Unforeseen Published
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News of her earlier than expected arrival in Offenbach spread quickly, in fact, and Nial texted her as she was hanging up her new clothes. “I hear you’ve had a brush with death? broke a leg? came down with cholera? Herr Becker’s apfelstrudel will fix you right up. Geez that sounds like a Pepperidge Farm commercial. LOL”
Julie felt the warmth and concern in his message. For an employer, he was extraordinarily easy to work for. His management style was facilitative rather than chauvinistic in the way so many CEOs treated female employees. Was it just how he was raised, Julie wondered.
Being the youngest and only boy in a family of three older sisters, he seemed to know how to be protective and supportive at the same time, unlike other bosses who thought those were mutually exclusive qualities. Or was it that they were about the same age?
Julie texted in return, “None of the above, but good try at ferreting out the story. Will tell one of these days. Happy to be in Offenbach. Thanks so much for letting me be here. More soon.”
Nial got the hint. He texted back a smiley, and let her be.
~ ~ ~
She was just finishing her supper when William called. She marveled at how these two men were taking such a personal interest in her welfare. It made her feel young and after the last few days, that was a plus.
“I hear you’re camping out in Herr Becker’s flat. Isn’t it great? Nial let me stay there for a week after Holly moved out and I was stuck for a while in the Covid mess that was wreaking havoc with everything in Europe.”
He wasn’t saying it, but Julie sensed that either Nial or Cynthia or both had tipped him off to her medical adventure.
It felt like William had unofficially taken her under his wing as a kind of guardian uncle or something, and she appreciated his keeping tabs on her. It was reassuring to have someone she could count on with good and unintrusive advice. She could tell him and not get lectured at, but she needed to maintain privacy a while longer…..
“Still working on that book?”
“You remembered,” he sounded pleased. “Yes, and speaking of, I’ll be going over to Aachen next semester for more research. If you are still kicking around Europe next February or March, I’d love to meet up with you there.”
“I would really enjoy that. I don’t have any plans to leave so far. This job you arranged for me is too amazing to let go of yet.”
“Now, all I did was put interest in touch with opportunity. You made the rest happen all on your own,” he said modestly. “Have you met Hans Becker and Greta Hartz yet?” Was there anyone he didn’t know, Julie wondered.
“Just today, yes. I’ve already had tea with Frau Hartz and bought an outfit at her shop. And hopefully got my point across with Herr Becker that I can’t eat pastry every day and still fit into those new clothes.….
“…. Has Nial asked you to write on anything specific around there?”
“He suggested I pick one thing —whether that’s a gasthaus, or biergarten, or more touristy site, or cathedral — and start comparing them region to region, city to city. I like the idea, but haven’t selected the one thing yet. Any thoughts?”
“You always have to eat. So that would be easy. Selecting a site would bring in history, and you said you were interested in that, although it could be a little harder. But do what your heart calls you to, what you can sustain passion about. Otherwise, you’ll start to feel like you have a job.”
Julie laughed. “Well, I wouldn’t want that.”
“Exactly. Make it fun. I gotta go. I’ll be eager to hear what you decide.”
Julie hung up thinking, This is the kind of person I need in my life. No games, no pressures, no freak outs. Just fun and support, and an unspoken understanding of being there when I need them.
Trigger Warnings: Unforeseen is a mostly sweet travel romance novel. Contains two on page cishet body exploration scenes, and three brief, not too explicit scenes of terrorism and war violence. The story explores a moral dilemma common when relationships face an inevitable end. Guaranteed HEA. Intended for readers 40+.