Ten minutes past three.  Justin was late again.  Sarah flicked her wrist over for the third time-check in as many minutes.  Then she slumped over in the corner of the booth, scowling at her cooling cup of tea. How many times had this scene repeated itself-Sarah sitting staring at the scum accumulating on a mug, impatiently gnawing at the inside of her cheek.  One more glance at her watch- even for Justin forty-five minutes was too much.  She snatched her denim jacket from the booth and headed for the till.

She stopped for a minute in the doorway, adjusting her focus to the glaring afternoon sun before sliding onto the hot vinyl seat of her old Civic.

She sighed as she wiggled in her seat, trying to find comfort on the sticky hot cover, and wondered again which one of her major character flaws kept her pursuing the same old behaviour patterns.   

Twice she’d ended it with Justin and twice, to the consternation of her sister Pam, she’d taken him back.

“Come stay with me for the holidays,” Pam urged her. “We’ll have some sister fun and take your mind off Justin.”

 
Sarah’s anger worked its way down through her right foot until she glanced in amazement at the speedometer, just as she saw the flashing light behind her.

The police officer leaned over and demanded her licence and registration.  “Do you know you were going ten miles over the speed limit?”

She grinned ruefully and turned her smile up to the chiselled profile that loomed.  “I don’t suppose an apology and a promise never to do it again would help?”  Good grief! She thought to herself as she gazed into a pair of deeply concerned brown eyes.  I’m actually trying to talk myself out of a ticket.  Chalk up one more character flaw for Sarah.

The look he returned was uncompromising.  “Sorry,” he said,  “I have to give you a ticket.”

He checked out her licence and the frown lifted.  “Sarah Dillon?  Aren’t you Pam’s sister?”

    Her mouth dropped open for a moment before she recovered.  “I forgot how everyone knows everybody in Glendale.  I don’t remember seeing you before.”  How could she possibly have missed someone with those soulful eyes and that smile?

    “Sam Jeffreys.  I just moved here a few months ago.”  His dimpled smile changed back to his original frown.  “You really must learn how to slow down.  There are a few bad curves on this road.”

    “I am sorry,” she said sincerely.  “I’m afraid my mind was on something else.”

    He left with a friendly wave.  “See you Saturday at the barbeque.”

    Oh no! Pam’s barbeque.  He was one of Pam’s Prospects.  Her sister periodically dragged over the doorstep men she deemed suitable for Sarah.  Her presentation was usually accompanied by a smirk similar to the one Tigger her cat wore when he deposited an unwelcome rodent on the mat.  It was also usually preceded by a lengthy discussion with the Prospect along the lines of, “Poor Sarah, such bad luck with men.”  She shuddered at the realization that Pam had probably invited Sam for just that reason.  Heaven knows what she had told him.  While she would love to see him again she couldn’t bear the embarrassment of meeting him as a dating charity case.  She wondered what excuse she could make to ditch the barbeque.  How many fingers would she have to break to give it a miss? 

    Any hopes to evade Saturday’s party were lost in the firm grip of her older sister.  As the guests trickled into the back yard, Sarah tried to keep to the fringes. Then she saw Sam, heading her way.

    “I really should be working tonight,” he said.  “They called me in to change shifts, but I wasn’t going to miss this barbeque.”

    “It is difficult to wiggle out of one of Pam’s invitations,” she murmured.  Under her breath she said “Just ask me.”

    “Oh, it was Mike who invited me.  We golf together.  He said his sister-in-law would be down but didn’t say another word about you except that you were a horse lover.  I hate to say this, but if you hadn’t been speeding, I might never have come.”

    As Sarah digested this information she saw Pam making a bee-line for her grasping a tall, weedy man wearing a denim shirt and a shy smile.

    This was Pam’s latest Prospect?  It wasn’t her policeman? Her glance at Sam was a delighted one at this discovery.

“If you’re going to be staying another week,” he was saying “Maybe we could go riding.”

    Now Sarah caught sight of another unwelcome guest.  Justin stood in the back doorway.  She put her hand lightly on Sam’s arm and smiled up at him.  “Could you excuse me a couple of minutes?  I have some old business to tidy up.  I’ll be right back.”  She inched past Pam to confront Justin.

    “I’m so sorry about being late yesterday.” He began.

    “Justin, you’re much later than you think.”  This time the farewell was going to be final.  “Oh, by the way, be sure and stick to the speed limit on the way out of town; we have a very efficient police force here.”

    She turned and crossed to where Sam was holding out a burger to her.

    “Now what were you saying about riding?”