Page 41 of The Attraction File

SEVENTEEN

Edgar

October 31, 5 Years Ago

I can’t believe it’s her. She kept touching my chest. Also, for whatever reason she was humming an 80s song.

“Is that ‘I would walk 500 miles’?” The barista that just a few minutes ago was about to accept a date with me, figured out the title.

As for me, I was still in shock that I found her. “Blue eyes.”

I knew her name, Evaleen Bechmann, but when my mind would wander to her they would always conjure up images of those eyes.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I have an interview shortly so I guess I am a bit nervous.” Her dark lashes fanned her cheeks as she closed her eyes, putting an end to the daze I was in. “Let me buy your drink to make up for it.”

Evaleen opened her eyes and turned to the barista. “The boldest coffee you have. Medium. And whatever this man was ordering.”

Was she still struggling? My eyes swept down over her body. Her brown suit, while clean and appeared well cared for, was very large on her. What I knew about where she grew up, how she grew up, I wondered if her clothes were second hand.

“That will be eight dollars and twenty-six cents.” The barista watched Evaleen dig in her bag.

Before she could produce any money, I slipped a ten to the barista.

I nodded to her and the barista blushed as she took the cash. It wasn’t hard to make a woman blush for me. One of the very few things that came easily.

I had a feeling making Evaleen blush would require more than a smile and a wink. Just knowing that made me want to try.

When Evaleen finally raised her head with a crinkled bill the barista shook her head and pointed to me. She turned her gaze to me, and I quickly placed my hand on her back.

I had never felt anyone go rigid so quickly. It threw me off, and I glanced over to see if something was wrong.

The way Evaleen’s eyes cut into me and then traveled the length of my arm to the hand that was on her back made me realize the problem was me.

I gave her my best shy puppy-dog face. “Sorry. Habit when I see a beautiful woman.”

Evaleen folded her arms in front of herself. “So you go around touching strangers based on how attractive they are?”

I knew she would be a challenge, obviously a bit hardened by life, so her reaction shouldn’t surprise me.

“I guess you’re right. I do touch people I find attractive.” I scratched at my beard forgetting I painted it blue this morning for Halloween. Flakes of blue makeup floated to the ground.

Evaleen rolled her top lip into her mouth and it was wonderful. Up until the point her teeth clenched. “Look, I apologized for touching you earlier. I am honestly sorry for that. In fact, I wanted to buy your drink to make up for it . . .”

I nodded my head. I had to admit she was kind of sexy when she was pissed off.

“Just because you bought me a drink instead doesn’t give you the right to touch me. I don’t know you. The only people I let touch me are my mom and the guy who does those hand massages at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg because nothing beats a hand massage.”

So she was single. I couldn’t help but smile at her no-touching status.

“I prefer a good foot massage, myself.” I leaned my elbow against the pickup bar.

“Have you had a hand massage before?” Her features eased from angry to confident.

Evaleen’s arms unfolded and lowered to put her hands on her hips as if she was about to lecture me on the finer points of hand massage. “I’ve had a good foot massage before and I agree, they are great. But with a lot of people using their hands and fingers to type at a desk every day, it’s more helpful now than ever.”

“If your interview is for a hand masseuse representative then I think you are a shoe-in for the job.”

She dropped her head to the side and I could see a hint of a smile. Her cheeks colored and my heart tripped over itself for more. I went from Evaleen lecturing me about touching her to the most beautiful grin I had ever seen.

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