“Of course,” he said.

     Julianna watched in wonderment as this fantastic young man removed a single cigarette and a gold lighter from his inside jacket pocket.  He placed the cigarette in his handsome mouth, lit it, and then passed it to her.  “Thank you,” she said.

     “You are quite welcome.  How do you feel?”

     “I am much better, thank you.  Would you care to sit down with me so that I might catch my breath?” 

     “I can think of nothing that would give me greater pleasure.”  With this, he helped Julianna to a stool next to the bar counter and then seated himself.  “May I ask your name, miss?”

     She smiled.  The whole plan did not work out exactly as she had hoped, but it was working nonetheless.  She had the cigarette; she was sitting next to him and talking, and was soon to find out his name.  “Yes you may.  My name is Julianna Hall,” she said, extending her gloved hand.

     Joshua took her hand and kissed it.  Her heart skipped a beat.  “I am honored to meet you, Julianna.  My name is Joshua Gibbon.  Are you by chance related to William Hall?”

     “He is my father.”

     “He never mentioned having such an attractive young daughter to carry his name.”

     The color of red flushed Julianna’s face.  “You flatter me.  But how do you know my father?  Do you work with him?”  She was trying her best to sound grown up, respected, when she really wanted to knock the young man to the ground and kiss him all over.

     “I only know him somewhat indirectly.  I have met him on a few occasions.  He is here tonight with your lovely mother if I’m not mistaken.”

     “You are not, kind sir.”  He was smiling at her.  She had made a good impression, the most important part in starting a relationship.  At least that’s what all the girls say. His eyes were even more handsome and mysterious up close.  She stared into them as they seemed to go on forever.

     “Are you feeling okay?  You seem distracted.”

     A smile crossed her soft, pretty face.  “I’m…fine.”

     “Perhaps you need some fresh air?  Would you like to accompany me for a walk outside?  It may be dark but the weather is quite pleasant.”

     “I would love to,” she said in a beautiful voice that made Joshua forget all his troubles.  He held out his arm and she crossed hers in his.  “Do you promise to be on your best behavior?  I am, after all, just a young lady, with no means of protecting herself from a man of ill intentions.”

     “My lady, in your presence, I do not believe I have even the ability to think of behaving badly.”

     “Hm,” she said with a devilish smile, “a pity.”

     In an instant, Joshua’s troubles were washed away and he was set in a pleasurable mood.  It was all due to a collision with one radiant blue-eyed girl.  Across the room, a brown-haired man in white smiled at the couple leaving the room.  He stroked the leg of the blonde sitting next to him, kissed her cheek goodbye, and followed the couple outside.

Robert Ford is the author of Christlike and The World of Hek, Book One: Forever.  Both are available wherever books are sold.  Also available on Nook and Kindle.