by Mya O'Malley
At First Sight
by Mya O’Malley
Published by Astraea Press
www.astraeapress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.
AT FIRST SIGHT
Copyright © 2014 MYA O’MALLEY
ISBN 978-1-62135-321-8
Cover Art Designed by CORA GRAPHICS
For my daughter, Alexandra, and my husband, Alan.
Thank you for your love and support.
Chapter One
Was it truly such a horrible idea? Annie shook her head at the thought that was slowly creeping into her mind. Online dating? She would have never thought in a million years she would even consider such a possibility. But honestly, was there any other choice for finding a relationship in this day and age? Annie sighed dramatically to herself, she was divorced and alone. Sure, she had friends, but they were busy with their husbands and children. Finding love wasn’t so easy the second time around, was it? No it wasn’t, but Annie was a romantic at heart. She held out for finding the perfect man, if he even existed. She was just kidding herself, but still…
Humming, Annie brewed a cup of coffee as she perused the morning newspaper. Suddenly realizing she had read the same paragraph about a local school charity at least five times, she folded the paper with a huff and pushed it aside. Her mind wandered back to the lingering possibility of finding true love online. Samantha, her best friend, had met her husband on one of those sites that advertise finding your perfect soul mate. Samantha and Terry were certainly compatible, but it hadn’t been an easy journey. Samantha had been through an endless stream of dates; the list was actually quite hilarious. There was that professor who wanted to marry Samantha after exactly three dates and then there was the teacher who forgot her name all the time because he was on a different date almost every night. Yeah, so why would she want to put herself through that?
As if her hand had a mind of its own, Annie reached for her laptop on the kitchen counter. It came to life with a hum as Annie drummed the table with her fingers and sipped at her steaming coffee. Typing in the name of the site in which Samantha had met Terry, she glanced around sheepishly, as if somebody would discover her secret, even though she lived in her apartment alone. Well, she was alone, technically, except for her young black and white cat, Cleo.
Cleo bounced along her keyboard, his long, bushy tail brushing across Annie’s face while purring loudly. Annie hated to disappoint him, but he was not allowed to walk on her computer.
“Off, Cleo. Scoot.” She brushed him aside.
The site presented itself in full glory. She was prompted to type in her gender and age. Annie typed her age into the space and cringed. Twenty- nine years old. Almost the big 3-0, she squirmed at the frightening thought. Forcing her mind on the task at hand, she perused the website. The choices made her giggle and whistle softly under her breath. There was a full spectrum of possibilities here, from the professional to the rugged workman. This could prove to be interesting. Annie’s grin spread across her face.
“Well … here goes nothing!” She typed in her basic information and waited for the computer to register her input. Within seconds, several pages filled with men in her area popped up.
“This is just incredible.”
Annie was jolted back into reality as her cell chirped beside her.
“Hello, Sammy.”
“Hey, what’s going on? You were supposed to pick me up a half an hour ago.”
Annie glanced at her kitchen clock and sprang from her seat. Her coffee mug tipped over as the warm liquid spilled across her thighs. She dropped her cell on the table.
“Oh!” Running for the paper towels, Annie scrambled to mop up the mess. She realized that her friend was still waiting on the phone and sighed in disgust.
Annie grabbed her cell as she wiped her other hand across her pajama bottoms. “Sam? Sorry, I spilled my coffee all over the place.”
Annie listened to her friend as she rambled on about their plans for the day. Feeling awful about losing track of time, Annie apologized profusely. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just got so caught up in this whole online dating experience…” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Oh no. She could hear squeals coming from her friend across the line.
“Yes, I’ve decided to try it, Sam.” Annie’s smile covered her face as her friend continued talking. Annie nodded and assured her friend she would have an open mind and try to forget about her awful, two-timing ex-husband, Greg. Hating to think about it, she realized that Greg had hurt her more than she would ever care to admit, even to herself.
Divorce was not an easy thing, but Annie was happy that she had only wasted two years instead of twenty years with the louse. She was holding out for the whole picture, the husband, the house and the kids, love at first sight. She swore she would not become jaded as a result of that loser. She was determined to prove it to herself. Before getting dressed for the day, Annie peeked at the matches the site had magically concocted for her; not bad. Some of these guys didn’t seem that awful. It seemed she would have plenty to look through when she arrived back home later in the day.
* * * *
The mall was bustling as usual. Droves of people scattered around, causing Annie to watch her step and weave through the crowd. Samantha was chatting about Terry and the dinner plans they had when Annie bumped into someone. Scratch that, slammed into someone.
“Ooh. Sorry.” Annie lifted her head and laid her eyes upon a tall man with shaggy brown hair. His eyes were light brown, kind and warm. She felt heat creeping into her cheeks despite herself.
Believe it or not, this handsome man appeared equally horrified to have stumbled into Annie. “Sorry, Miss. I didn’t mean to…”
“Oh no, it was me. I’m sorry, it was my fault.” Annie snuck a glance at Sam and saw her look of disapproval. Annie was always taking the blame; that was one of the problems she had with Greg, she had allowed his bad behavior and had made excuses for him constantly.
“No, no. Really, I’m sorry.” The man held her gaze probably a little bit longer than necessary. The tension became palpable. Finally, Sam cleared her throat. Annie snapped out of it and fumbled with her purse.
“Yes, well. Thanks, I mean, no problem.” She stumbled over her words.
The man laughed softly and shook his head. “Hey…”
For a second, Annie thought he might actually ask her out or something, the way he was looking down at her. As if out of nowhere, a tall, stunning woman appeared and threw her arm protectively around the man.
Annie glanced down and excused herself. “Listen, no worries. Take care.”
He nodded and stepped away from Annie. “Yeah. You too. Take care.” Annie couldn’t help but notice that the mystery man turned and took a last look at her before being swept away in the sea of shoppers.
Sam whistled under her breath. “Wow. That was something.”
“What was?” Annie feigned innocence.
“Are you kidding me? Did you see the way he was staring at you?’
“No.”
“Liar. And what about the way you were checking him out!” Sam laughed heartily.
“I did not.” Annie gazed up at her friend through guilty eyes. “Oh, okay. So you got me, he was just so cute.”
&
nbsp; “Yeah, cute. That’s the word I would use. How about unbelievably hot?” Sam gushed.
“Yeah that too.” The women giggled and took off for their errands. It was a funny thing, though. It was nearly impossible for Annie to get that “cute” guy out of her thoughts.
Chapter Two
Why is it all of the good-looking guys are always taken? Annie mused over that particular thought as she was getting ready for bed. Samantha was right, that guy was unbelievably hot! Running a brush through her straight blond hair, Annie scrutinized herself in the mirror. No lines or wrinkles yet. She peered even closer and was satisfied that the looming age of thirty hadn’t done any real damage. Annie’s hazel eyes and symmetrical features were considered by most standards to be quite attractive. Greg had even called her beautiful from time to time. Scratch that, she didn’t care what Greg thought anymore.
Lying in bed, Annie found she couldn’t sleep. She wasn’t in the mood for television, and she wasn’t in the mood to read, so her mind wandered to the online dating site. She hadn’t uploaded a photo or completed her profile yet, so what would it hurt to spend, say, an hour or two finishing up the process? Here goes. Annie jumped out of bed and grabbed her laptop from the kitchen. Cleo followed, meowing loudly.
“Sorry, boy. I love you and all, but I think it’s about time I jumped back into the dating scene.” She leaned over and pet her best guy.
After careful consideration, Annie chose a close-up shot of herself which was flattering and a shot from the zoo a few months back, displaying the seals in the background. Annie recalled that day when Greg managed to talk her into one last date after their separation was final. It was right before the final divorce papers were signed, and Annie considered Greg’s attempt to be lame at best. He not only eyed-up every attractive female they crossed paths with, but he took her out to dinner afterwards and then informed her he only had enough money to pay for his half of the bill. Really? She was a modern woman, but if Greg was trying to win her back, the day was a joke. What was she thinking, anyway? He would never change. What was that expression? A leopard never changes its spots? Yes, she was just lucky to be rid of him.
It took about an hour to write her profile and finish the last steps. Annie had to admit it was easier than she thought. There was, however, a vague feeling she was putting herself out there like some desperate woman. Samantha’s voice rang in her ear, reminding her this was how people met each other now, and everyone was jumping into the online dating pool. Annie was cautious not to reveal anything too personal. You could never be too careful.
Satisfied with her profile, Annie knew it was time for bed. She had to be up early the next morning to get up for work. Her job at the veterinary office was important to her. Being a veterinary assistant was rewarding work, but it could be tiring. Dr. Peters was an excellent vet and a brilliant businessman, but he was just starting out his practice, so most days were long. With a smug grin, Annie pushed the final button to publish her profile online.
* * * *
Tim Peters, or Dr. Peters, as Annie called him, appeared to be in a fine mood. He was hustling around, calling for the morning checks on his overnight patients. Tiny, the giant Great Dane, or the oxymoron, as Annie liked to call him, was just waking up.
“I’ll take Tiny,” Annie offered. The Great Dane was Annie’s favorite animal at the office to date, so he had no problem handing over the responsibility to her. Tiny was recovering from getting neutered, the poor guy.
“You should get yourself a nice dog one day, Annie,” the doctor suggested, not for the first time.
“Nah, I can’t have dogs at the apartment, remember?” For as smart as Dr. Peters was, he was often absent-minded. She must have told him a dozen times her landlord forbade dogs. Dr. Peters was kind of cute, in that absent-minded professor way. He was also happily married. Lucky woman.
Tiny was the first of several dogs to be walked that morning. The large dog struggled in her hands, causing Annie to laugh as she outsmarted the dog to finally get a leash around its neck. The medication rounds were next. Annie heard Dr. Peters whistling as he checked on his patients. She loved the gentle way he spoke to the animals, as if assuring them they would be feeling better soon.
It was a long, productive day. When seven o’clock came, Annie was anxious to get home. Samantha texted her to see if there was any activity online yet. Wow, it was like the girl was living vicariously through her. Whether she cared to admit it or not, Annie was looking forward to seeing if anyone had responded to her profile.
* * * *
Dinner that night was take-out again. Ah, the life of a single woman. It was pizza tonight. Annie swung by the local pizzeria, Johnny’s, to order two slices and a single order of garlic knots with sauce. Sooner or later this lifestyle was probably going to catch up with her, but for now, Annie was happy to enjoy her favorite foods without worry.
There was an open parking spot right near the front door, so Annie snagged it. She took a quick look in the mirror, taking in the slight shadows under her eyes, she deduced that she should probably get a good night’s rest tonight. It was a long day, and she was tired. Smoothing down her hair, Annie tied her belt around her jacket. The March evening air had a chill to it. Late winter in the northeast could be fickle; sometimes it was warm, like a spring day, yet at other times it was downright freezing. Annie considered herself lucky to live in the suburbs of New York City. She enjoyed the small towns edged against the most wonderful city in the world. Annie often told herself she should go to the city more often. There was so much to do, so much culture just waiting to be experienced.
Johnny’s was packed. Standing on line to place her order, Annie took in her surroundings. Just as the owner, Johnny, was coming over to take her order, something caught Annie’s eye. The guy near the window, he seemed familiar somehow. Where had she seen him before? He was eating dinner with a pretty brunette. He lifted his head to look at Annie as their eyes locked. On no! It was the guy from the mall, the one she bumped into. She quickly spun around, knocking right into the waitress who was carrying a tray of soft drinks.
Soda soaked her shirt and dripped onto the floor. The waitress was clearly annoyed and appeared like she would have loved to tell Annie off. Instead she rolled her eyes and ran to get a towel. If Annie thought she was embarrassed before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. Every eye in the place was on her, including the guy from the mall. Helpless to do anything else, she grabbed some napkins and bent down to sop up some of the mess.
“It seems you have a knack for causing a scene everywhere you go.” It was his voice. The voice that filled her head with inappropriate thoughts, with longing. What was she thinking? Did she dare look up? His gaze was a magnet, forcing her to meet his eyes.
His eyes were a warmer brown than she had remembered, drawing her in.
“I…uh…”
“I’m joking. Here, let me help you with that.” He grabbed the napkins from her hand. The heat between them jolted her back. She moved quickly, surprised he could evoke such a reaction from her. Nobody had ever made her feel so exposed before. What was going on here? Annie felt foolish.
“I’m Shane. Shane Nicholls.” He extended his hand to her. They must have appeared to be quite the sight, bending over to clean up the mess while shaking hands.
“Annie.” Annie remembered her new rules of safety in the dating world. One of them was she would not reveal her last name or any other personal information until she was sure the guy wasn’t a stalker or anything.
“Annie. It suits you, I like it.” Annie had almost forgot about the woman waiting for Shane at the table near the window. She glanced over and took in a tight-lipped woman. It hit Annie that this woman was not the same stunning woman from the mall. Hmm, she had met his type before. This guy had “player” written all over him. She quickly brushed herself off and excused herself.
“Hey, Annie. Wait.” He reached for her hand. Annie forgot all about placing her order and made a bee
line for the door. She didn’t look back. Well, Annie figured, it looked like it would be Chinese food tonight.
Chapter Three
Shane Nicholls. Shane Nicholls. She couldn’t stop thinking about the scene from the pizzeria. What a fool she was. Why did she have to run out of the place like that? It wasn’t as if she knew him or anything. The man must think she had lost her mind. She wasn’t going to waste any more of her thoughts on that player. Yes, she would get that ladies’ man right out of her mind, and she knew just how to do it. She would jump headfirst right into the proverbial dating pool. No time like the present.
The laptop sprang to life as Annie grabbed herself a cup of coffee from her coffee machine. Just pop a pod in, and it was done. Nice, too bad life couldn’t be so simple. Placing some milk and artificial sweetener into her coffee, she took a seat at her small table. Cleo made small circles around her feet before jumping up and walking across her laptop.
“Scoot, Cleo!” She brushed him aside, and he practically hit her coffee mug. Shaking her head, she got back to business. After typing in her password, Annie’s profile screen came alive. Annie took in a deep breath as she noticed the number of emails and winks she had received overnight. Was this some kind of a joke? It couldn’t be real. Seventy-five men had, in some way or form, made contact with her. Well, not actually her, but her profile. How on Earth could she possibly sort through all of these men?
Grabbing her cell, Annie didn’t hesitate to call Sam. Sam picked up on the third ring.
“Do you have any idea what time it is?”
Oops. Glancing at the kitchen clock, Annie realized that it was only six-thirty a.m. Calling her friend at six-thirty a.m. on a weekend morning was pushing it, Annie had to admit.