Tuesday Tales: From the Word EIGHTEEN

Welcome to another Tuesday Tales, this one based on the word prompt EIGHTEEN. I’m continuing with Forever in my Heart.

Enjoy.

Mike glanced at his watch. Eight-eighteen. Where was she? She’d checked in last night—he’d verified that—and had gotten his note. The elevator door opened.

He recognized her the second she stepped out of the car, and it was as if he’d been gut-punched. She wore a slim, black skirt with a gray blouse and carried a black sweater or jacket. How was it possible to react so completely to a stranger? Was this what had happened to Luke when he’d first seen Cassie?

Callie spoke to the receptionist, and while she did, he examined her and the way she’d changed from the photograph he’d seen. Her hair was still deep brown, but she’d cut it, letting it settle along her shoulders. She seemed thinner than she’d been ten years ago, but as a nurse, she would’ve had a difficult past two years. The receptionist moved away from the counter to escort her to the table.

He knew the second she saw him, the jolt of electricity he felt from her gaze strong enough to make the hand holding his coffee tremble. He set down the cup before he dropped it. Calvin stood, and so did he.

“Ms. Hayward, thank you so much for coming,” the lawyer said. He didn’t try to shake her hand. That wasn’t done these days, especially in here in the city where new cases were spiraling out of control. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Calvin Ross. We’ve never met, but I was a good friend of your grandmother’s. The little lady on your left is Iris, this one is Rose,” he indicated the child closest to him, “and that’s Louise in the middle. She’ll look after the girls while we attend to matters. Last but not least, this is Mike Branscomb, Luke’s brother. Please, won’t you be seated?”

She nodded, dropped into the chair, and removed her mask. His gaze fixated on her face, her pale cheeks, her soft lips, her gorgeous eyes. With a quaking hand, she reached for the glass of water, but never once did her gaze leave his. Was she seeing Luke instead of him? Were those watery eyes recalling the pain his twin had caused her? For the first time in his entire life, he wished that like her, he didn’t resemble his twin.

That’s it. Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales