Sara's Promise by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Nice meeting you, too. I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of you now that I know about this place."
    Cherise looked over at Annie. "I will definitely be seeing you soon," she said with a grin and headed back to the kitchen.
    William chuckled. "That sounded interesting. What did she mean by that?"
    Annie just waved her hand in the air as if to brush the comment aside. "Oh, we live right next to each other so we see each other all the time."
    William nodded, and they both started eating their sandwiches.
     
     
    William left an hour later, after they had made a date to go out to dinner Friday night. The lunch crowd had dispersed, and the place was quiet. Just as Annie was getting ready to leave, Cherise came out of the kitchen and headed straight for the booth. She sat opposite of Annie and stared at her with her brows raised.
    "Well?" Cherise asked.
    Annie sighed. "Okay, just say it."
    Cherise placed her elbows on the table and leaned in close to Annie. "Oh my God. It's him. It's your dream man, literally. Why didn't you tell me you were dating the man from the photos?"
    Annie shook her head. "I know it seems weird. I had no idea who he was when I took the photo assignment. After I met him, I realized it was him, and his house was the one I photographed from the beach."
    "And that he was the guy you've been taking pictures of for the past couple of years?" Cherise interrupted.
    "I know, I know. But we hit it off so well. It's all been happening so fast," Annie said.
    "Do you know how amazing this is?" Cherise asked in a near whisper. "He's the man of your dreams, living in the house of your dreams. And now you're dating him."
    Annie nodded, thinking back to all the times William had haunted her dreams long before she ever saw him on the porch of his house from the beach. Her dreams of him were connected to the same dreams she had of the ribbons of colors, only glimpses of his face appearing through the colors. She never understood the meaning of the dreams, and even now, she had no idea why he invaded her dreams.
    Cherise reached across the table and lightly touched Annie's arm, bringing her attention back to the moment. "Annie, William must be your soul mate. You two are meant to be together."
    Annie shook her head vehemently and sat back in the booth. "No. You know I don't believe in such things. It's just a coincidence that we met. That's all."
    "Then why have you been stalking this guy?" Cherise asked with brows raised.
    "I have not been stalking him. I saw him by accident," Annie said indignantly.
    "And photographed him. And continued looking for him every time you walked on the beach."
    Annie sighed. "You make it sound so terrible. You know I didn't mean anything sinister by watching him. I was just drawn there. Drawn to him…" Annie stopped, realizing what she was saying.
    Cherise smiled. "You mean drawn to him like you would be drawn to a soul mate?"
    Annie rolled her eyes. "For the last time, I don't believe in the idea of soul mates," she insisted. "This is not some grand scheme. It's not divine intervention. It is just pure coincidence. That's all."
    Cherise sat back in the booth and stared at her friend. "Mmm-hmm."
    "Don't mmm-hmm me and don't give me that look," Annie told her friend. "Besides, I'm still not sure what's happening between us. He still seems to be clinging to his wife's memory. I'm not sure there's room for me in his life yet."
    Cherise shook her head at her friend. "I saw how he looked at you. He's very interested in you, Believe me. Did he ask you out again?"
    Annie nodded. "We're going out Friday night."
    "If he was still hung up on his deceased wife, would he ask you out again?" Cherise asked.
    "I suppose not," Annie replied.
    Cherise sighed. "Girl, why don't you just sit back and enjoy your good fortune of meeting the man of your dreams? How many women can say they dreamt about a man, then started dating him? It's meant to be, I tell you. It's meant to be."
    Annie rolled her eyes. "We'll