still strong in America and use the distance as an easy out if he wanted one.
Of course, if he did care for her, the distance was going to be a problem.
• • •
Elizabeth cursed the coach as she stared at the blank page, her morning cup of coffee on her nightstand. The coach had assigned her to write three pages, longhand, every morning, preferably before getting out of bed.
But nothing was going to come between Elizabeth and her morning cup of coffee.
Now she understood how Annie had felt about the coach’s assignments. They were guaranteed to make her think too much.
Dutifully she began. “‘Today is the first day of the rest of my life.’”
Wow. That was old.
She tapped the pen on the journal. Carol had told her she could write anything she wanted, she just had to write. “I wonder if the bank will get me a loan? What if they won’t? I better make sure my numbers are right. That’s what I should do today … ” As she started thinking and writing about her business, the words flew from her hands. Three pages were done in no time.
There. Now to more important things: a shower and breakfast.
An hour later, Elizabeth sat down at her computer to look at her email. An unfamiliar email address caught her eye and her pulse began to speed up.
Marcos.
“Ciao, bella,”
the note began.
“I have missed your bright smile and your laugh. It seems like a long time before I will be able to visit you in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Already I am making plans to finish harvest quickly and leave the clean-up to my vineyard managers. They will hate me for the extra work, but it cannot be helped as I am anxious to see you.
“How is your business going? Are you making your products? I will be happy to test them for you. We are a lot alike — mixing things together to make a new substance. And we both are willing to take a risk to make a dream come true. I look forward to hearing your success.
“Your friend, Marcos.”
Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, studying the short email, her heart beating more rapidly. Marcos had awakened desire, hot flames that she hadn’t felt since she and Joe had groped each other under the bleachers.
But flames could be destructive. Both Joe and Bobby had tried to constrict her life to meet their idea of what a marriage or relationship should be.
Elizabeth frowned. She had let them do that to her. Could she have an affair with a man and still remain who she was? Marcos had possibilities. His major redeeming quality was that he lived half a world away. Some emails, the occasional non-conjugal visit — all manageable.
All she had to do was keep a steady head and she’d be able to concentrate on her business and have a safe, mild flirtation with a gorgeous looking man.
She typed a reply to Marcos.
• • •
After getting a second cup of coffee, Elizabeth sat back down at the computer to do some research. She found two companies that created, tested and manufactured private label lotions and sent off an email to each of them requesting approximate costs and more information. Noticing the time, she shut down the computer and headed for Beauty by the Bay.
She’d been at the store an hour before her assistant, Lara, bustled in. Lara was grinning from ear to ear. “I found something last night that’s perfect for the store. An Italian company makes organic products and is willing to ship to America. They’ve got rave reviews on the web. That way you wouldn’t have to go to the trouble of making your own line.”
Elizabeth took the printouts that Lara thrust at her, feeling her mouth tense as she did so. She forced herself to smile. Lara was trying to be helpful, just like Elizabeth’s mother had tried to be when she was raising Sarah.
It was still annoying.
“Thanks. I’ll look these over, but I’m intent on starting my own line,” Elizabeth said.
Her assistant frowned. “I thought I was doing the right thing. If you start your own line, you’ll need to get a loan
Of course, if he did care for her, the distance was going to be a problem.
• • •
Elizabeth cursed the coach as she stared at the blank page, her morning cup of coffee on her nightstand. The coach had assigned her to write three pages, longhand, every morning, preferably before getting out of bed.
But nothing was going to come between Elizabeth and her morning cup of coffee.
Now she understood how Annie had felt about the coach’s assignments. They were guaranteed to make her think too much.
Dutifully she began. “‘Today is the first day of the rest of my life.’”
Wow. That was old.
She tapped the pen on the journal. Carol had told her she could write anything she wanted, she just had to write. “I wonder if the bank will get me a loan? What if they won’t? I better make sure my numbers are right. That’s what I should do today … ” As she started thinking and writing about her business, the words flew from her hands. Three pages were done in no time.
There. Now to more important things: a shower and breakfast.
An hour later, Elizabeth sat down at her computer to look at her email. An unfamiliar email address caught her eye and her pulse began to speed up.
Marcos.
“Ciao, bella,”
the note began.
“I have missed your bright smile and your laugh. It seems like a long time before I will be able to visit you in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Already I am making plans to finish harvest quickly and leave the clean-up to my vineyard managers. They will hate me for the extra work, but it cannot be helped as I am anxious to see you.
“How is your business going? Are you making your products? I will be happy to test them for you. We are a lot alike — mixing things together to make a new substance. And we both are willing to take a risk to make a dream come true. I look forward to hearing your success.
“Your friend, Marcos.”
Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, studying the short email, her heart beating more rapidly. Marcos had awakened desire, hot flames that she hadn’t felt since she and Joe had groped each other under the bleachers.
But flames could be destructive. Both Joe and Bobby had tried to constrict her life to meet their idea of what a marriage or relationship should be.
Elizabeth frowned. She had let them do that to her. Could she have an affair with a man and still remain who she was? Marcos had possibilities. His major redeeming quality was that he lived half a world away. Some emails, the occasional non-conjugal visit — all manageable.
All she had to do was keep a steady head and she’d be able to concentrate on her business and have a safe, mild flirtation with a gorgeous looking man.
She typed a reply to Marcos.
• • •
After getting a second cup of coffee, Elizabeth sat back down at the computer to do some research. She found two companies that created, tested and manufactured private label lotions and sent off an email to each of them requesting approximate costs and more information. Noticing the time, she shut down the computer and headed for Beauty by the Bay.
She’d been at the store an hour before her assistant, Lara, bustled in. Lara was grinning from ear to ear. “I found something last night that’s perfect for the store. An Italian company makes organic products and is willing to ship to America. They’ve got rave reviews on the web. That way you wouldn’t have to go to the trouble of making your own line.”
Elizabeth took the printouts that Lara thrust at her, feeling her mouth tense as she did so. She forced herself to smile. Lara was trying to be helpful, just like Elizabeth’s mother had tried to be when she was raising Sarah.
It was still annoying.
“Thanks. I’ll look these over, but I’m intent on starting my own line,” Elizabeth said.
Her assistant frowned. “I thought I was doing the right thing. If you start your own line, you’ll need to get a loan
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