Eye to Eye

By Sylvia Fraley

Love at first sight is what happened to Wendy when she walked into the gas station one morning. Trouble is . . . the only contact she had with Mr. Right (Lance) were the looks they exchanged as he walked past her and out of the door.

After months of wishing and wondering who he was . . . lots of gas station drive-bys and dead-end searching . . . there he stood . . . in the bank . . . right next to her. As luck would have it, all hell broke loose right then.

Two bank robbers flung open the door and asked what was taking them so long to bag up the money. Surprise glances were exchanged between the two of them. Fate had thrown Wendy and Lance together . . .

Their attempt to escape found Wendy ripping a hole in one of the robbers coveralls only to discover a policemans uniform hidden underneath.

Now . . . the chase was on . . . Fake names . . . . Daring close escapes . . . Hiding out in far away places and near death encounters brings the two of them closer together than either of them ever dreamed . . . . of course . . . THERE IS A SURPRISE ENDING.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 5, 2007
• ISBN: 9781465333582

Sylvia Fraley

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Sylvia had moved 21 times by the time she graduated high school ... not to mention the dozens of times afterwards. Her journeys took her not only to places of interest and excitement but also to those that required endurance and strength. Mixing with the various cultures created a hands on knowledge that she incorporates into her books. To her credits, Sylvia has written fashion articles for the Los Angeles Times as well as writing script runs for fashion shows. She has created lay-outs for various advertising agencies and numerous free-lance projects. Making her home in the Ozarks by a very large lake, Sylvia enjoys outdoor activities as well as traveling and, of course, writing books that are, like the life she has led, filled with unexpected endings and exciting events.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Monday! I’ve always hated Mondays! Slowly, I opened one eye . . . then the other . . . then . . . I sat bolt upright. My trusty alarm clock had let me down again.

I stayed out late all weekend and, in my haste to get some sleep last night, I neglected to pull the alarm. Now, I had less than 20 minutes to get dressed, eat breakfast . . . forget breakfast . . . put on my make-up . . . forget that, too. All I wore anyway was a little lipstick and some mascara. I’d have to put that on in my car while on the way to work . . . 15 miles away.

The weather wasn’t on my side either . . . miserable rainy and cold! I was dressed and out of the house in less than 5 minutes. So far . . . so good. Soon, I’d be flying down the freeway, top speed. I have a lead foot anyway and always push my speeds to the limit.

GAS! . . . GAS? . . . NO! . . . The gauge read empty. I knew there was something I forgot to do last night . . . GET GAS! Well . . . I had to stop. I knew I’d never make it to work on what little I had in there. Because of my neglence and lateness; I only put in $5.00 worth. I then walked as fast as I could toward the station to pay, hoping not to get too wet in the rain that was fast pelting down upon me.

There! Standing at the register with a big white cast on his right leg was the most handsome man I’d ever seen . . . clean cut and over 6' tall with straight black hair, dark eyes and a face that belonged in the movies. I stopped dead in my tracks . . . just inside the door . . . couldn’t help it! He looked directly at me and I looked directly back at him . . . right into the sexiest, most gorgeous dark brown eyes I ever saw.

Shivers ran up and down my spine as our eyes seemed to hold each other captive. He paid the cashier for his soda. Then . . . he walked very close to me . . . almost touching me. I turned and watched him go.

To my surprise, he again stopped momentarily, turning to look back . . . into my eyes. More shivers went up and down my spine. I knew then . . . he was as taken with me as I was with him. I took a deep breath and hoped with all that was in me he’d speak . . . but he did not. He just kept looking into my eyes as he passed through the doorway.

Oh! . . . Why is that cashier so slow? I wanted in the worst way to run outside and make his acquaintance. My heart was skipping one beat after the other just thinking about it.

That will be $5.00 please! Finally! It was my turn to pay. I quickly dug into my purse. Rats! All I had was a twenty-dollar bill. I slapped it down on the counter as fast as I could. Turning my head toward the big picture windows: I was just in time to see him walk by. He wasn’t looking. Still, I couldn’t take my eyes off him . . . hoping with bated breath that he’d once more look my way.

He did! Just as he was about to pass by the last bit of window; I think he went out of his way to look at me. He seemed to back up slightly, stop and look me right in the eye . . . looked right through me with the kind of look I’ll never forget. Our eyes seemed to be passionately glued to each other.

I knew I was blushing . . . had to be. I felt hot and shaky all over. My heart was pounding. My palms were sweaty and my knees felt like jelly. We stood there, as if in a spell, for a moment. Then . . . all too soon . . .

He turned his head away and walked out of my sight . . . and out of my life.

Why? Oh! Why . . . is she taking so long with my change? Quickly, I zipped my little purse shut . . . not even waiting for it and headed for the door as fast as I could. My insides were still shaking at the very thought of meeting the handsome stranger outside.

I could hear the cashier yelling at me. Hey! COME BACK HERE! You forgot your change!

Too late! How did he get away so fast? . . . with a broken leg yet. I knew I couldn’t have been more than a couple of seconds in there since he walked around that corner. I looked all over. No car in sight . . . No car driving on the road . . . Not a soul in sight anywhere. I could see for more than a block all around and . . . believe me . . . I looked as hard as I could.

He just HAD to be around here somewhere. I ran completely a round the gas station . . . it’s pumps and building paying no attention to the rain that was swiftly pouring down upon me. NO ONE WAS THERE . . . HE WAS GONE . . . VANISHED . . . out of my life

For days . . . for weeks that turned into months . . . I went out of my way to drive by that gas station. Of course . . . he was never there. Each day I felt sillier and sillier looking for some guy I didn’t know and had never met or seen before.

All my friends began telling me I was ‘nuts’ to keep looking. Maybe they were right. My chances of running into my mystery man were zero and diminishing fast. I knew I was being ridiculous.

Finally, after the long summer was nearing an end; I broke down and promised them . . . and myself I’d stop wasting my time looking for someone that probably didn’t even live in my area of the country anyway.

I knew . . . though . . . deep down in the back of my mind . . . I’D NEVER stop! I’d always be looking in the direction of that gas station . . . hoping . . .

Chapter 2

By the end of the summer, things were going pretty good. I was proud of the little business I’d created for myself and made good money from it . . . always making sure that when someone gave me a check to pay for my work, it was cashed in the same bank that it was written on. No bad checks came my way that way.

Today . . . I had such a check. Thought for sure it was bad because of the problems I had getting it. When finally, the people did agree to pay for my services, I noticed past-due notices laying all over their kitchen counter.

Anyway . . . Today, I parked right in front of their bank . . . the only car in the lot. As I walked in; I paid no attention to any of my surroundings. My head was down and my hand reaching into the little purse that hung on my side . . . looking for my I.D.

When at last I did lift my head; I noticed only two cashiers behind the counter. One was busy tending to someone and the other was waiting for me. I fumbled around and finally found my I.D. Then . . . THEN, I REALLY looked at the counter next to me.

OH! UH! A I gasped out loud . . . I know I did. I couldn’t believe my eyes . . . nor could I believe the shaky . . . jelly-like feeling running through my stomach. There he was . . . standing right next to me . . . and he hadn’t yet even bothered to turn his head and look in my direction.

The clerk handed him an envelope, obviously full of money. At the same time I handed my clerk my check, along with my I.D. Yeah! . . . My palms were sweaty, alright. I was practically holding my breath, wondering what I should do or say.

It was then that he looked at me. Less than a couple of feet away, there he stood . . . looking down into my eyes. We both stood there, silently, looking into each other’s eyes. The clerk was busy counting out my money . . . but I could neither hear her nor did I care if she was correct. All I knew was . . . he smiled at me and his eyes continued to cut through me like a knife into soft butter.

I hoped I’d run into you again some where, he said. I should’ve taken the time to meet you when I first saw you at that gas station last spring, but . . . He paused, smiled and continued . . . If you’re not married or, well . . . busy with someone . . . maybe you’d let me take you to lunch somewhere . . . so we can get acquainted. He reached out his hand to me. My name is Lance . . . Lance Larson.

I took his hand and tried to keep from shaking as I answered. I remember seeing you then . . . in the gas station across the street. You live around here? Wow! I knew he could see me shaking. You had a cast on your leg, didn’t you? Is it O.K. now? I didn’t wait for him to answer any of my questions . . . I just wanted to be with him, . . . and . . . YES! . . . YES! . . . I’d love to. My name is . . .

GOT THAT MONEY BAGGED UP YET, SON? CAR’S A-RUNNIN’ LET’S GRAB IT AND ROLL . . . NEED TO HURRY AND GET OUT OF HERE . . . BEFORE THE COPS COME. The guy’s voice got angrier than ever, YOU! THERE! BEHIND THAT COUNTER . . . JUST DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT TOUCHING THAT ALARM BUTTON! I’LL SHOOT YOU . . . DEADER THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE!

The guy had a mask on and was wearing coveralls. The gun in his hand looked awfully big and he sounded like he meant business. No sooner had he finished speaking, then in walked his partner, who looked equally as menacing. I was shocked and looked at Lance questioningly. He was looking at me the same way. Lance, I asked, You with these . . .

NO! NO WAY! Think we’re being set up for this robbery. No one else is in here. Last week, two people died robbing a small bank just like this one. Saw it on the news. maybe this is how they did it. They got away with it, too.

SHUT UP! NO TALKING! . . . Just collect the money. You two getting cold feet or something? I’ll fix you both. He turned to his partner and yelled, Grab the girl, pal. He’ll collect or I’ll shoot her brains out.

Before I could catch my breath from all this, the bigger, fat smelly one aimed his gun right at me. GET OVER HERE, he demanded!

Needless to say, I obeyed his order immediately. He pressed the cold gun barrel to the side of my forehead . . . laughing. Now! Just TRY something, Sister! I DARE YOU! Then, he shouted at Lance. ‘HURRY UP, SUCKER! I’M NOT A VERY PATIENT PERSON!"

‘LANCE!" I don’t know why I shouted out his name, but I did. Now I know I was shaking . . . really, obviously shaking and very VERY scared . . . out of my wits.

Lance was busy collecting the small bags of money as the clerks put them on the counter.

HEY! DUMMY! . . . I DON’T WANT SMALL BAGS, Smelly shouted. NOW . . . HURRY UP AND PUT THEM ALL INTO TWO BIG ONES AND LET’S GET OUT OF HERE!

At this point, he took the gun away from my head and pointed it first at Lance, then again at me. you two . . . dummys! HE WAS REFERRING TO US . . . LANCE AND ME . . . GRAB THOSE BAGS . . . ONE FOR EACH OF YOU . . . AND LET’S GET OUT OF HERE!

The ‘smelly one’ let me go about then and ran outside, leaving only his partner to follow us with the stolen bags. I walked over to where Lance was standing with his bag. His face was as red as a beet. I knew he was in shock, probably as scared as I over what was happening.

All of a sudden, I had an idea . . . for what it was worth. We didn’t need this and, from what Lance said about last week’s robbery, I could envision ourselves being shot by these guys as part of the bank