The Second Chance

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  Once Anna was safely behind her hotel room door, she flopped down on the edge of the bed and completely abandoned herself to thoughts of the past. In the four and a half years since she’d left Matthew, she hadn’t allowed herself the luxury of examining her once overwhelming feelings about him. She’d been able to file him away as a part of her past, but it was difficult to maintain that illusion when he was standing right in front of her. When he took her hand and told her he understood, it was easy for her to recall that the five years she’d spent with Percival Matthew Wiley had been filled with an abundance of love, friendship, and passion. It was also easy for her to recall that there had been very little common ground on one pivotal issue. Matthew had unknowingly been the catalyst behind her becoming a Canadian citizen, and returning to live in the United States wasn’t even on her list of remote possibilities.

  Even as she thought about the one glaring failure that had ended their relationship, Anna found it impossible to think of Matthew without remembering all of the great things they’d shared. She allowed her mind to drift back to the day they met. He’d been in the law library, hunched over the last copy of Social Justice in the Liberal State, by Bruce A. Ackerman. It was the same book that she’d just spent the last week trying to get via an inter-library loan, and the librarian had just informed her that it would be at least a few more days. She’d happened to glance over at one of the tables in the study area, where she spied a young, blond man with the exact book that she needed. She’d approached him in the most straightforward manner she could muster. “How much would it take to convince you to let me check out that book?” she’d asked while trying to keep her gaze direct.

  When he’d looked up at her, his initial surprised expression had quickly melted into a smile, a very charming smile. “I need this book to study for an exam next week, so I’d say no amount of money could convince me to part with it.” He then paused for an uncomfortable moment and held her gaze with his warm brown eyes before he continued. “Of course, I would be more than willing to share it with you. We can discuss it over lunch if you want, Anna.”

  She’d never forget the jolt that went through her when he said her name. “How do you know my name?” she’d demanded.

  “Ouch!” he’d exclaimed with a smile. “Talk about bruising a guy’s ego. Professor Simeon is giving an unscheduled midterm exam next week in the class we both attend. We sit right next to each other.”

  “We do?” she’d asked in acute embarrassment.

  “Yes, we do. Apparently, I need to focus more attention on the lecture instead of the brilliant young woman beside me,” he smiled. “I’ve invested a lot of energy in attempting to flirt with you all semester, so I guess I should feel relieved that you simply haven’t noticed me yet, as opposed to you’ve noticed me and found me objectionable.”

  He was so attractive in a warm and friendly sort of way, that the idea of her finding anything about him objectionable had struck her as incredibly funny. She actually did something that she hadn’t done before, something that she’d watched other girls do multiple times. She’d responded to his flirting by giggling and involuntarily batting her eyes a time or two. She’d never been outright charmed so quickly in her life. “You have an advantage on me; you know my name already, and I still have no idea who you are,” she’d said with a smile.

  “Matthew,” he’d said as he stood up and stuck out his hand. “Percival Matthew Wiley,” he’d continued as they shook hands. “You’ve probably heard Professor Simeon call me Percy, but I prefer Matthew.”

  “Why does he call you Percy?” she’d asked.

  “Because he knows my father. He has proprietary feelings about what he can and can’t call me, and I don’t argue because I have no authority over him. I feel more like a Matthew than a Percy, but maybe if a beautiful lady like you called me Percy I’d like it a little better.”

  “It was very nice to meet you, Matthew. My name is Anna Mae Jenkins.”

  From that moment on, they’d been fast friends, inseparable, and ultimately the closest thing to soul mates she’d encountered either before or since.