Chapter 1

 

 

Elizabeth Warner had been looking at the computer screen for close to ten minutes, indecision plaguing her. Her "What If" guy, Dean Samson, wanted to meet in person. Normally she'd have been excited about going out on a date with a new guy, but this wasn't just any new guy, this was Dean. The Dean. Her Dean. Her old flame from what felt like a lifetime ago and the star of her masturbation fantasies for ten years now.

With a sigh, Elizabeth rose from her high back leather computer chair and walked into the washroom. Flipping on the light she peered at herself in the mirror - dark brown eyes peered back. She'd dated Dean when she was twenty - ten years ago. It had been an intense and consuming ordeal and she cherished the memories.

Most people said she looked to be in her mid-twenties. She huffed. They were just being kind. She could see the faint wrinkles beginning to form around her eyes, on her once smooth and flawless completion. She'd also packed on a few pounds, enough that the thought of a bikini was horrifying. Maybe a one piece swimsuit but a bikini was definitely a no-no. Seeing a grey hair amongst her dark chestnut locks she gave it a tug. That problem solved.

Nope, she'd aged. The thing was, at age thirty-five, Dean was as hot as he was when he was twenty-five. She'd seen him one day at the supermarket and instead of rounding up the courage to at least greet him; she'd rushed off down another aisle before he caught sight of her. Elizabeth did feel bad afterwards, Dean had been the one and only man she'd held a torch for all these years. She groaned inwardly, she felt like such a coward.

Strolling back out of the bathroom she returned to her seat next to the computer and read his message again. This time she read it slowly. She'd told him that he was her "what if" guy in a brazen moment after a couple of glasses of wine the previous day. He'd replied that life was too short for "what if's" if all you needed to do to make it a reality was say yes to a simple coffee date or walk in the park. He just wanted a chance to reconnect. No pressure, he said.... Hmmm, no pressure for him perhaps.

Building up the little bit of courage she had left in her, before she lost her nerves she typed "yes", requesting a date and time. Her finger hovered over the enter key for a long second before finally clicking the send button. The little envelope flashed and twirled, then message sent popped up on the screen.

Now she had to just sit and wait.

 

****

 

 

"Llama's, llama's, llama's," Dean muttered to himself as he searched the free standing zoo map looking for the llama exhibit where he was supposed to meet Elizabeth, in less than five minutes. "There they are," he tapped the glass covering the map, made a mental note of the location and headed in the direction of the exhibit.

He couldn't believe that after all this time, nearly two years of conversation via email and instant messenger, she'd finally conceded to meeting him. For reasons unbeknownst to him he'd been placed in the friend zone, while she dated a parade of losers. But he'd been patient and accepted his place in the friend zone, pretending to feel bad for each of her failed relationships. He did feel bad, on a certain level. He wanted her to be happy, but he would have preferred it take less than two years for her to come around to realizing he may be the one to do just that for her.

As he walked past the monkey cages he caught sight of her, watching the llamas intently, a smile on her lips. One walked over to her, eyed her with disinterest and huffed loudly. She immediately jumped back from the rail laughing, and running a hand through her long hair. It had been ten years since he'd seen her. He'd caught sight of her from time to time from afar, but he'd just never let on to her that he had.

He'd found her email address through Facebook, but there was no mistaking her. The long chestnut hair, her curvy frame, pale complexion and dark eyes were unmistakeable. She looked slightly older, but still not near her real age. Her frame was a little curvier than when they were young, but it only added to her appeal. He wouldn't have guessed a day over twenty-five.

She. Was. Breathtaking.

As if sensing his eyes on her, she turned her head and her eyes caught his - their gazes locking. He could see both the excitement and the nervousness in her eyes. An exact reflection of how he felt at that moment. While he'd have never admitted it to anyone, he'd never been so nervous.

She'd told him the other day that he was her "what if" guy. Upon further explanation, she told him that he was the only man she'd dated in her past that she regretted how things ended. She'd always wondered "what if" things went differently. She'd admitted that she gauged men she dated, even to this day, to her memories of him. It was both flattering and nerve-wrecking as hell. He'd never told her, but he'd felt the same way. Did that make her, his "what if" girl. He grinned at the thought.

Being the "What If" guy" was a lot to live up to and he wanted more than anything to exceed her expectations. Maybe this date was just the beginning of what should have been years ago. Taking in a deep breath, he smiled, gave her a curt nod and closed the distance between them.