Checking Inn

Movie Night

Upstairs I shut myself up in my room and try to process the conversation I just had with a stunning 20 something man, I'm no prude but this was kind of surprising, several times he's winked at me and maybe stared at me a bit too long but didn't think anything of it.

Yes, it's been 2 years since Adam passed away from a massive heart attack at 40, he had an undetected heart condition since birth, finding him in the yard was the worst thing I can ever imagine. Giving myself over to the painful memory I put in the CD and listen to Keith Urban sing about dying in his love's arms. I rarely indulge in such sentiment but realizing how much I've missed even the smallest human contact but is this the answer. My crying jag exhausts me and I fall asleep and dream of Harry, imagining his long arms wrapped around me and his picture-perfect lips locked on mine, but even in my dreams it doesn't go further than that.

We still have breakfast together but have pretty much avoided the previous topic of conversation, trying out my new frittata recipe using roasted vegetables and goat cheese, Harry approves and moans in pleasure as he starts to steal my last bite. We stick to the routine but Harry said he wanted more room so he moved his workspace into the room across the hall from his. Harry works in the Nature theme room but comes to the downstairs living room at night to watch movies, usually, some sappy romantic movie, stretching out on the couch his long frame in his usual tee shirt and gym shorts, the thigh tattoo peeking out.

About a week after his very forward conversation, I come in from my spin class, he pauses the movie asks me how the work out was, catching up on his day too. I sit down taking over the loveseat across from him.

As he restarts the movie, this is the best part he whispers... As the woman on screen jumps into the arms of her man and they kiss in the rain; As the movie ends with the older versions of the young lovers passing away. We are both weepy eyed, Harry why do you do this to yourself, and now I'm crying. 

"How do you do it, Raven, how do you go in after your husband passed away?"

"All I wanted was to grow old with him and be like the couple in the movie. Well some days it's tough but he wanted me to go on, we talked about it almost like he knew. I can't break that pledge, I live life, play hard, run the business, but half the time I thought about selling the inn and buying a cabin in the mountains and disappearing but I'm getting by for now."

"Are you lonely?" he asks 

"Of course, I am but I was lucky to have a great love, can't be greedy, I'm actually thinking about your offer," smirking at him. 

"Really and what have you come up with?" He comes over and sits beside me, and pulls me into his arms "Raven, you really are amazing."

I pull away and he holds my gaze as my stomach lurches, drowning in the depths of his green eyes as they meet mine of ocean blue.

 "Just have to be sure you are careful I don't want you to fall madly in love with me" I laughingly say and pull away. I better go up Raphael nearly killed me in the spin class.

"Raven are you sure? "He stands, cups my face in his large soft hands. 

"Harry, do you even know how old I am?" I protest. 

He genuinely laughs, "You really didn't google me; Love, I don't care, you are an attractive woman what the fuck do I care age is just a number."

I'll keep that in mind and head upstairs quietly locking the door, still vibrating from his touch. 

A/N: Just cleaned up some typos and added the Keith Urban video  (Jan 2018)