Thank you for brightening my day!!! My guess is that Myles already knows exactly what Lucy is doing...and he's maybe sabotaging her plans
*wanders off, trying to locate the office sewing kit, just in case....*

Oh I can see I am going to be bouncing from laughter to embarrassment and back again in this story. I love it!

kav

poor Lucy...


go Myles!

me thinks true love is closer to home....

Oh dear, poor Lucy! What a predicament!

Methinks Myles is one smooth move after another! Almost like a game of Chess going on.....but Lucy sure doesn't know it!

Jill

Poor Lucy! What a situation to find yourself in, it was very fortunate that Myles just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Although I think he knows about Lucy's plan, the question is, is he going to hinder her or help her?

I guess I'll just have to wait patiently to see how it unfolds.

Sairs

I think Myles might know Lucy's plans. But I don't think he's trying to sabotage them. Somehow I think he might want to be Mr. Right (that's withOUT the 'W')!

I'm really enjoying writing this. Glad to know that others are enjoying reading it.





Countdown – 11 days to V-day

Lucy fumed as she stomped into the apartment. She had just spent the last three hours in a popular downtown gym where she had heard, from reliable sources, that Robert worked out every Saturday morning. He had not shown up.
“There is only just so much time that you can spend dawdling from machine to machine with out actually exercising.” She reflected. “People were starting to notice.”
She had look fetching in her pretty workout gear though. She comforted herself with this thought. Several attractive men had given her the eye and a couple had actually hit on her before she left.
“I have half a mind to … “ She seethed.
Her thought was interrupted by a ringing phone.

It was Myles asking her to save him from, in his own words, a crisis.

Myles explained that, due to a neighbor’s illness, he had been asked to take over the hosting of the monthly meet-and-greet of the neighborhood Art Appreciation Society on the next day. He was expected to provide refreshments, seating and what ever else was needed.
“I really need a woman’s input, Lucy.” He urged in a wheedling tone. “And I may also need a protector ... from Mrs. Argyle.”
Lucy knew that, from Bobby and D’s teasing of Myles, this was an influential recent divorcee in the neighborhood who had her eye on Myles. She was reputed to be a bit of a man-eater.
Lucy gave one more feeble protest before giving in.
“I could have had other plans, you know.” She grumbled.
“I was hoping that I would be able to persuade you to change them … for a friend in need.” Myles pursued.
Lucy’s plans for that afternoon had been an outing with Sue to the opening of a new exhibition downtown. “Maybe”, she reasoned, “I can get Jack to take my place.” She smiled as her all-too-eager inner match-maker took over.
“And I do owe Myles a favor.” She reflected.
“Okay, I’ll be there.” She responded to a patient Myles.
“Great! I’ll pick you up in thirty minutes. Lunch and dinner are on me.” He answered before he hung up.
Lucy quickly dialed. She contacted Jack, left a note for Sue and then got changed, all in thirty minutes.

Myles smiled as he turned from the phone. It had taken some convincing to induce his neighbor Mr. Franton to agree to him taking over the hosting of the neighborhood Art Appreciation meeting at the last minute. He had had to promise him a two week supply of his secret rose compost mixture but … his Lucy was worth it. He whistled an old love song as he loped off to his garage.

I'm only hinting at J/S here. I'm hoping to do a parallel story for Jack and Sue after I finish this.
Gin

Myles starting up as a matchmaker?! Love it!

I am so excited to see where this goes.
thanks so much,
Terie

Now that was a Chess move if I ever saw one!!!

Jill

I think this story should name womanhunt ... not manhunt

I love it... I think Myles knows how to win Luce and I can't wait for your parallel story about Jack and Sue


Restie

'His' Lucy???!!!! When did she suddenly become 'his'? Great idea though - Myles and his devious planning!!! His moves seem to be much smoother than Lucy's...

Hint away Gin!

Later that night, Lucy reviewed her day with Myles. She had enjoyed it.

They had lunched at a chic Italian restaurant in the suburbs. The food had been divine. The rest of the afternoon had been spent flitting from caterer to florist to decorator to wine merchant ordering services or buying supplies for the next day’s get-together. Myles had been patient and attentive the entire time, asking her opinion at each vendor AND actually waiting on the answers. They had ended the day at a beautiful seafood restaurant in the middle of downtown where they had talked and laughed over the day and planned for the next.

Happily tired, she mused “For the first time in a long while, I feel that Myles and I can be good friends.”

At his home, Myles was looking at the first page of a yellow notepad. He perused his list. Some of the items were already crossed off.
“Maybe,” he pondered, “I will be able to achieve nos. 4, 5 and 6 all at the same time.”

Oh no! It looks like Myles has his own womanhunt list! He's pursuing Lucy while she's pursuing Mr. Wright only it's the wrong Mr. Right, right?

kav

Oh lord, he's made his own list!

what she said!

Out of curiosity, I looked up Lucy's list...here are her 4 5 and 6!

Wait a sec.....didn't he get someone else to do the decorating for him?

Could it be they just selected their......do I dare say....wedding reception necessities (minus the cake)????

Guess I'll go check on that again!

Jill

Myles is going hunting too !!! ...Too funny

Why do I have the feeling he will try to sabotage Lucy's hunt?!?!?

And Jill ... maybe you're on to something ... that get together thing is just a little too convenient

could you say that again, there were too many 'right' in that sentence
Gin...this is fun, I wonder what Myles has in store for Lucy!

Hmm. What I'm seeing is a slightly desparate Lucy changing who she is to attract her Mr. (W)right. If he's really her Mr. Right, then she shouldn't have to wear uncomfortable clothes or hang out in a gym for three hours to impress him. Seems like she's got a Mr. Right right in front of her--one who likes her for who she is. Come on, Myles, don't give up.

I wonder how long it's going to take her to figure this out.

You're quite the writer, Gin. I'm new here, too, but don't have the guts you do. You've got a great writing style. My only complaint is that I need longer posts.

Fabulous! Poor Lucy, she's not going to know what hit her if Myles is successful in his hunt!

Sairs

A longer post today ....


On Sunday, Lucy arrived at Myles’ home at 3 p.m. It was a cold blustery day. As she waited for the door to be answered, she wondered nervously, as she shifted from side to side, if her simple elegant blue suit would be good enough. It had cost her a bundle when she bought it last year.
She needn’t have worried.

Myles let her in and took her coat. His glance as he looked at her was warm and approving. He watched the way the color returned to her cheeks as she warmed up and thought how beautiful she looked.

Everything was ready. The buffet table in the beautiful drawing room had been loaded with a selection of delectable sandwiches, cakes and pastries, fruit and cheeses. Various teas, coffees, juices and wines were made available. The decorations and flowers were beautiful. He knew that she had relished her role as organizer.
“Have we fulfilled all your wishes, madame?” He teased.
Her eyes sparkled as she laughed at him and turned to walk over to the tables for a final look. Her skirt swirled around her legs as she walked away.
He wished she was walking towards him.

Three hours later, the room was filled with people. The guest speaker had already spoken and people were just milling about, talking and eating. Lucy and Myles were moving around separately ensuring that everyone was having a good time. Myles looked for Lucy and saw her in a corner of the room deep in conversation with dear old Mrs. Taylor.

He was just about to move towards her when he felt someone clasp his arm. He looked down to see Mrs. Argyle smirking up at him.

“Very nice party, Myles. I didn’t know you were such a convivial man.” She simpered. “I would have done the flowers differently though. I’m really good with flowers”
Myles mumbled a reply.
She moved around to face him directly. “Haven’t seen you at any of these meetings before? And you must own such wonderful pieces of art. Maybe you can be our next guest speaker. Your speaking voice is absolutely wonderful, all aristocratic and manly.” She batted her eyelashes at him coquettishly.
Myles tried to extricate himself from her grasp but she held on like a limpet on a deliciously hunky chunk of rock.
He began “Mrs. Argyle …”
She took this as her cue to continue: “Patricia, please …when are you coming over to dinner Mylsie?”
Myles’ left eyebrow twitched. “Mylsie?!!!”
She pouted. “I’ve asked you so many times. And I’ve been so alone … ever since the divorce.” Her eyes swept downwards even as her chest leant forward so that he could see straight down her extremely low-cut dress.
Myles was pushed into motion. “Let me introduce you to Lucy.” He cried.
He plowed across the room, Mrs. Argyle in tow.
As he hastily approached, Lucy looked up, her eyes questioning.
Myles rushed; “Mrs. Argyle … meet Lucy, the angel who helped me arrange all this” He waved a hand around the room. As he looked at Lucy, he silently mouthed the words “Help me”.

Lucy’s lips twitched with unexpressed laughter.
She grabbed Myles’ free hand and beamed deliberately at Mrs. Argyle: “Very nice to meet you. I’ve met so many of Myles’ friends today. It’s such a welcoming neighborhood. And …” She smiled at Myles possessively. “We’ve really enjoyed organizing this get-together, haven’t we sweetheart?”
Mrs. Argyle gave her a caustic look.
Lucy’s smile became even wider. “It seems a bit too warm in this room, dear. Don’t you think? Do you think we should turn down the thermostat?” She pulled him a little closer. “I’m going to have to drag him away for a little while. Please excuse us.”
She smiled to the other women as she tugged a willing Myles away from a thwarted Mrs. Argyle and a grinning Mrs. Taylor.

At a safe distance, Lucy looked teasingly up at the man beside her.
“Is it only middle-aged women who find you soooo irresistible?”
“There was a time when you found me soooo irresistible.” He responded looking down into her face. Her eyes sparkled. Her lips tempted. He wished he could kiss her.
Lucy noticed his expression change …
She wished …

They were interrupted by a buoyant Mrs. Taylor.
“Shame on you for not introducing your girlfriend to us before, Myles!”
Lucy opened her mouth to protest. ”I’m … “
Mrs. Taylor continued without noticing. “He can be such a grump sometimes, dear.” She said with an arch look at Myles. “But as I said to my Harold, all he needs is the love of good woman.” She patted Lucy’s hand and smiled benevolently as she moved on. “Welcome to the neighborhood, dear.”

Lucy turned on Myles. “Why didn’t you put her right?”
Myles looked down to where her hand was still resting comfortably in his and then looked back up at her.
“She was only coming to her own conclusions.”
Lucy snatched her hand away.

“Come meet Mr. McShine, he is a well-known novelist.” He said as he propelled her to the left. “Maybe you’ve read one of his books.”
Mr. Franton was approaching them from the right.

Lucy..........what wonderful answers!!!!

Myles......good move.

Jill

All hail Lucy full of grace and all the right answers!

*sniggers*

He sure owes Lucy now!

Lucy thinks quick on her feet!

Thanks for all the support. I'm really enjoying writing this.



Lucy smiled as she remembered the weekend. She had spent nearly two whole days with Myles and she was still unaccountably sane.
“In fact,” she admitted to herself, “she had had a good time.”
She snuck a glance at him, deep in conversation with Jack and D about a new case concerning a missing DEA agent in Florida.

Suddenly Myles turned his head and looked back at her. His piercing stare seemed to cut right through to her core. The strong connection she felt left her shaken.
Bewildered Lucy looked down.
“No, Lucy …” she scolded herself, “… not again … it did not turn out well last time.” She scrambled to bring some sort of reason to her thoughts. Her gaze fell on the calendar left open on her desk. There were only nine more days to Valentine’s Day.
“Come on …back to sanity …” she murmured.
She made the immediate decision to phone Roger ... no, Robert ... and ask him out to lunch.

He accepted.

She did not look at Myles.

Me thinks Myles is beginning to get to Lucy!

You sure his name is Rick or Rodney or maybe it was Rory....

Great game, Myles... she is thinking about you and not about Robert ... or Roger ???

Can't wait for more!!!!


Restie

Lucy's heart is heading towards Myles, she doesn't realise it yet!

Fabulous work, I'm looking forward to more.

Sairs

Here we go ..

As Jack and Sue walked out of the Bullpen, Myles walked back in. It was deserted. He assumed that everyone had gone off to lunch. He had opted not to. The new case demanded that both he and Jack go to Miami on the next day and it frustrated him that he would have to be away from Lucy for most of the week. He yearned to talk with her. He had spoken to her earlier in order to request some case files from the archives but she had barely looked him in the eye. He looked over his shoulder guiltily before he peered at her open appointment book. Penciled in for today was “Lunch with Robert”. There was a gnawing pain at the pit of his stomach.

-------------------------

Lucy returned from her lunch with Robert. It had been nice. She could tell that he liked her but … the date had been nice, just nice. Quite strangely she had even felt faintly guilty but, she reminded herself, she had no reason to feel that way … did she? She eyed her ever growing IN pile and sat down to work on reducing it. As she focused on one of Bobby’s reports, a shadow crossed her desk.
It was Myles, waving a folder at her.

Myles had observed, with very little relief, when Lucy returned from lunch. The thought of her and Robert Wright galled him. He looked down at the case report on his desk and the folder next to it. It was not the one he wanted! Fueled by a feeling of powerlessness, he was unable to stop himself stomping over to Lucy’s desk.

“I asked for the file on the Dillon case, Lucy. This is the wrong one!” he thundered.
Lucy observed him. She had felt a frisson of excitement on his approach but was doing her best not to let it show. She wanted to appear cool and calm. Instead, she was distant.
“You requested the Dixon case, Myles.” She pointed out. “I’ve already been down to the file room four times today on your behalf. Go get the correct one yourself.” She gave him a bland look and returned to her own work.
“I would never be able to find it. The filing system is archaic and … “ He retorted already remorseful.
Frustrated with herself and him, Lucy cut him off “You know what, Myles, I have enough work of my own from everyone here, especially you. You’re destroying my peace of mind.”
“You’ve already destroyed mine.” Was his rejoinder.

Unsettled, Lucy decided to ignore him. She closed her eyes and repeated calmly in a low voice, as if meditating: “I am at peace … in a peaceful ... green ... meadow.”
Myles was determined not to be ignored, he tried again:
“Lucy, I would appreciate your assistance in this matter. Please!”
Lucy’s only response was to continue “A beautiful meadow, butterflies, birds singing… no Myl …”
He cut her off: “You would help me if I were Sue, or Jack maybe”
“Possibly!” was her retort. She continued to mumble: “In the greenest field I’ve ever seen …”
Myles persisted. He leant forward until he was inches from her face and leered. “You would help me if I were loverboy Robert Wright!”
Lucy’s eyes popped open and looked questioningly into the challenging steel blue eyes. What did he know about that? Did Tara say something?
“Maybe I would at that.” She goaded with an arch look.
Her eyes flashed sparks at Myles.
“He’s not right for you, Lucy” whispered Myles, drawing even closer.
“How would you know?” she quietly dared, her speech suddenly hesitant.
Myles looked deep into the brilliant brown eyes which were looking at him with such wariness. He had forgotten how easy it was to get lost in them. Her eyes challenged him. Unable to stop himself, his eyes moved down to her lips.
Lucy’s throat went dry. Unconsciously she licked her lips and watched helplessly as his eyes greedily followed the motion. He seemed to be drawing closer … and how could it be but she seemed to be moving forward as well …

Bobby’s “Myles, mate!” abruptly broke them out of the trance. They both sprang back as if burnt.
Bobby continued, oblivious to any tension in the room: “I think I may need the use of one of your snitches on the west side …”
After a surreptitious glance at Lucy, Myles turned and moved towards him.

Lucy rested her forehead on her hands. She took a couple of deep breaths trying to calm her jagged breathing. She had felt more exhilaration in her spat with Myles than she had ever felt in her nice little date with Robert … or in her dates with anyone else for that matter.

Myles wondered if he had undone all the gains he had made over the weekend.

I love the image of jealous Myles

and this romantic scene I think Luce... you know Robert is forgotten...

I can't wait to read more!!!!!


Restie

Wooo! Felt the sparks fly on that one!!!!

Jill

I feel a little sorry for Lucy, I bet she's very, very confused right now!

Ain't that the truth!

Gin, I just caught up on your story and what a great story it is!!!

I love Lucy stalking Mr. Wright and Myles stalking Lucy!! Somehow I get the feeling that Myles is going to win this one!!!

Can't wait for your next post!!!

Joy

I loved Lucy mediatating Myles into oblivion. I can feel the tension building and the sparks flying. This is great though my computer seems a bit singed.

kav

Myles ... undone are your gains? Not sure ... though that little temper of yours isn't helping much.

and To Myles's attitude!

That little spat might have just made Lucy think about her feelings, however, Myles needs to control his temper... otherwise there might not be a happy ending for him.

Looking forward to more,

Sairs

The sparks you felt from that heated confrontation are only gonna get hotter!
Follow your feeling, Lucy. Myles is THE one!

I just caught up again, and I love the way you have both Lucy and Myles attracted to as well as annoyed with each other. So she doesn't really like Robert Wright like she thought she would....I wonder why that is......

Finally ... finally, after a bit of a delay, I am able to get in a new posting.



The Bullpen was almost deserted when Myles finally returned to it.
What with preparatory meetings for his mission and Lucy’s various duties, he had been unable to express his contriteness for starting their tiff.
Always resourceful however, he planned a course of action which he thought would bring him an even greater chance of making amends (and more). But he needed help. He turned to Sue.

---------------

Much, much later, Myles lay on his bed satisfied. He had been up very late telephoning contacts and making arrangements for a surprise which he hoped would bowl over Lucy. He was finally able to get to bed just after 3 am, hopeful that he would be able to get at least three hours sleep before he had to rise and catch his flight to Miami. As he closed his eyes, a contented smile swept over his face. He would not be in the Bullpen for some time but he would still be able to continue his wooing of Lucy each and every day. He chuckled with the thought. It had taken some doing and he had had to call in a few favors but he had done himself proud.


Countdown: 8 days to V-day

Lucy walked in to the Bullpen in a somber mood. It was still early and there were only a few people around. She had not seen Myles since their contretemps on the previous day and he had gone away to Miami on a mission. Wistfully she wondered if she should have done more to mend their little impasse. She sighed. She was so confused.

It was then she saw it.

In the middle of her desk lay a slim gold-colored box with her name on it. Curiously she opened it. Inside was a delicate charm bracelet made of intertwined strands of differently colored gold. As she held it up, it glittered cheerily in the light and revealed a single charm in the form of a perfectly formed hyacinth. The beautifully sculpted clusters of furled yellow petals seemed almost real. At the bottom of the box were written the words:

Flowers are used as symbols of the emotions which we often find difficult to express,
The beautiful Hyacinth is the flower associated with contrition,
Will you forgive me for past wrongs, Lucy?

M.L.

Lucy’s heart skipped a beat as she caressed the tiny trinket pensively.

As the Bullpen began to fill, she quickly hid the elegant band away from prying eyes.

Nice move, Myles.........

Now, will we be seeing a charm a day???

Jill

Awwww, what a sweetie! Will Lucy forgive him?