One Small Chance: a novella (a Love Story from Portugal)

One Small Chance: a novella (a Love Story from Portugal) Read Free Page B

Book: One Small Chance: a novella (a Love Story from Portugal) Read Free
Author: Lucinda Whitney
Ads: Link
the container into the refrigerator for tomorrow.
    His cell phone rang, and he pushed the button. “Hey, Dad, how are you?”
    “Hello, Simon. Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
    The familiar voice and formality brought a smile to Simon’s lips. Even after living in England for so many years, Simon had never developed a full British accent, despite his native father. People always thought it was funny how they sounded so different.
    “Nope, I was just sitting down to eat something out on the balcony.” Simon pushed the food around with his fork.
    “I take it the weather is nice, then.”
    Simon looked to the city, the red tiled roofs and the light clinging to the surface of the river visible through the buildings in the waning day. Toward the center, historic landmarks and the occasional modern building shared the skyline unequally. The locals called the area the Baixa and Simon recognized its familiar pattern from pictures he’d seen before coming. “Yes, very nice. It still feels like summer. I have a good view toward the estuary and people were still out enjoying their last days of vacation earlier today.”
    Dad cleared his throat. “Did you go by the school yet? What do they call it?”
    “The British Academy in Lisbon. I start on Monday. I went by the building today. It’s not very large, but it looks nice.”
    “And church? Did you find a ward yet?”
    Simon suppressed a chuckle. “Yes, I did. There’s a nice family ward not too far from here, and there’s also a singles ward, though I don’t think I’ll bother with it.”
    “You should.”
    “I shouldn’t, Dad. I’m sure it’s the same as in London. Besides, I’m over thirty.”
    “You still have a few months left.”
    “I’m practically thirty-one and too old for that kind of thing.”
    Dad paused. “All right. You do what you think is best.”
    “Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”
    “Anything else you’ve been doing?” Dad asked with a slight hesitation.
    “Just trying to settle in and getting to know the city.”
    “Are you still looking for that girl?”
    Simon closed his eyes briefly and sighed. He couldn’t tell him that he’d found her and then he’d lost her again. He wasn’t ready to share that when he himself was still struggling with what had happened.
    “Dad, I don’t want to argue with you about this again.”
    “I’m not arguing, Simon. I’m just interested in knowing if you’ve had any progress.” Dad cleared his throat. “If your mother were still alive, she’d be sleuthing right along with you.”
    Simon chuckled. “She would, wouldn’t she?” Mom had been a romantic, and this was the kind of story she would have liked. The thought comforted him.
    After another pause, Simon replied. “I just have to do this, Dad. Even if nothing comes of it.”
    One school term. Simon gave himself three and a half months to find her again.
    What were the chances in a city of almost two million people?

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
     
    Isabel put the tablet down on her desk and sat back. The thought pulled at her again. The letter from Elliot—she couldn’t get it out of her mind.
    Well, that was nothing new. After so many years writing to each other, something had shifted between them in the past twelve months. She couldn’t pinpoint the moment, or even remember how it happened, but one day she’d read his letter and the feelings inside her were different. At first, the realization had caught her by surprise, but when she let herself really think about it, she was more amazed it had taken so long to admit.
    His feelings were different too. The signs were there, in the carefully chosen words and the way his handwriting stressed in certain parts. Sometimes, it was between the lines, in what he left unsaid.
    Or maybe it was just her imagination playing tricks on her, the heart taking over the mind and squashing reason with dreams. Of course he didn’t think about her the same way she did about

Similar Books

Fire And Ice

Diana Palmer

Helen Dickson

Marrying Miss Monkton

A Thief in the Night

Stephen Wade

When She Said I Do

Celeste Bradley

Secret Santa 4U

Paisley Scott

Shadow Man

Cynthia D. Grant

Laura Kinsale

The Hidden Heart