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she went hunting through her wardrobe for something suitably casual to wear.
    She felt happier than she had since Gramps’s death.
    Sylvester chirped along with her and Luney gave them both a disdainful look as she stretched out on the sunny windowsill washing herself. Lissy laid out a light wool suit in forest green, with her ankle-length boots, before settling down to reading through her notes for work on Monday morning. She wanted to be up-to-date and well prepared for the new professor; he would have some input into her promotion that was coming up.
    Lissy had worked hard at her research to become the youngest lecturer in the history faculty at the small, rural university. Word was out that she was being seriously considered in the current round for a promotion to senior lecturer and it would be an achievement to get that promotion at her age.
    A whole new life was about to open up for her.

Chapter Five
    Tom arrived at her front door precisely at five o’clock.
    Her hair was confined in an elegant French roll and pearl studs in her ears finished off the sedate look. Nice and understated for meeting Tom’s family, and Lissy’s beach clothes were packed away until the next trip to the coast.
    Back to sedate Melissa, all ready for work .
    She ushered him in from the cold, and was rather astonished when he pulled a large bunch of roses from behind his back. Reaching over, he kissed her on both sides of her face and handed her the flowers. Feeling surprised and a little bit nervous, she hugged the roses to her chest.
    Tom had never kissed her cheek before, let alone bought her flowers. They even went Dutch at their weekly dinners.
    “Thank you, Tom, how thoughtful of you.”
    “Welcome home, Melissa. I really missed you.” Tom looked happy to see her. “You look wonderful. Great tan.

    Did you have a good break?”
    Lissy hadn’t told any of her colleagues about her grandfather’s death. She kept herself private and professional at the university. She smiled and attempted to regain her composure. She was unsure of this newly confident and casual Tom. “I’ll get a vase from the kitchen.
    Would you like a drink? I have some white wine in the fridge.”
    “A small one, please.”
    Luney jumped down from the chair and wrapped herself around Tom’s ankles. He moved across to the fire and warmed his back as Lissy went to the kitchen.
    Returning with a tray holding a bottle of wine and two glasses, Lissy was pleased to see Tom sitting on the long settee in front of the fire, stroking Luney. She sat down next to them and placed the tray on the low table between the settee and the fire. Tom poured the wine and held his glass up to hers.
    “Cheers,” he said. A fleeting image of a tall, tanned sailor flitted through her mind as she looked back at Tom. Similar eyes, similar cheekbones.Tom looked uncomfortable, fidgeting in his seat and straightening his perfectly straight tie. Luney jumped across to Lissy’s lap.
    “Is everything all right, Tom?” Lissy asked, concerned that her thoughts could be easily read.
    “Yes.” Tom turned and picked up her hand. “I have something to ask you and I don’t know how to go about it.”
    Her neck prickled with apprehension.

    “We are really great friends and I know how you feel about love and marriage.” Tom paused and cleared his throat. “I have always had a life plan and I would like to get married and have a family. I intend to do that before I am thirty-five…get married, that is. What I am trying to find out, Melissa, is if you would be interested in considering my proposition.”
    “Proposition? Do you mean proposal?” The heat rushed into her face and all she could hear was Gramps’s voice: Wait for your destiny, promise me you won’t settle for less.
    “Oh, no, Lissy. I am not proposing, merely suggesting that you get to think of me in the light of a future life partner. Come and meet my family tonight and then we will discuss it next Friday night.”
    Lissy