Keys clattered against hardwood with a clang and a whispered curse. Lana fumbled, holding her half-eaten energy bar between her teeth as she bent to retrieve the dropped keys. This was typical Lana; late and scrambling out the door, calculating how to make her twenty-minute commute in half the time.

She closed the townhouse door behind her, rummaging in her bag as she hurried down the stairs. The sudden force with which she was hit sent her spinning in a confused tangle of limbs and fluttering papers then, she was falling.

Gravel dug uncomfortably into exposed skin and Lana gasped, trying to regain her breath. Another body shifted on top of Lana, groaning in pain as it tried to untangle itself from her. She lifted her head and a pair of striking blue eyes stared back.

Lana’s heart stopped. She knew those eyes, though never this intimately.

It was Dreamy McJogger. Every morning he ran past her with his high cheekbones and perfect hair. His shirt clung to his body like a second skin, accentuating the muscles underneath. He was gorgeous and Lana often found herself fantasizing about them sharing a moment.

One morning, he would interrupt his run, stop her as they crossed paths, and confess his love in a dramatic display on the corner of 8^th Street. There would be flower petals drifting on a breeze, catching in her hair.

It was a silly thought, a daydream that got her through the dull moments of the morning. Not once did she ever think that it would actually happen, but now… 

Dreamy McJogger propped himself up on an elbow, his sapphire eyes staring deeply into her own. He opened his mouth and Lana counted her heartbeats. Maybe her daydreams weren’t so silly. Maybe this was it…

“What the hell, lady! Are you blind?”

Lana blinked, startled.

He picked himself up from the ground with a scowl.

“Watch where you’re goin’!” Then, shaking his head, he resumed his jog.

Lana remained sprawled on the sidewalk in stunned silence, her brain slowly processing what had just happened. She was vaguely aware of footsteps approaching, then another face appeared, and a hand was offered to her.

“Are you alright?” A man asked, helping her up.

“Yeah,” she said, bending to collect her things. “I’m fine.” 

She was, of course, not fine. She was utterly mortified.

Her energy bar sat in a puddle of dirty water. Lana picked up her breakfast with two fingers like it was something disgusting, which now, it was…

The man stooped to help, reaching for her phone where it lay at his feet. “What an asshole, huh?”

Lana glanced up to see warm brown eyes and a sympathetic smile, but quickly looked away, too embarrassed to hold the man’s gaze. “Yeah,” she mumbled, heat rising in her cheeks.

He handed her the phone.

“Sorry about your breakfast…” He was smiling at her with concern. Lana kept her head down but she could hear it in his voice. “You’re sure you’re okay? It looked like you came down pretty hard.”

Lana readjusted her purse on her shoulder and looked down the block. Her eyes were starting to sting with tears which only soured her mood even more.

“Yes, I’m fine. Uh, thank you,” she sniffed, casting him another glance. “I appreciate your help.”

The man barely managed a “Don’t mention it!” before Lana hurried away, desperate to get as far from this place as possible and hoping the humiliation wouldn’t follow.

---

Lana slowed outside Bridals by Juliet, pulling a compact from her purse. She checked her reflection, quickly touching up the make-up under her eyes and trying to rearrange any loose strands of hair in the small mirror. She was late for work the moment she left her house; what was a few more minutes if it meant walking in looking at least slightly more composed?

Taking a deep breath, Lana closed the compact with a click and dropped it back in her bag before reaching for the door.

The other consultants were standing about the showroom, a few sitting together on the plush white couches and armchairs. Lana hurried past them, smiling to a few as she made her way to the back. A tall, slender woman with dark hair, cut sharply to her chin, was leaning against the counter in the break room, a cup of coffee in her hand.

“You’re late,” she said as Lana came up beside her and dropped her bag on a chair.

“Have I missed anything?”

“Yes.” Renée turned, taking a schedule from the counter, and holding it out to her friend. “Lucky for you, Pauline’s been with alterations all morning taking care of a rush order. So, I was in charge of the lineup.”

“Thank God,” Lana sighed, reaching for the schedule. The last thing she needed was Pauline on her case for being late.

“Lana!” Renée closed her hand around Lana’s wrist and turned her arm. Large scrapes ran down her arm. A dusting of dried blood and gravel still stuck to her elbow. “What happened?”

Brushing the gravel from her skin onto the clean white carpet, Lana let out a groan. “I need a drink…”

“Already?”

“It’s been quite a morning…”

---

The white fabric flowed through Lana’s fingers like water, shimmering as she let it fall gently to the floor.

“This looks beautiful on you,” she said, her fingers working the trail of buttons up the woman’s spine. The bride-to-be smiled; her face flushed with excitement. “Would you like to go out and show them?”

Lana followed close behind, carrying the long train to the showroom. A chorus of gasps and exclamations of awe rippled through the group awaiting them on the overstuffed sofa.

This was the dress. Lana knew it as soon as the woman saw herself in the mirror. Now, there were tears in her eyes and a wide smile on her face as her loved ones sang hers and the dress’ praises.

But Lana’s mind was already wandering, carrying her away to an old cathedral, the stained-glass casting rainbows on her gown as she made her way slowly down the aisle.

Or no! A tropical island, the warm sand between her toes, and a light sea breeze picking up the soft folds of white chiffon.

Or perhaps it would be something simple, an outdoor ceremony with a wildflower bouquet. She would look up wistfully from behind her blusher veil, making her way toward the tall, devastatingly handsome, faceless man awaiting her at the altar.

Lana struggled against the disheartened sigh that threatened to escape. There she was again, getting lost in a whirlwind romance with a man who would only ever exist in her daydreams. She was a hopeless romantic, Lana knew that, but recently, that seemed to be more trouble than it was worth.

Day after day she made sure her hair was done, her make-up perfect, always looking her best for some stranger she passed on the street who wouldn’t even look her way. Yet she had imagined a life with him, what his name was, where he worked, where he would take her on their first date.

And it wasn’t just Dreamy McJogger; it was the man in the three-piece suit she saw on the subway most Thursdays after yoga. It was the young flower shop owner around the corner, who had single-handedly turned Lana into a plant enthusiast after he complimented her daisy-printed skirt.

Who was she kidding? She wasn’t a hopeless romantic.

“I’m delusional…” she thought.

A celebratory cheer pulled Lana back to the showroom and she beamed at the woman standing beside her as she made her decision.

“Congratulations,” Lana said, helping her step down from the pedestal. “Let’s get you out of this gown and then we can put in your order.”

She loved working at Juliet’s, helping countless brides find the dress of their dreams, hearing about their fairytale romances, living out her fantasies vicariously through them. But some days, the forest of white and tears of joy only reminded her of how unlucky she was in love.

Jax needed to take time to “focus on his career”; Drew turned out to be a drug addict; and Ali swore that a long-distance relationship would work — but of course it would when he had another girl waiting for him when he got off the plane. An exhausting amount of first dates and only a handful of seconds. All beautiful faces with commitment issues.

She could fill volumes with her dating nightmares. Like the time her blind date turned out to be her sociology professor, whose class she had just that morning. Or the time she spent an afternoon in the ER after her date pissed off a swarm of bees during their picnic.

Advice was thrown at her from every direction, often unsolicited.

She shouldn’t try so hard. She needed to put in more effort. She wasn’t looking in the right places. Try this dating app. No, try this one! Don’t date online. Don’t be so picky! Don’t settle…

Lana watched as her last appointment left the boutique, still smiling and waving thanks to Lana over her shoulder.

How could it be this hard to find someone?

“You still need that drink?”

Lana turned to see Renée leaving the break room, her purse already on her shoulder.

“Dear God, yes!”

Her friend offered her a sympathetic smile. “Go get your things, I’ll wait outside.”

Lana hurried to the back, the promise of wine therapy already cooling the embarrassment that lingered with each thought of her morning.

---

“I told you he was probably a jerk.” Renée lowered her empty glass and poured another, topping off Lana’s as well. She made a face of disgust. “He was always checking his reflection in windows.”

Lana whimpered into her hands. Despite her wishful thinking, the Chardonnay was doing nothing to lift her spirits.

“I have never been more humiliated in my life,” Lana groaned, lifting her head. “And there were witnesses! Some guy saw the whole thing, helped me pick up my things…”

“Oh, well thank goodness, there’s at least one decent human being left in the world.” Renée sipped, her red lipstick staining the rim of the glass. Lana stared at it, lost in the rich color, dreaming of falling rose petals. She pouted.

The white noise of conversation drifted around them, mingling with street sounds of the city and the pedestrians that passed their table. Everyone going about their lives, enjoying their perfectly normal day with zero incident. Lana doubted any of them had made a fool of themself today.

The sympathetic smile returned to her friend’s face. She was getting too many of those today. “Don’t worry, doll,” Renée said, rubbing Lana’s arm. “Eventually you’ll look back on this and laugh. I promise.”

“I don’t want to laugh! I’m tired of my love life being a long-drawn-out joke. Every date I go on is just one more punchline…”

She raised the glass, tipping it back. The wine burned slightly as it went down her throat making her grimace. “I should just come to terms with the fact that I’m going to spend my years all alone.” She stared off at nothing, frowning. “Maybe I’ll get a cat.”

Renée chuckled, but took Lana’s hand and squeezed it comfortingly. “You’re not going to end up alone, I promise you. One day, a sweet, funny, respectful,” she nodded her head for emphasis, “very good-looking man is going to fall right into your life. And it might be smooth and effortless or clumsy and difficult, but it will be perfect. As long as you’re happy. Besides. You don’t even like cats.”

With a final squeeze, Renée let go of Lana’s hand and threw a few bills on the table. “I’m sorry, hon, but I have to head out. Dave and I are having dinner with my parents tonight.”

She stood and kissed the top of Lana’s head.

“Don’t get so lost in your head,” she said. “That’s a dangerous place to wander alone. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lana watched her friend disappear among the other pedestrians and frowned. Dave was planning on proposing. Not tonight, but soon. He even showed Lana the ring.

Another friend soon-to-be happily married. Lana gulped her wine.

It was a beautiful day, though a bit warm for this hour, and the cafe’s outdoor seating was filling quickly. She should probably leave; give up the table she now occupied alone with her wine glass. She was sure a happy couple would love this view of the park…

Instead, she watched the people hurrying past her, the sidewalk bustling with energy.

A couple passed by, the man smiling at the woman on his arm looking utterly charmed. Lana took another long sip.

The wine was starting to taste bitter.

She rubbed her scraped arms and let out a defeated sigh. Love had clearly given up on her.

“Bad day?”

A man stood by her table, just on the other side of the iron rail that kept pedestrians out of the dining area. Lana squinted up at him against the sun. He was tall and well built, the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up against the heat. His dark hair was brushed back revealing a pair of brown eyes that held a comforting warmth. Something about him seemed very familiar but Lana leaned cautiously away.

“I hoped it would get better after that tumble you took this morning.”

Sudden realization flooded Lana, coupled with a new wave of humiliation. Her horrified expression was met with a chuckle and the same sympathetic smile she had received from him earlier that day.

“Sorry, for bringing up any bad memories… The wine must be helping at least a little, though. Right?”

“Hardly…” she said, eyeing him skeptically. This man had witnessed her literal downfall that morning. It never crossed her mind that she might see him again, now he was like a walking reminder of her embarrassment.

“I’m realizing that we’ve never officially met,” the man continued, extending a hand to her. “I’m Kevin. Moved here a few months ago. You walk past my apartment every morning. We’re practically neighbors, just a few houses down.”

A new sense of familiarity dawned on her as she took the hand he offered and shook it. “Lana. You’re the house with the purple door.”

“That’s me. A bold choice, I know. All of these townhouses look the same, figured it would help me remember which ones mine.”

He smiled with a warmth that touched his eyes and Lana was surprised to feel her own lips turn up slightly in response. He had a small dimple on his right cheek.

“Sorry if I’m interrupting…” He gestured to the table but Lana waved away his apology.

“I was just about to leave. Are you walking home?”

“I am.” Kevin looked off in the direction of their street and the sun turned his eyes to rich honey.

“Mind if I walk with you?” Lana could have kicked herself for asking, but the words had tumbled out without much thought.

“Not at all,” he said.

The conversation was light as they walked, mostly sharing the basics of their lives. Kevin had moved from the Midwest, he worked in the accounting department of a large pharmaceutical company. Lana told him about Juliet’s and how she, very recently, is in the market for a cat. Then, somehow, Lana found herself sharing the countless other embarrassing situations she had experienced over the years which, in hindsight, made being knocked down by a man, pale in comparison. Kevin’s laughter warmed her as much as the evening sun, the dimple in his cheek appearing whenever he smiled at her. But when they reached her door he hesitated.

“I have something for you,” he said, almost cautiously.

Whatever the face was that Lana made, it pulled an embarrassed chuckle from Kevin’s lips.

“I keep a box of these in my desk at work,” he continued, reaching into his bag. “Figured I’d take one with me on the off chance I saw you. You know, to replace the one you lost this morning.”

He was holding an energy bar, the same kind she had lost in a puddle when Jerkface McJogger knocked her down. “Turns out we have similar taste.”

Lana smirked, taking the energy bar from his hand.

“Well, what do you know?” Then, she added a quiet, “Thank you.” Though she wasn’t sure if she was thanking him for this morning, or for right now.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” he asked, the smallest hint of concern in his eyes. “That was a hard fall.”

His hands were deep in his pockets and there was a bashfulness in his expression that made Lana smile.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m very okay.”

He nodded. “I’ll see you soon?”

“I’d like that.”

With the promise of a future meeting, Kevin left with a satisfied smile.

Her elbows were scratched, her palms still burned, and she was pretty sure she had bruised her tailbone. But as Lana watched her neighbor climb the steps to his townhouse she began to realize, maybe it doesn’t have to hurt to fall for someone.