Page 36 of Deadline for Love

For in my heart, it’s always been just you.

Forgive me, my dear, and please understand,

My art speaks of love, not a demand.

I’ve untied the lonely, set their spirits free,

In this golden world, where they’re meant to be.

In a stunning gown of gold,

With green eyes, a story untold.

A gentle smile upon her face,

As she steps into a future of grace.

Loneliness she leaves behind,

In the embrace of love, she finds.

Her brown hair whispers in the breeze,

A vision of beauty for all to see.

I felt sick, I couldn’t stand it any longer. Furiously, I threw the letter on the floor and ran over to the toilet where I vomited. It had been too much for me— too much.

Chapter 13

Eventually, I regained some composure and took a long shower to calm down and unwind, but that didn’t really work. With an uneasy feeling, I took pictures of the letter and sent them to Mr. Morgan’s email address. I added a note that my neighbor had seen the man and attached her description.

Then I changed into a pantsuit and tried to cover my dark circles with makeup to keep things looking good and presentable for the interview with Fernando.

Once I was ready, I quickly left my apartment. I wanted to get it out of my head, but I turned around several times and flinched with every passing noise.

With a thumping heart, I entered the small bakery in front of the bus stop on the same street as mine and ordered a coffee and a bagel.

A young sales associate stood behind the counter and greeted me with a friendly smile, though I could only give him a twitch with the corners of my mouth.

“To take away or dine in?” he asked, and I decided to settle down here today and put my thoughts in order. I felt safer withmore people around. So, I took a seat at a table that was free there.

The smell of freshly baked bread filled the happy store, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Your order.” A tiny strawberry cake was placed next to the coffee and bagel, sweetly adorned with heart-shaped toppings.

“I didn’t order that,” I remarked, looking at the young man before me, who smiled bashfully. His large square glasses made his blue eyes look small. His nose was straight and long with a smattering of freckles.

“It’s on me.” The voice was deep but bright, matching his appearance.

“Is there a special occasion?” I asked.

“No, but... I thought something sweet would do you good.”

I raised my hand and touched my face, embarrassed.

He returned to the counter, serving other customers who had just entered the bakery.

I noticed that he was alone. Usually, Anjali and Rebecca worked on weekends, I knew them both because I frequently stopped here. But today there was only this sales clerk...