Page 25 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

“I need to get back.”

She met his gaze, tilting her head up.

He liked she was taller than many of the other women in his acquaintance. He liked the way her eyes lit when she spoke to him. He just plain enjoyed being in her presence. “I’ll return on time.” He gave her what he hoped was an upbeat smile. Then he tipped his imaginary hat, grabbed his gear, and headed out.

Bitter gusts of wind bit into him as he hurried back to his truck. Did he have long underwear? Because as unsexy as they were, they’d keep his legs warm. And he had thermal socks, heavy boots, good gloves and a festive hat. That’d been a gag gift from a co-worker, and although he considered disposing of it when he ridded himself of most of his memories, he’d held onto it. Fortuitous decision.

The ride home took little time, and he secured his van before heading up to his condo. He stowed the rest of his gear and headed into the kitchen. Grilled-cheese sandwiches with cream of mushroom soup was perfect on an afternoon like this. He ate in the kitchen, then headed to the living room to gaze out his window toward the magnificent view.

His place overlooked the commercial part of Mission City’s downtown, but he also could see clear across the Fraser River and into Abbotsford. Beyond was Mount Baker—the dormant volcano in Washington State.

Tonight, dusk tinged its snow-capped peaks. Purple, pink, and an odd blue streaked across the sky. The storm clouds gathered in the west. They’d have to hurry to bring snow tonight. Completely possible—weather in the Fraser Valley was often unpredictable.

As the sun’s final rays hid behind the hills to the west, he made his way to the bedroom. He still felt pretty fresh from his shower this morning. A quick trim of his beard would help fill the few minutes before he needed to get ready.

And who are you trying to look good for?

He grunted. He could say he didn’t want to frighten children with his beard. Or scare off their parents by looking too bushy and unkempt. None of that was true—people’d judge him primarily for the rest of his looks, and his beard barely factored into it. As he trimmed, he thought about the librarian he hoped to impress. Oh, Marnie was beautiful and, at times, showed tremendous strength. Truthfully, though, the feisty Loriana called to him. He wanted to get to know her. To know what made her tick. To know why she was alone.

Are you sure she’s alone?

He paused. Yes, they’d both said so. If she wasn’t, why would she head to a cuddle party?

Maybe her partner doesn’t like to cuddle.

More fool him.

Or her.

He rested his hands on the sink. Another assumption he made. That Loriana preferred men. Had she flirted with him or simply been considerate? Was he misreading the signals he believed he saw? She could be bisexual or pansexual. Two distinct possibilities these days. Younger folks, like himself, tended to be more open about new experiences and less likely to stick to the traditional model. Had he found himself attracted to other men?

Huh.

No, not really. A couple of men in his old life had struck him as people he could spend more time with. But not sexually. He could say objectively if he found a man attractive. And say another guy had a wonderful personality. He’d met men who’d make excellent partners. Yes, he could say all of those things. But the few times he ventured into thinking about a future for himself, it always involved a woman.

Back when you had dreams of the future.

Shut the fuck up.

Whether he’d listen to his own advice was debatable. His world hadn’t come to an end. He still breathed. He still had a job, and he still had a life. Heck, he was meeting his new friends tonight and having dinner on Monday with those gracious ladies—that had to count for something.

Beard trimmed and eyes bright, he scrubbed his cheeks vigorously.

You’ve got this.

Handing out wands to children. How difficult could that possibly be? As he layered his clothes, he contemplated. Even from a young age, he assumed he’d get married and would start a family. As an only child, he’d often wished for a sibling. So, for his own imaginary family, he envisioned at least two kids. The woman was often nebulous because he hadn’t met someone he wanted to create a life with. He was a forever kind of guy—when he committed, he did so for the long haul.

Snagging his hat and gloves, he did one last survey of himself in the hall mirror. He looked like the Michelin Man with his big puffy coat, and he was already sweating. That wouldn’t last, though. The temperature’d already dropped below freezing. He’d checked the weather app before deciding long johns were necessary.

Since he didn’t need any gear, he opted to walk the few blocks to the library. He used Second Avenue and then ducked down to the marshalling area. He spotted Loriana easily. Even amongst several tall men, she stood out. Her light-auburn hair shone under the street lamp. Crappy lighting couldn’t diminish her beauty.

And she’s got brains too.

A definite bonus. Both librarians were whip-smart, and he appreciated that in a woman. He’d dated a few programmers over the years. Some were stereotypical geeks who spent the bulk of their time talking about code. Others wanted compliments on their prowess as innovators. A small handful just wanted to go out and talk about something other than work. He loved his job, but he also appreciated being away from it. So, for him, that last category of dates had been his favorite.

Loriana spotted him as he sauntered over. She beckoned to him.

He made his way through the thick crowd. Ah, Marnie stood by Loriana’s side.

---