"No cussing, Rosie, this is a government line. But, in all seriousness, I know what you mean. I'm gullible, and really, I shouldn't be," Elizabeth stated. "I mean, it's like in my work, I see right through people, I have no trouble picking out the liars, but in real life, for some reason I have blinders on, and I don't know why…but it stops now."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that. So, listen to me now…you say you owe me, and I'm cashing in. I'll be by to get you at 7 tonight…"

"Rosie, what are you talking about; where are we going?"

"It's Friday, and we're going to the new club that's opening on Clark Street."

"Don't they already have like over 200 clubs on that street? I mean, do they really need another one?" Elizabeth asked.

"Probably not, but I heard it was going to be EPIC…" Rosie stated as she emphasized the last word. "Did you hear me…EPIC!"

"I heard you, but I don't want to go. I'm just not into socializing tonight."

"Well, you either go with me to the new club, or you get dressed up for a night out with Eric Harper," Rosie stated. "Either way, you're getting out of the house tonight. Oh, and maybe this will help you decide what you want to do."

"I know what I want to do; I was planning to stay home, work on the fundraiser and then sleep."

"Nope, staying home is not an option. So, from what I heard, Eric likes brunette women with blue eyes who like to party all night long… and that would be a private party, if you know what I mean."

"ROSIE…"

"I'm just kidding. I don't really know much about him, but I would suspect that since he has a reputation to uphold in Hollywood, that he'd behave himself."

"Oh, like Harvey Weinstein, Chris Brown, and R. Kelly? Just because he has a name in Hollywood, doesn't mean he's not bad news."

"Okay, so it's the club opening then…"

"Really, Rosie, I don't feel like going."

"Too bad. We're going out and we're gonna have a great time," Rosie was persistent. "I'll be by in an Uber at 7…dress up and don't keep me waiting," with Rosie's final command, the line went dead.

"It would serve her right if I went out, found a guy and had a one-night stand," she huffed under her breath.

Hearing someone clear their throat, she spun around in her chair, "Oh, good morning, Jill."

Jill, the main secretary, stepped closer, "I saw you come in and grabbed your mail out of the box." As she handed multiple pieces of paper to Elizabeth, she leaned in closer, "So are you looking for a one-nighter?"

"Oh Lord, no. I'm just tired of my best friend trying to set me up or pushing me to go out all the time."

"Okay, but if you change your mind, I can give you some places to go," Jill advised. "You won't have any trouble hooking up…I promise you. I mean, you'll be the hit of the place."

Uncertain how to respond she simply stated, "Thank you…?" a comment that actually sounded more like a question.

Elizabeth watched Jill walk out of her office realizing even more than before, "Do you ever really know someone?"

"Speaking of which," Elizabeth muttered, "I'll give the good doctor one more chance to step up to the plate and help out.

Picking up her phone, she scrolled through the internet looking for any information she could find on Dr. Jack Thornton. Although his office contact information was available, every picture of him was either unclear, or he was wearing his surgical mask… "Hmm, what do you look like?"

Dialing his office number, she was surprised when his secretary answered on the first ring.

"Good morning, Dr. Thornton's office; how may I help you?" Stacy, Jack's secretary asked.

"Good morning. My name is Elizabeth Thatcher, and I'm working on the fundraiser that will benefit social services in Cook County and the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Volunteer Department."

"Yes ma'am; did you want a cardiac exam or something like that donated?"

"Oh no, nothing like that. Although, we are having a silent auction, so if Dr. Thornton would like to donate an exam or a surgical procedure, that would be great."

"Um, a surgical procedure?" Stacy responded, her voice sounding quite surprised.

"I'm sorry; I'm just teasing. Anyway, I called a week or so ago and left some information about the fashion show that's part of the fundraiser, and I was hoping we could get Dr. Thornton to commit to be one of the models. Do you know if he's had an opportunity to review the information?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh no, I'm sorry…I was supposed to call you back."

"Oh, can I put him down as a model then?"

"No, he's really busy, and just can't commit to participating, but he did tell me to get an address where he could send a donation."

"Oh, so he'll make a monetary donation, but he won't give a few hours of his time to help the less fortunate in his community?"

"Well, Ms. Thatcher, the monetary donation he will make will definitely make a positive impact…I guarantee it."

"I'm sorry; I don't mean to sound ungrateful. Of course, we will happily accept his donation. So, modeling is out of the question?" Elizabeth tried once more.

"No, I'm sorry. Where do we send the donation?" Stacy asked.

"I believe the Volunteer Department at the hospital is taking in all of the monetary donations. Thank you, and please let him know that it will go to good use."

Once the call ended, Elizabeth rested her elbows on her desk and hung her head in her hands. "Crap, one more guy to find. Hmm, I wonder…"

She pressed Rosie's contact information and waited for her to answer.

"No, you aren't backing out. I'll be there at 7…"

"Surprise, I'm not calling to back out. Do you think you could talk that actor guy, Eric, into being one of the models? That doctor I asked turned me down."

"I probably couldn't, but you could…"

"Will I have to go out with him…?"

"Elizabeth, you act as though he's some kind of ogre. He's actually gorgeous."

"Truly that's not the point. Do you think he might agree to just meet for coffee?"

"He might, but I think he's going to want a full-on date!"

"Never mind, I'll just keep looking…"

Jack's townhouse- Gold Coast area of Chicago…

Jack wasn't certain why he'd even made the trip home this morning. After performing open heart surgery, the day before, and spending the majority of the night monitoring his patient, he'd barely walked into his townhouse, had time to take a shower and change into a fresh suit before it was time to head back outside to his awaiting car.

Jack had a vehicle, and even in the traffic of Chicago, he loved driving. However, exhaustion told him that operating a motor vehicle in his condition was neither intelligent nor safe, so he made arrangements for a driver, which allowed him to catch some sleep during the commute.

He locked up his townhouse as he observed his driver waiting at the back passenger door. He stepped closer and the door opened, "Thanks, Matthew," Jack stated as he took a seat.

"Back to the hospital, Dr. Thornton?" Matthew asked.

"Yes, but I want to stop off at 'Thanks a Latte' to grab a cup of coffee," Jack stated. "I'll call in my order…"

Once his request for a stiff cup of black coffee had been ordered, Jack leaned his head back, closed his eyes and was thankful that this was Friday. He had no appointments or surgeries scheduled, and barring any complications with his patient from yesterday, that case would be transferred back over to his regular physician.

Jack smiled. He simply had to get through this day and then his plan was to sleep tonight and throughout the entire weekend. Yep…that was his plan!

Matthew offered to run in and grab Jack's coffee, but he insisted, having decided that he wanted something to eat as well.

Matthew found a spot around the corner from the coffee shop, pulled to the curb and started to exit the vehicle.

"Just stay where you are, Matthew; I can get out on my own," Jack stated. "I'll be right back…"

Jack walked into 'Thanks a Latte,' and was immediately met by Beverly, the middle-aged barista, who is what most people would call a cougar. She never missed a chance to flirt with him, and it would certainly make her life more memorable to spend one night of unbridled passion with the good doctor. She knew it was never going to happen, but oh how the woman tried and fantasized…

"Hey Doc…" Beverly called out. "What can I get you this morning…" she leaned closer, "and that includes me…" she giggled.

Jack had long since grown tired of her flirty behavior and simply responded, "I called in a coffee, but I'd like two egg bites, too."

In no time, the egg bites were in a bag, and he took the cup of coffee Beverly handed to him from the 'to-go' shelf. Jack dropped a $10.00 Bill in the tip jar, "Thanks, guys…"

"Goodbye Doc," the staff called out.

Jack rushed out the door and headed around the corner to his awaiting car. He slipped inside, sat his coffee in the holder, leaned his head back and again rested until Matthew pulled into the hospital's underground garage.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital…

Jack was sitting at his desk when he took his first sip of coffee. Normally strong and occasionally bitter, this cup was smooth, containing a hint of maple with a caramel macchiato creamer. Jack smiled, "Mmm, this is good, but not what I ordered." Glancing at the name on the cup, "Elizabeth…well, I don't know who you are, but you sure have a way with a cup of coffee."

Jack was sitting at his desk, feeling bad that Elizabeth probably received his black coffee instead of her delightful concoction when his phone rang…

"Hey Stacey," Jack called out to his secretary when he picked up the phone.

"Dr. Thornton, Lee is on line 1…" she advised. Stacey had been Jack's secretary since he took over as the department head, and she quickly learned that as Jack's best friend, she was to put through calls from Lee when at all possible.

"Thank you…" Jack responded as he clicked over to take the call. "Hey Lee…"

"Why aren't you answering your cell phone?" Lee asked.

"I'm sorry. I turned off the ringer yesterday, and forgot to turn it back on," Jack advised as he grabbed his phone and immediately pressed the button to turn up the volume. "So, what are you doing up so early this morning?"

"Seriously? Jack, did you forget…the club is opening tonight, and I have liquor and food deliveries, among other stuff going on."

"WOW, opening night is already here?"

"You told me you were coming; you are, aren't you?"

"I'd like to, Lee, but…"

"Don't say, but…" Lee responded.

Jack knew he'd promised Lee, his best friend for more years than he could remember, that he wouldn't miss the most important day of his life, the grand opening of his dream, Eclipse Nightclub. However, in all honesty, and in his defense, that was six months ago. A lot had happened in Jack's life, well most of it work related, but he'd honestly forgotten. Jack even promised that he'd bring a date, assuming that in that period of time he'd be seeing someone special.

Jack was proud of Lee and his accomplishments, but he had no one special to bring to the grand opening, and wasn't interested in watching men and women drinking, dancing, and flirting in hopes of finding a one-night hookup.

The truth was, Jack felt that hookups were a complete waste of time. Sure, they hopefully satisfied the sexual needs of both parties without any promises, but did nothing for his goal of finding that one special someone with whom to share his life. He'd honestly been looking for the woman who would set his heart on fire, make him want to compromise between work and relaxation, and start a family that he deeply desired.

"Lee, I'm tired. Why don't I come out next weekend," Jack suggested. "Besides, you won't have any time to spend with me anyway. You won't know if I'm there or not."

"Well, now that you've said that, I'll be looking," Lee responded. "Look Jack, there will be a lot of women here. You never know; the love of your life may be here tonight…"

"You're hitting below the belt, man."

Lee loved Jack like a brother, and as a result, knew that a special woman was something he didn't talk much about, but desperately hoped to find. "Look, I know you work all the time, and I'm so incredibly proud of what you've accomplished, but Jack, you need some balance in your life."

"Uh, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? What about you; I don't see you with a woman's arm draped through yours," Jack snapped back.

"I've been busy getting the club up and running, but you can best believe I haven't stopped looking. Who knows, the love of my life may walk through the doors of the club tonight…"

"I hope she does…"

"I have a good feeling about tonight, Jack. I know that you're tired, and I just want you to know that you being here, means a lot…"

"I know I put up a fight, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else tonight. I know that the club is going to be an enormous success," Jack stated. "I'll be there by 7pm."

Elizabeth's apartment…

On her way home, Elizabeth considered running by 'Thanks a Latte' to tell them how disappointed she was in her coffee this morning, but thought better of the idea when she realized that it was bad enough sprinting several blocks in heels once, twice would surely be murderous. So, she grabbed the blue line, and rode until her switch to the green line, exiting when she reached the 43rd Street station and walked the two-tenths of a mile in beautiful weather back to her apartment.

Elizabeth slipped inside, changed into her robe, and walked to the bathroom for a shower and to wash her hair.

With her shower done and her hair pulled up on the left side, her auburn waves flowed freely down her back and across her right shoulder. Elizabeth opened her closet, took a deep breath, and ventured inside to find something appropriate to wear. "Hmm, it is a club opening, so maybe something dressy but not trashy…oh who are you kidding, Elizabeth, you don't have anything trashy," she muttered under her breath as if she were concerned that someone would hear her.

Digging deeper into her closet, she found the light pink, one-piece pant suit with pockets at the hips, a fitted bodice with ruffles that spanned across her modest cleavage and over the bare shoulder sleeves, with thin spaghetti straps which she hoped would keep her 'girls' from making an unintentional appearance. This was a birthday gift from her sister, Julie, but embarrassingly, she hadn't yet worn it.

She slipped into her clothes, finishing her outfit off with a pair of beige 3" heels. Elizabeth changed her earrings from pearl posts to small crystal balls that hung slightly from her earlobe. Her makeup was minimal, choosing to go with only blush, mascara and lipstick which seemed to appropriately pull the entire outfit together.

Rosie was nothing if not punctual and as Elizabeth waited downstairs, the Uber pulled up at precisely 7pm.

Elizabeth opened the door, and Rosie blurted out, "Girl, you're getting laid tonight," a comment that had the Uber driver wondering if possibly he'd have a chance.

Rosie knew Elizabeth's boundaries, but the comment had been a private joke between the two women for several years, which much like this occasion led to embarrassing situations…not really for Rosie, but most definitely for Elizabeth.

Glancing at the driver, Elizabeth nervously laughed, "She's just teasing…"

Jack's apartment…

Jack gathered his minimal personal effects from his office together, placed them in a box to be stored until the renovation was completed. He grabbed his suit jacket from his closet, made one final check-in with the cardiac unit, before grabbing an Uber and heading home.

He took a shower, and once dry, slipped into a pair of grey trousers, a white T-shirt, and a navy-blue suit jacket, for an evening that he prayed would be successful for Lee.

Jack wasn't intending to drink, but ordered an Uber just in case he was too tired to make the drive himself.

Eclipse Nightclub…

The Uber pulled up in front of the club and Jack slipped out, choosing to stand momentarily on the sidewalk outside and feed off the excitement of those standing in line.

He stepped across the security line and into the club, where he found Lee behind the bar organizing the bottles of liquor.

"Hey, I'm here…" Jack called out.

Lee placed the final bottle of Jack Daniel's on the shelf and slipped around the counter where he bypassed a handshake, and stepped in for a bro-hug. "I knew you'd be here…"

"Well, thanks for reminding me. Things have been crazy at the hospital and the club opening creeped up on me…"

"That's okay, you're here and that's all that matters."

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Nope, you protect those hands…"

"My hands are fine; I don't mind helping out."

"Nope not necessary, but I will tell you, I have seen a bunch of gorgeous women waiting to come inside," Lee advised him.

"I'm here for you tonight. There are plenty of guys in line for them to latch on to."

Lee pulled Jack aside, "Man, you are so cynical."

"I'm sorry; I don't mean to be, it's just I don't know whose real and whose fake nowadays."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't tell people you're a cardiac surgeon before they get to know you…"

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked.

"I'm not saying that you're bragging or anything; I mean, to you, you're just being honest. So, hold back a little on the honesty about where you live and what you do for a living. If they like you, it won't matter if you're the world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Jack Thornton, or let's say, Jonathan, and maybe he's a mechanic at the local Ford dealership."

"You're crazy," Jack stated.

"Well, I know you don't want to lie, and Jonathan is your real name, so that's actually the truth. But, if you're worried that women only like you because you're a doctor, and I think you're crazy, by the way, you can be a mechanic. It's an honest profession, and you have to be pretty smart to be able to work on vehicles nowadays."

"Do I have to remind you that I know absolutely nothing about cars?" Jack inquired.

"Well, just don't offer to check out her vehicle…"

Jack stood and stared, but said nothing further as the bartender called Lee away to handle an issue.

The doors opened and it looked much like a Best Buy store at 5 am on the morning after Thanksgiving as groups of men and women rushed inside, seeking tables or seats at the bar to claim for themselves or their group.

Although Jack was here this evening solely for Lee, his best friend's comment about the possibility he'd find the woman of his dreams tonight had him cautiously searching.

An hour after the opening, Jack observed a brunette seated alone. He sat at the bar, assuming that she was simply waiting for her date to return, thinking to himself, "There is no way she's here alone."

Ten minutes later, another woman, a blonde, took a seat across from her in the booth. Jack watched as they chatted, laughed, and although the blonde seemed to eagerly consume her alcoholic creation, the brunette, on the other hand, appeared to be nursing her glass of wine.

Jack continued watching from the bar, quite intrigued by the brunette. He wasn't sure why, as it hadn't happened to him before, but he was beguiled by her smile, and although the club was loud, he was certain that he could pick out her laugh over the noise of others talking and music playing.

Her smile was broad and bright and the joy he observed in her face went all the way to her beautiful eyes. He wanted to meet her, and after quite some time with no man returning to either woman, Jack walked over, "Good evening…"

Rosie observed his eyes on Elizabeth, and she knew it was her cue to leave. "Hi, if you will excuse me, I'm going to the restroom."

Elizabeth gave Rosie the 'death stare' as she slipped out of the booth and Jack nervously asked, "May I join you?"

Elizabeth wanted to say, "It's a free country," but he'd done nothing to her and treating him as if he was a liar, cheater and abuser was unfair, so she simply said, "sure…"

"Hi, my name is Ja…Jonathan, and you are?"

"Hi Jonathan, I'm…" she thought for a second, "I'm Grace."

"Grace, that's a beautiful name."

"Thank you," she replied as she felt drawn to his bright smile and deep dimples as the unfamiliar feeling of butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Trying to keep the conversation going, she asked, "So, what do you do for a living?"

'Oh, here it comes,' he thought. Jack was aware that 'where he worked' was the next logical question when getting to know someone, but in his experience, it just always seemed to lead to disappointment.

"I…" lying wasn't easy for him. Even telling her his name was Jonathan wasn't really a lie as that is his real first name, but his family settled on 'Jack' when he was a small child. However, wondering what her reaction would be, he went with Lee's suggestion and replied, "I'm a mechanic at the Ford Dealership."

"Well, I don't have a car right now, but I may have to come down and take a look," she stated as she put her wine glass to her lips and took a sip. Her tongue moved against the outside of the glass, and although it wasn't intentional, from where Jack was sitting, it was quite seductive, and he swallowed hard.

So, it was now his turn, "What do you do?"

"I'm…a teacher." Okay, that was a bold-faced lie. He was handsome, interesting; he had a normal job, and yet, she didn't know him, so, did she want a guy who could turn out to be a serial killer looking her up. But then again, if he was a serial killer, why was she sitting with him at a table alone. 'Where's Rosie…?' she thought.

The question portion of the conversation returned to Elizabeth, "So, Jonathan, what do you like to do in your free time?"

"I can't say that I have much free time," he responded.

"Well, I'm always accused of not involving myself in things just for enjoyment's sake, but it just seems like there are always things that have to be done," she admitted.

"Well, if you had a day where you did nothing but things you enjoy, what would that day look like?" 'Jonathan' asked.

"Wait, wasn't it my turn to ask?" 'Grace' tilted her head and scrunched her nose.

"I'll answer after you," 'Jonathan' replied.

"Well, a whole day…that's a tall order. I think if I could do whatever I wanted to do, I would take a boat ride through the Chicago waterway…"

Interrupting her thought, he asked, "You've never done that?"

"Nope, one of those things that I never seem to have time for," she replied. "I've lived here for years, and I can't say that I've ever done it."

"I'm sorry. I was just shocked, but I didn't mean to interrupt you. What else would you do?" he asked.

Elizabeth smiled at his interest, "I'd take a walk along the North Avenue Beach, stroll down to Spacca Napoli for a real Chicago style pepperoni pizza, and since this is my fantasy, I don't gain any weight, right?"

"Absolutely not…" he replied.

"Okay, in that case, I eat the entire pizza by myself, and I'd eat it outside so I can people watch. Then I'd stop by the XO Marshmallow dessert shop for a Smores treat on my way home. I'd grab a glass of wine, curl up on my sofa…oh wait, I have to get a new sofa first, but when I do, I'd eat my Smores while reading a romance novel…" Elizabeth stated, blushing slightly at her openness with him.

Observing that he'd not yet yawned, or turned away from her and his eyes were still locked on hers, she asked, "So, what would you do if the dealership gave you a day off… a day where you could do anything you wanted, or for that matter, nothing at all?"

'Jonathan' smiled and leaned back in the booth. "You know, it's been so long since I even allowed myself a day off, but Grace, at the risk of ingratiating myself into your day, I'd like to take you on a scenic boat ride around Chicago. Then I can't think of anything else I'd rather do than walk with you along North Avenue Beach. When you got hungry, I'd buy you your very own pepperoni pizza from Spacco Napoli, and they are the best by the way…"

"I know, right…?"

"Absolutely. Of course, I'd get my own pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and green pepper, and we'd sit outside and talk while we watched the people go by. I've never had a marshmallow from XO Marshmallow, so I'd have to take your word for it."

Normally feeling uncomfortable during initial meetings with men, she felt oddly comfortable with 'Jonathan.' Smiling, she stated, "You've never had a marshmallow treat from XO? You have no idea what you're missing."

"No, I've never heard of the place."

"It used to be out on Sheridan, but they expanded and it's now out here on Clark Street…just up the road, actually. You really ought to give it a try."

"Well, maybe you can introduce me to the world of marshmallows," 'Jonathan' nervously added with a smile as he took a second to gauge her expression, hoping he wasn't being too presumptuous.

"Hmm, maybe…" she responded. "So, is your free day finished."

"I hope not. Maybe if it happened today, it would be, but once you realize that I'm an okay guy, you'll ask me to sit with you on your new sofa, and we'd drink wine while I read a romance novel to you…"

"Okay, you're lying now, aren't you?" 'Grace' asked, never remembering a time when a man was interested in doing something for her without receiving something in return. 'Oh wait, who says he doesn't want something in return…?' she thought, the feeling grabbing her stomach and twisting…hard.

Both 'Jonathan' and 'Grace' were enjoying their conversation and it felt comfortable getting to know each other. Unfortunately, the next question from 'Grace,' had him questioning her further.

"So, Jonathan, out of all professions, why did you want to be a mechanic?" It was a simple question, and she was stumped by his response.

"What, not impressive enough for you?" he replied.

"Excuse me…?"

"Just wanted to know if being a mechanic wasn't impressive enough for you…"

"WOW…" she harshly blew out a frustrated breath.

"Look around, Grace, there are lawyers and doctors in here. I've seen a few CEOs, and there's even a State Senator making the rounds. Would you be more interested in sitting at a table with one of them?"

"Well, Jonathan, I don't know about the lawyers, doctors, CEOs, or the State Senator, but there's an ass sitting at this table, and it's not me…" she blurted out as she grabbed her purse and started to move out of the booth.

Knowing he'd accused her without cause, he attempted to apologize. "Please, don't leave, I'm sorry…"

'Grace' was angry, and no longer listening, but was not about to walk away without giving him a piece of her mind. "Look, Bud…you don't know me well enough to assume that I'm so shallow. For your information, I'm not. I asked you the question because I was interested. I'm sorry if I crossed the line; it was unintentional. You have a nice evening…" and in a flash she disappeared into the crowd.

Observing Jack sitting alone, Lee called him over to the bar.

"What the Hell do you want?" Jack asked in an aggravated tone.

"Sorry, what's wrong with you?" Lee snapped back.

"I'm sorry; she asked me a question and I made an assumption that I shouldn't have."

"Okay, what did you do?"

"She asked me why I wanted to be a mechanic…?"

"Say what…you aren't a mechanic."

"I know that, but that's what you told me to tell her…?"

"Excuse me; what are you talking about?"

"You told me to tell her that I was a mechanic at the Ford dealership…"

"And since when do you ever do anything, I suggest?"

"You said to make up a profession to weed out the people who only want to get to know me because I'm a doctor…"

"WOW…all right, maybe it's not so bad. What did you say?"

"I don't know why, and I couldn't stop the words, but…"

"Out with it, Jack…what did you say?"

"I asked her if being a mechanic wasn't impressive enough for her."

"OUCH…that hurts. That's probably worse than what I was hoping for. So, where did she go?"

"I'm hoping she just went to the bathroom, and didn't leave," Jack stated as he looked around the club, hoping to find her. "But she's not planning to come back and sit with me…she called me an ass, and told me to have a good night."

"Well, it sounds like you were an ass, and you're going to have to find her and apologize," Lee suggested. "So, let me ask, did she seem snobby or pompous?"

"No, have you seen her? She's gorgeous, and intelligent. She's pleasant, and funny, and enjoyable to talk to…Hell, I could sit and talk to her all night. I like her, Lee. I don't know why I said it; she gave me no reason to feel like she was looking down at me…like I wasn't good enough for her."

"Well, actually no, I haven't seen her; she had her back to me," Lee advised. "But you know what, Jack…"

Jack was busy scanning the club.

"JACK," Lee called out, louder this time to be heard over the music. Getting his attention, Lee continued, "You know, you've met so many women who turned out to be after your name and money, so, I'm just wondering, could it be that you set yourself up for failure so you can be the one to put an end to something before it starts?"

Jack released a frustrated breath, for there was a lot about what Lee said that was possibly true. Jack knew his way around the operating room, but being able to read someone's true intent was like a foreign language to him.

Women's restroom…

"The nerve of some people…" Elizabeth huffed as she paced back and forth in front of the bathroom stalls carrying her almost empty glass of wine and thankful that at this moment, she was alone.

The door opened and Rosie stepped inside, "Hey, I called out to you when you breezed by. Are you having a nice time?"

"Did you know, he had the audacity…I just can't believe it…I've never looked down upon someone for the type of work they do."

"What happened…" Rosie asked.

"I asked him why he wanted to be a mechanic?"

"That's all…?"

"Yep, and he practically bit my head off."

"WOW, what did he say?"

"Rosie, am I shallow?"

"Absolutely not. What did he say?"

"Have I ever acted as though I was better than anyone else?"

"No…never, what did he say?"

"I'm so angry…the nerve of some guys…"

"Would you please tell me what he said?"

"Rosie, when I asked why he wanted to be a mechanic, he asked me if it wasn't impressive enough for me…"

"Oh my…if he knew you, he never would have made that assumption," Rosie responded as she grabbed Elizabeth's arm and forced her to stand in one place. "But…"

"BUT…?"

"Rosie, there is no 'but…'" Elizabeth snapped.

Rosie walked her over to a small loveseat inside the bathroom, "I'm going to say something here, and you may not like it, but I think you should give him the benefit of the doubt."

"And why should I do that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Okay, now listen to what I have to say before you get mad at me."

"What is it?"

"Do you remember when we were in college in sophomore year, and that girl found out that your family was wealthy. She didn't even know you, but all of a sudden made the assumption that because your family had money, you didn't have to work for your degree. She said your family would be donating a wing to the university for the Human Services department, and voila, you'd graduate."

"I remember. People wanted to work with me on projects, because they assumed we'd get a good grade without doing any of the work. I ended up doing most of it myself."

"Okay, you were so angry at the time, and I remember you saying that you wished they could see you, and not your dad's money."

"Rosie, I remember, but what does that have to do with this guy…?" Elizabeth gritted her teeth as she stood up in a huff, walking to pace some more.

"WHOA, think about it, Elizabeth. Maybe he's dealt with the same kind of prejudice, only reversed. Maybe to some women, a mechanic isn't impressive," Rosie gave Elizabeth a possibility to 'chew' on. "I think you should give him the benefit of the doubt. Let him apologize if he wants to. I mean, who knows, maybe he's already moved on to another woman. I just don't think you should throw out the baby with the bath water."

"What…?"

"It just means that you don't throw something valuable out along with something you don't want. Sure, he said something he shouldn't have, but you of all people should know how it feels to have someone misjudge you. He's gorgeous, so give him a chance to redeem himself, that is, if he wants to."

Elizabeth sat back down on the loveseat, "You really think so?"

"I do," Rosie stated as she put her arm around Elizabeth and pulled her close. "Now, let's freshen up and go out there and see if he's thought better about what he said."

Ten minutes later, Elizabeth and Rosie walked back out into the club. Scanning the area, Elizabeth didn't see 'Jonathan.'

"It may not make any difference, because I don't see him," Elizabeth remarked as she and Rosie sat down in their original booth.

Glancing around at all the people dancing, socializing, and yes, trying to obtain a hookup for the evening, Rosie mentioned, "This is one of the better clubs on this street. I'd come back, wouldn't you?"

Elizabeth was preoccupied. Rosie reached over and put her hand on top of Elizabeth's, "Hey, either he comes back, or he doesn't. Whatever, you will survive…"

"I know. It was just nice to talk with a guy who seemed pretty normal. I'm not used to having a conversation with a guy who appears truly interested in what I have to say," she replied.

"See, not every man is like Ethan, you know the 'slap you around kind' when they don't get what they want," Rosie remarked.

"This guy just seemed different. I don't know…we were enjoying our talk, and I didn't get the impression that his goal for the evening was to get me into his bed," Elizabeth admitted as she nonchalantly scanned the club.

Returning her attention back to Rosie, she returned to the topic of Ethan. "Well, you were right, I wouldn't sleep with him, so he found it somewhere else…good riddance."

"And any man who will lay a hand on a woman in anger should be put under the jail," Rosie stated. "I'm still hoping for that when he goes to court."

"The black eye was covered by makeup, and thankfully the broken nose didn't require surgery. It was no picnic, but they healed. The emotional stuff has been a little harder," Elizabeth stated as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I know it's my problem, but as a result, I just don't trust men very easily. But, 'Jonathan' seemed different. I mean, I wasn't going anywhere with him, and I felt safe in here talking to him, but…whatever, I guess it doesn't matter."

"Well, you never know, he may be sitting in a corner licking his wounds. Just know that I'm always here for you. Take it slow, and maybe if he comes back and getting to know him is what you want, he'll be the one to wipe away your cynical views of men."

"I'm not cynical, I'm skeptical…"

"Same thing."

"I know, it just sounds a little better."

"When is your court case with Ethan?" Rosie asked. "I'm so proud of you for holding him accountable."

"As a lawyer, he keeps getting it continued. I think he figures if he drags it out long enough, I'll give up. Besides, once he's convicted, I'm fairly certain that his band of brothers at the Law Firm of 'Beat Her to a Pulp' will finally walk away from him," Elizabeth was obviously nervous as she began to fiddle with her wine glass.

Elizabeth took a breath and continued, "You know, the actual black eye he gave me is gone, but he's stupid enough to think I have no way to prove anything; like it's my word against his. And I may not have a 'golf date' relationship with a lot of the judges, but I've been in court enough times, and they do know me."

Elizabeth took a breath and a sip from her glass of wine before continuing, "Those men in his law firm should be ashamed of themselves. They've seen the pictures, but they're standing with him as if I did it to myself…all for the mighty dollar. He brings in clients with big bucks, so they need him to stay around."

Rosie pulled out her phone, "Well, if there is any question, I have the proof…" she glanced down at the picture of Elizabeth's black eye that she saved on her phone.

"Please, I don't want to see it…"

"Well, if he thinks you'll give up, he certainly doesn't know you very well."

"But you know, it's hard, and I can certainly understand some of these women I work with being afraid to stand up for themselves," Elizabeth mentioned. "Thankfully, I'm in a high-rise building with a doorman and we now have security, but right after it happened, when I was home alone, it didn't keep me from swearing he was standing outside my window looking in."

"I know, you looked rough during that time…"

"Thanks for coming to stay with me for a while; it really helped."

"You know I'd do anything for you."

"Including beating up my attacker."

"He deserved it, and some…"

"I have to tell you that the karate classes you took at the 'Y' were perfect. That flippy thing you did to him when you came into the apartment and found him standing over me was priceless. I would imagine that your knee to his groin also put a damper on his love life for a while."

Both women laughed, trying their best to remove the somber mood which had consumed their conversation.

Jack excused himself from Lee and made his way through the crowd when he observed 'Grace' and her friend sitting in the booth. His heart pounded, and he felt a nervousness that he wasn't used to experiencing.

Standing nearby, he hoped for the perfect opportunity to interrupt their conversation and apologize.

'Jonathan' didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the opportunity to let his presence be known never materialized, and by his expression, when 'Grace' looked up, he had gotten an earful from their conversation.

"At the risk of completely wearing out my welcome, may I sit down so we can talk…?" 'Jonathan' asked. "Please, all I'm asking for is a few minutes of your time."

"Well, I'll leave you two alone," Rosie stated as her attention moved from 'Jonathan' back to her best friend. She scooted out of the booth, leaned in, and whispered, "Give him a chance…"

"Hey, I'm Jonathan," Jack introduced himself, sticking with the name he'd given to 'Grace.'

"Hi, I'm R…"

"This is Rebecca," 'Grace' blurted out while catching the look from Rosie that said, 'you'll need to explain later.'

"It's nice to meet you, Rebecca. You and Grace must be very good friends."

"Grace…Oh, yeah, Grace and I are besties; we go way back…" 'Rebecca' stated as she started to turn and leave.

"Wait, who are you hanging out with?" 'Grace' asked, thankful that Rosie was giving her some time alone with 'Jonathan,' but still concerned for her best friend's safety.

"I met a really nice guy and I also have some friends from work here." 'Rebecca' leaned in and whispered, "Let him grovel and don't worry about me."

Once 'Rebecca' left, 'Jonathan' took a breath and returned to his seat. "I want to apologize for my behavior before."

"I'm sorry if I upset you; it was just a simple question…" 'Grace' replied.

"I know, and it didn't warrant the reaction I gave you," 'Jonathan' replied. "Unfortunately, I have come across those who think that a man's worth is tied solely to his job. The fancier the job, the bigger the paycheck, and the more important others seem to think you are. But, 'Grace,' I shouldn't have assumed, as you so quickly and poignantly pointed out, that you were implying anything other than just a simple question…so, for that, I've very sorry."

"Apology accepted," she responded. "I just asked because I think it's interesting what leads people into their life's work. You know, was it a class in school that piqued your interest in cars, or maybe you're following in the footsteps of your dad or someone else important in your life?"

"I guess I'm following in my grandpa's footsteps. He practically raised us after my father died," Jack thought about his paternal grandfather who spent school vacations and summer months with Jack and his brother after their father died, when they were twelve, and nine, respectively. He was also a cardiac surgeon, the one who encouraged Jack's love of medicine, and gave him the desire for a medical career.

"I'm very sorry for your loss. That must have been difficult on you and your entire family. As for cars, like I said before, I don't have a car now, because the transportation system here in the city is so good, but a good mechanic is hard to come by."

"Do you know anything about cars?" 'Jonathan' asked, hoping he wasn't opening a can of worms.

'Grace' laughed, "Hardly. I can't tell you the difference between a carburetor and a water pump, but when I was in college, I was dating a guy who had dreams of going to the NASCAR school…" she drifted off momentarily, and when her eyes met his again, she continued, "I didn't even know there was such a thing, but he would eat, drink and sleep cars."

'Jonathan' sat quietly and let her talk.

"He wanted to make sure I knew how to take care of some things with my old Chevy Malibu. Some of the things he taught me would keep me from being stranded, and others were just simple repair type things that I learned while hanging around his garage," she stated. "Anyway, he taught me how to replace spark plugs, set the timing, bleed the brakes and change a tire."

"WOW, that's impressive," 'Jonathan' stated, and by impressive, he meant that he had no idea how to do any of those things…well, he could change a tire if he were forced to. "Did he ever make it to the NASCAR school?"

'Grace' looked down at the table and stared at her hands as one rested on top of the other. Looking upward, he caught her eye, and she could feel a sense of real interest in his expression. "No, he worked for a tow truck company and was saving money for school. One night he got called out for a disabled vehicle on the side of I-290, and was hit by a drunk driver.

'Grace' felt her eyes watering, having not thought about him in years, her response startled her. She wiped underneath her eyes as several tears fell. "He managed to push the woman standing behind her car out of the way before the truck hit him. He was killed instantly. He was a great guy, and whether he made it to NASCAR or not, he would have been an asset to any community.

"I'm sorry that he never got a chance to live out his dream," 'Jonathan' responded. "I guess the moral of the story would be to live your life to the fullest and do whatever makes you happy."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," 'Grace' replied.

Wanting to change the subject away from cars, and his actual lack of knowledge regarding them, 'Jonathan' asked, "It sounded like an intense conversation between you and 'Rebecca.' Was something wrong?"

"Not between us," 'Grace' replied. She wasn't sure why, but she actually felt comfortable with 'Jonathan.' So, she stated, "About 9 months ago I was dating this guy who I met through a friend. We'd only been out a handful of times over a couple of months span, so it wasn't serious by any stretch of the imagination."

Trying to determine how much to tell him, she decided to go all in, 'he'll accept it as part of my life, or run like Hell.' "Anyway, he's a lawyer in one of those big swanky firms downtown, and I think he believed that he was 'God's gift' to women."

'Jonathan' remained quiet, but his eyes and attention remained on 'Grace.'

"I had a roommate at the time…I shouldn't have, Ros…Rebecca told me she was bad news, but I didn't listen. She needed a place to stay, and well, I had a place. Boy was that a mistake."

'Grace' laughed softly, "I don't know why I'm telling you all this." Possibly it was because he'd heard her conversation with 'Rebecca,' and she wanted to make certain that he had the whole story.

"So, I came home one day to grab my gym bag, and I guess he found it a thrill to sleep with my roommate behind my back. I walked in and caught them having sex on my sofa. We weren't sleeping together, so I guess he felt the need to get it elsewhere."

"After he got dressed and she disappeared to her room, his anger got the better of him. He was mad when I told him to get out and I never wanted to see him, or her again." She continued talking, but her eyes seemed to be focused on her hands as they gripped her wine glass. "I should have seen his anger building up, but I guess I was busy with my own. I never even saw it coming… he punched me in the face and knocked me to the ground. I think guys call it a sucker punch."

Trying to keep from crying, she quickly realized that she was failing miserably. "What made it worse…" she wiped her right eye, which was not doing as well as her left at holding the tears at bay, "he stood there and laughed. He told me that as a woman, I needed to find my place and to accept that a man will always get what he wants, when he wants it and I'd better be prepared."

"Was he threatening you?" Jonathan' asked.

"I don't know. I didn't get a chance to ask, and given my position on the floor, I don't know if I would have asked. Anyway, about that time, Rosie came in…"

"Who…?" 'Jonathan' asked having missed the name as the loud music roared in the club.

"'Rebecca'… Rebecca came in and before I knew it, I was standing, and he was on the floor, drawn up in a fetal position and I'm sure he was quite worried about his family jewels."

'Grace' hesitantly smiled, and nervously laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so graphic."

"Were you hurt?" 'Jonathan' asked.

"Let's just say, he was a real giver…he gave me a black eye and fractured my nose, but I got away. Many women don't."

This was certainly a first for Jack. Although he'd seen many victims of domestic abuse come through the hospital, he personally knew of no one who'd ever been in that situation.

As he listened to her talk, he could feel the anger growing within him over a man who would terrorize and abuse this woman…actually, any woman, and felt his own anger settle in the pit of his stomach. "Grace, that isn't funny. Any man who will put his hands on a woman in anger…well, he's not a man; he's a coward."

"You're right, and he was arrested. We're just waiting to go to court," she responded.

"Do you have any permanent damage to your eye or nose? I mean, I have some friends who may be able to help…"

"No need, 'Ro…Rebecca' already beat him up,' she advised.

"No, I meant ophthalmologists, optometrists, and ENTs. I know people…"

Initially thinking his offer was odd, she smiled, but taking it simply as concern for her wellbeing, she responded, "That's sweet, but I'm fine."

"I'd like to have him in a room alone for about ten minutes…" he muttered; his words drowned out by the music playing throughout the club.

'Grace' took the glass of wine that she had been nursing since her arrival, and finished its contents before placing it back on the table. Looking away, she watched couples on the dance floor, and groups of men and women milling about as they drank, laughed, and socialized.

Jonathan's eyes remained on Grace. He had no idea why this woman was affecting him so. The truth was, he didn't expect it, wasn't planning for it, but now all he wanted was to know everything about her.

"Let me get you another drink," 'Jonathan' stated as he stood from the booth.

"Jonathan," 'Grace' called out, but he didn't turn around. Assuming he simply didn't hear her, she put her hand on his arm. Motioning him back to the table she stated, "Um, this is awkward…"

"I'm buying your drink, don't worry about it," 'Jonathan' replied.

"Well, thank you, but that's not what I mean," she stated as her respiration increased. "Would you mind asking the waitress to bring the drinks to the table?"

"Sure…why…?"

"Well, I don't mean any disrespect, but I don't really know you, and I don't want to wake up tomorrow in a field somewhere without my clothes or a recollection of what happened." 'Grace' was fairly certain that her request would be taken the wrong way…but then again, in her mind, and with the misunderstanding they'd already had, was there any other way it could be taken? However, how he responded took her by surprise.

'Jonathan' smiled and leaned closer, "I'm sorry; I wasn't thinking. I can appreciate you taking steps to keep yourself safe, and no offense taken," he assured her. "If I had a sister, I'd hope she would do the same thing when she was out. So, don't feel bad for asking. I'm going to order you a rosé, and something for me, and then I'm going to the bathroom. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Elizabeth watched as 'Jonathan' walked past the bar, not stopping to order their drinks as he's previously advised and disappeared around the corner. Out of Elizabeth's line of sight, he stopped to give his order to Kaysie, a single mother who was working several jobs to support her infant daughter. Jack tossed a $100 Bill into her tip jar as he headed for the restroom.

Hearing an argument just inside the door, Jack found two men fighting over who would be taking 'Bitsy' home for the night. With one man covered in blood from a broken nose and the other nursing a possible fracture in his hand, Jack aggravatingly replied, "If I had to make a guess, I'd say that 'Bitsy' will be going home with someone who has all his body parts in working order."

Angrily, Jack continued, "You know you guys beat all. There is a beautiful woman out there that I need to come clean to and instead, I'm standing in here babysitting you two."

Elizabeth remained at the table, but with the heavy demand on each of the waitresses, fifteen minutes went by, 'Jonathan' did not return, and no drinks appeared at the table.

Unaware that 'Jonathan' was in the restroom, tending to a broken nose and hand, Elizabeth was not about to go looking for him. Assuming that her admission that she wasn't sleeping with her prior boyfriend finally reached both of his 'brains,' and as such, he wasn't likely to get her into bed for a little horizontal Mambo, it seemed likely that he left out the back door when the getting was good.

"I know I'm cynical, pessimistic, skeptical, or whatever you want to call it, but good riddance…" she whispered as she texted Rosie… "I'm leaving. Feel free to stay. I'll get an Uber."

"NO, what happened to Mr. Hunk of the Month…?"

"I guess he realized I don't sleep around. I'm a waste of his X. He disappeared…"

"Sorry; I'll meet u out front…"

Elizabeth had barely made it to the hostess stand when Kaysie dropped off the drinks to an empty table. She turned and practically ran into Jack.

"Where's Grace…?" he asked, obviously concerned and disappointed.

"Maybe she's in the restroom," Kaysie replied. "Let me go check for you."

Jack took a seat, and impatiently awaited Kaysie's return. "I checked every women's restroom, but there was no one named Grace in there. I'm sorry; I don't know where she went."

The club was still crowded, and by the time Jack walked outside to see if 'Grace' was just getting some air, the Uber had picked them up and they'd disappeared down Clark Street.

Stopping off at XO Marshmallow, Elizabeth ran inside, grabbed marshmallow turtles, and marshmallow brownie cups for her and Rosie to enjoy on their ride home.

"What, no Smores?" Rosie asked.

"I told him how much I love Smores. I'll never be able to eat them again. Besides, I checked, and there was a ten-minute wait for the next batch," she stated as she bit into a marshmallow brownie cup. "Mmm…my new fave!"

Rosie took a marshmallow turtle treat from the box, "Okay, tell me why I'm now known as Rebecca, and you are Grace," Rosie mentioned.

"Think about it, he obviously left me sitting alone at the table, and there's no doubt he won't be trying to find me, unless of course, he's some kind of psycho. If that's the case, he'll be looking for a woman named Grace who's a teacher."

"WOW, when did you start lying when you go out?" Rosie asked.

"Well, tonight is the first time; that's why I'm not good at it," Elizabeth replied.

"He seemed nice," Rosie stated, "barring the little hiccup you two had."

"Yeah, it's a shame because he was enjoyable to talk to. He seemed quite intelligent, interested in what I had to say, and certainly not hard on the eyes," Elizabeth responded. "I guess I can just put him down as another one of the bad ones. It doesn't matter what he does for a living…a guy, is a guy, is a guy. They all seem to lie, and I guess they just expect you to sleep with them on the first night. What a pig!"

"You are way too cynical, Elizabeth. I mean, did he try to get you to leave with him?"

"Well…no."

"Did he say anything that made you think he was expecting a 'hop and drop…?"

"A what…?" Elizabeth asked, quickly realizing that she was way out of the 'slang' loop.

"You know, hop in his bed, drop your clothes…"

"That's just something you made up, right?"

"Maybe…but did he imply that's what he wanted?"

"Well, no, but obviously no guy is going to turn it down…"

"Excuse me, but did you offer it?" Rosie asked, clearly confused.

"No, of course, not. I'm just saying that he may not ask, but if it's thrown in his face, he's not likely to turn it down," Elizabeth explained.

"Well, I'm sure some guys have standards, and won't just jump in bed with anyone," Rosie responded. "Um, can you tell me how we got talking about this? Weren't we just talking about the nice guy who came over and apologized for how he behaved?"

Before Elizabeth could respond, Rosie gasped, "Oh my gosh, what if he were jumped by some bad dudes in the bathroom, and you didn't even go look for him. Maybe that's why he didn't come back."

"No, he scooted out the back door and ran as fast as he could away from me," Elizabeth replied. "I'm kinda getting used to it."

"Well, you could always look him up to be sure," Rosie suggested.

"Rosie, what he told me was a lie; I'm sure of it. He may not have asked me to go home with him yet, but I'm sure he would have. It's a man thing…they lie and have only one thing on their mind!"

"Just because you weren't truthful doesn't mean he wasn't. Maybe he was being honest…"

"Rosie…"

"Don't you mean, Rebecca…?"

"Stop it; don't think for one minute that he wasn't doing the same thing. I don't think his name is Jonathan, but I'm fairly certain that he is a mechanic at the Ford dealership…which sounds like a great job. I mean, as big as Ford is, I'm sure he's paid well and has a wonderful benefits package. Besides, he's a guy and I'm sure he loves all of that mechanical stuff."

"You aren't one to look down on people for where they come from or what they do for a living. That's why you get along well with everyone," Rosie stated with a smile.

"Do you remember the maintenance guy in my old building?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yeah, he was a hunk."

"Well, I never told you, but I went out with him a few times," Elizabeth admitted.

"You did; what happened…?"

"Well, I really liked him, and let's just say the things that broke around my apartment were fixed in record time, which is a feat in and of itself," Elizabeth could feel redness moving up her chest, and covering her neck.

"Wait a second…" Rosie pulled out her phone and lit up Elizabeth's face. "You are positively crimson. If you liked him so much, what happened, and why did you never tell me?"

"Yes, I liked him, but so did his wife and his two and a half kids. She visited me one evening, and I thought I was gonna die. I was so embarrassed, so I never said anything to anyone."

"I understand not telling a lot of people, but why not tell me? You know I always have your back."

"I'm sorry…"

"Okay, so tonight with Mr. Gorgeous Smile, why would he lie about his name but not his job?" Rosie asked.

"Think about it, Rosie, when guys lie, they become things like a world-renowned heart or brain surgeon, a lawyer, the prince of some obscure country that you'd swear was made up in a Hallmark movie, a CEO, or a ba-zillionaire. No guy in his right mind is going to lie and say he's a mechanic at the Ford dealership," Elizabeth stated as both women giggled.

Elizabeth waved her hand in front of her face, doing her best to alleviate the heat flash she was experiencing. "It doesn't matter, and apparently all he wanted was a bed partner for the night, but I'll bet he looks delicious in his mechanic's uniform. I hope I didn't waste too much of his time tonight."

"A guy that gorgeous, you can best believe if he wanted a woman in his bed tonight, he found one to bring home. If that's what he's like, then he's not good enough for you."

The Uber continued on to Elizabeth's high rise apartment complex, Rosie dropped her off with a promise that she's text once she made it home.

Elizabeth walked into her apartment, closed, and locked her door, dropped her keys and purse on the table and walked back to her bedroom. She'd barely stepped foot into her sanctuary before removing her heels, and the outfit she was wearing, tossing her clothes over the back of her chair. She pulled her comfy shorts and T-shirt from her dresser drawer, changed, and took a seat on her bed.

Reaching for her journal that she safely kept in the drawer of her bedside table, she flipped through entries which dated back to days, weeks, months, and several that were over a year old. Flipping to the next blank page, she took a deep breath.

Thinking back to the nice guy she'd met who seemingly ran out on her, and how openly she spoke with him about her life, she felt like a complete fool.

"Maybe I'm meant to be on my own. Maybe, for some reason, my life isn't meant to include a man. Heaven knows, my luck in that area has been abysmal. They lie, they cheat, they are power hungry and possibly they should have been given one brain…the one in their pants, because that seems to be where most of their thinking takes place.

I'm 30 years old, still a virgin, and beginning to feel somewhat hopeless. Not hopeless that I'll remain a virgin, as I'm sure I could have remedied that situation sometime between high school and tonight. However, it is my feeling that you should truly know someone before throwing sex into the mix, as situations get muddied, and lines get blurred when sleeping together becomes the only thing you have in common.

I've chosen not to sleep with a man before marriage. It's my choice. Many of my friends, men, and women, and my sisters included, don't understand my decision, but again, it is my choice. Don't they say that there is a soulmate for everyone? Maybe it's only true if you sleep your way through the male gender, at some point I'd assume you'd find him. However, that is a feat I am certainly not interested in doing. I don't want to be a notch in some guy's bed post, or a sleazy story that he chooses to spread through his club of bed hoppers.

I am so tired of giving parts of myself to others and watching as they toss them in the trash. What's wrong with me; am I just not worthy of a good man?"

Eclipse Nightclub…

As things were winding down in the club, Lee stepped back into his office and found Jack closely watching the surveillance cameras.

"Where did you go…?" Jack's voice was full of disappointment and frustration.

"Where did who go, and what are you doing?" Lee asked.

"She disappeared…"

"Who…?"

"Grace, and don't laugh, Lee, but I felt it…"

"What are you talking about; what did you feel?"

"Lee, she's the one…"

"She's the one for what?" Lee replied as he busied himself looking through some paperwork.

"Look, you told me that the woman of my dreams may be here tonight, and you were right. Her name is Grace, but she left, and…"

"She disappeared…?"

"I think so; I can't find her."

"Jack, I know you aren't used to women walking away from you, so why don't you put this experience behind you and keep looking. She's gone, so forget about her."

"No, you don't get it. She's the woman I've been waiting for, Lee; She's the one I'm meant to marry."

"WHOA dude," Lee looked up from his stack of papers. "That's a rather bold statement to make about a woman you just met."

"I'm telling you, she's the one…the only one, and I just have to find her."

To be continued…

NOTE: As a writer, when new story possibilities come into my head, I feel the need to roll with it. We have incredibly talented writers who keep our much loved When Calls the Heart characters alive, and with new stories coming out, I knew it wouldn't be long before someone thought of this scenario and ran with their own story. So, I felt the need to get mine in circulation. However, I am reading my older stories and familiarizing myself with them again, so they, as well as my more recent ones can be updated. I hope this story has you wondering about the possibilities…there is more to come!