Sara's Port, Ch. 14

Chapter 14

It was shortly after ten o’clock by the time Sara and Oliver finished watching Revelations. All during the film, Oliver stole glances at the breathtaking beauty beside him, trying to gauge her response to the adaptation of this first novel. It was all he could do to stop himself from putting his arm around her, but he resisted temptation, fighting every impulse he had in order to keep a polite distance between them.

All told, they were together almost five hours, the hours seemed like seconds to both of them. So comfortable and so at ease were they in each other’s company that watching the movie was almost an intrusion on their time together and Oliver regretted suggesting that they watch it. Just the same, now that they viewed the video, he was anxious to hear her reaction, although he was pretty sure that for the most part it was positive.

“So, whatcha think?” He asked, cocking his head to one side in order to study her response.

“I liked it a lot, but…” Sara started and Oliver held his breath as she hesitated.

“But?” he prodded gently.

Sara smiled in response, momentarily wondering why he seemed so concerned about her reaction to this movie. He looked so cute and eager, almost like an adorable little boy waiting to be praised. She fought the urge to reach over and ruffle his hair, and she couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming attraction to the handsome man sitting next to her.

Searching for the right words, she carefully continued, “But I liked the book so much and I think some of the humor is missing when it’s needed most. Especially with the changed ending.”

Smiling with relief, Oliver nodded, saying, “I couldn’t agree with you more.”

At that instant, he felt happier than he ever remembered being in his entire thirty-two years. For a long moment they smiled into each other’s eyes, until Sara broke the spell glancing towards the door.

“I wonder if it’s still snowing,” she mused, half-hoping that a blizzard of mammoth proportions would keep her there with him forever. She bit her lip, feeling immediately guilty about Ollie and conflicted about her attraction for Kelly.

Watching the myriad of emotions play across her expressive face, Oliver could tell she was distressed about something and he quickly jumped up to address her expressed concerns about the weather by going to the front of the store. To his disappointment, the snow had ceased and it looked like the main road in front of the shopping center was already plowed.

“It’s stopped,” he said, with a hint of regret as he glanced back at Sara, who gathered up her jacket and followed him out front. “I’ll take you home in the car as soon as I clear it off.”

“But my bike?” Sara gasped, suddenly panicked about leaving her bike out in the snow.

“I’ll take you home and come back and dig it out,” Oliver offered as he gently helped her put on her jacket, lingering a bit longer than necessary as he touched her arms. “You aren’t dressed for the snow. I’ll bring it to you when I pick you up in the morning.”

“Thank you,” Sara answered, smiling at him. “Thank you for everything.”

“Hey I’m happy that this happened,” Oliver said truthfully. “You and I won’t have to be alone on Thanksgiving. I’m happy about that. Most of all I’m happy we met.”

“I am too,” Sara replied.

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It almost seemed that the next thing Sara knew she was back in her room at the Corbin’s house taking off her jacket, wondering if she might have dreamt the whole evening. Kelly was such a perfect gentleman all throughout and he was without a doubt the most attractive man she ever met.

Concern for Ollie’s well being was still very much with her as she eagerly logged on to her computer only to find no mail in her in-box. She frowned momentarily, then her thoughts drifted to Kelly and their upcoming day together.

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Oliver’s thoughts centered on Sara as he slowly and carefully drove back to the store, replaying the entire evening over and over again in his mind. The entire time that he was digging her bike out of the snow, the memory of her light floral fragrance, her soft voice and ethereal beauty stayed with him, wrapping around his heart and memory.

He knew he loved her before he ever set eyes upon Sara, but to have that knowledge confirmed so dramatically by her physical presence was almost more than Oliver’s romantic soul could comprehend.

Ever so carefully, he set her bike onto the floor of the back seat of his car and headed home to his apartment, knowing that the first thing he needed to do was send an email so she could set her worries to rest about the Ollie part of him.

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Sara continued to check her email until almost midnight, when at last there was one item in her in box – from Ollie.

Smiling with relief, she eagerly opened her message to read:

Hi Sara! Sorry I took so long to write – something came up today and this evening and I couldn’t get to a computer but my thoughts were with you hoping all is well there. I probably won’t get to a computer again until Friday, but I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Your friend,

Ollie


“I hope you have a good one too, Ollie,” Sara said softly, as she logged off for the night and settled into bed, but on this night her thoughts drifted from her Internet friend to the real life man who seemed so gentle and kind, and so very honest and sincere.


Continued in "Sara's Port, Ch.15"