"Sheila Galloway? If you're not Sheila Galloway just ignore me and I'll go away. Well, way over there and try to pretend this almost conversation never happened."

Sheila sighed. She rarely got a break. Her classes were usually sold out. This week Nick planned on doing some renovation work, causing one of her classes to be rescheduled. She half thought of not saying anything, but instead, she composed her sweetest smile and dazzled the man before her.

"That's me. I'm sorry. Do we know each other?"

Christian heart skipped a beat and his lips slowly curved. He knew he should say.... something but he could only smile. After all this time to see her again...

The thorough once over look Sheila gave him made him want to laugh. By the flicker in her eyes, he felt pleased to know she liked what she saw. She obviously knew there was a connection but hadn't placed him yet. His left eyebrow arched as he debated whether or not to fess up at all. Perhaps he'd just play along and see how deep her interest ran.

Something about this stranger's smile and sexy hazel eyes seemed familiar, but surely Sheila thought she'd remember someone as classically good looking as the man before her. Like a lightning strike, memories came flooding back. It was the incredible combination of arched eyebrow and a cocky grin that made it all clear.

"Christian? Oh my god!" jumping up, Sheila carelessly tossed her magazine aside and threw her arms around him.

Christian dropped his gym bag in order to catch her. The force of her almost toppled him backward. He laughed as she squeezed him. "Now that's what I call a welcome," he said hugging her back.

Sheila couldn't believe it. She felt positively giddy with excitement. It had to be... "It must be eight years now that I haven't seen you," she said in awe as she realized just how long it has been.

"Nine," Christian said but quickly added with a shrug, "but who's counting?"

The woman before him reached goddess status over those years. He couldn't get over her transformation. Well to him she was always beautiful. "Now I guess the whole world gets to see her shine," Christian thought as he openly admired her.

Shying under Christian's gaze, Sheila said, "Well... you look great!" In Sheila's ears, her voice echoed back in the pitch of an awestruck teen instead of a twenty-nine-year-old woman. "What is wrong with me?" Noticing Christian's bashful smile however she felt more confident and added more adamantly, "No really. You really do."

He really did. She remembered how in college she would affectionately call him a "ragamuffin" for he seemed to have a permanently rumpled appearance. She would have never equated her "ragamuffin" with this man. For starters, his hair once long and out of control was now significantly shorter but still held some of its curls. He had returned to his natural honey blonde instead of bleaching it brighter. He wore his silver hoop earrings that showed he still held a hint of rebellion, even though he had traded his metal band T-shirt and torn jeans for a form fitted black tee and khakis.

"Thanks, you're looking mighty fine yourself," Christian said taking her hand and spinning her around with one arm to get a better look. He knew all about Sheila's weight struggles and her determination to change. "Obviously her determination paid off," Christian thought noticing how toned and defined her arms, legs, and midriff were, as they were delightfully exposed for his enjoyment in her spandex workout gear.

"So," he said with a mischievous wink, "you come here often?"

Sheila laughed. "Same old Christian." He always could make her laugh. "I do," she admitted. "Every day in fact. I work here." Giving more clarification, "I'm a physical trainer for the gym."

Christian looked impressed and then confused, "I thought you went to school to be a physical therapist?"

Sheila couldn't hide her surprise that he bothered to remember what she majored in. "You're right I...I had, but once I got into the physical training aspect of it...well...I sort of became an aerobic junkie," she said laughingly. It struck her as odd that he not only remembered her major but that he even managed to recognize her at all. After college, she became determined to get into shape. Shelia's before and after picture became a source of inspiration to her students.

"You seem no stranger to the workout scene," she said now openly admiring him.

Sheila couldn't resist the temptation to finger his shirtsleeve that strained against his muscled bicep. What she found was most impressive. Whether or not he tightened the muscle to show off or as a reaction to being touched Sheila wasn't sure but appreciated the definition all the same.

That look, if only she knew what that look did to him. His stomach clenched and he prayed he wasn't blushing like a schoolboy caught kissing in the coat closet. Christian couldn't believe how awkward he felt around her. No longer the frumpy college friend, he turned himself into a success both physically and financially but in all the times he played out their conversation, imagining what it may be like to see her again, he always pictured himself the king of cool. With complete calm and sophistication, he would sweep her off her feet with his dizzying intellect. Only instead it was he who felt lightheaded. He cleared his throat before he attempted speech.

"Yeah, I've been known to lift a weight or two," he told her grinning.

Sheila thought it strange how you could miss someone without knowing it but it struck something deep within her to see him again. "Well, I was just taking a break. If you don't have to run, would you like to check out the juice bar? We have great smoothies and it would give us a chance to catch up."

"Sounds great. You lead and I'll follow," Christian said falling right into step with her shorter stride. It felt like old times, to be following her down a hall again. The juice bar looked like a Technicolor wonderland. Each wall painted a different vibrant color obviously chosen to keep the occupants motivated, with bright yellow vinyl upholstered booths lining the windows, which looked out onto the busy street.

"Hey, Ricky. Two Strawberry Banana smoothies, okay?" Sheila said waving over to the teen behind the counter.

"You got it," said the young teen brightening the moment he saw Sheila. However, his smile faded slightly as he took in the rather impressive looking man trailing behind her. Christian quickly looked away to hide his grin and wondered if he ever looked so possessive for the woman before him. Most likely he did and most likely she didn't notice, but just like the teen, he dared to dream.

Sheila by no means ignored them out of vanity, in fact, the exact opposite holds true. Not giving herself a second thought she expected others did the same. If only she understood the effect she had on those around her. Her energy always seemed barely contained and when she looks at you with that smile you'd swear you've just been nominated People's Most Sexiest Man Alive.

"Here," she said leading Christian over to a corner booth, "We can sit here."

They both took their sides and slid in to face one another. Ricky came over placing the glasses between them. He gave Christian such a hard look that Christian knew had he been a little younger or the teen older a fight would have broken out. The boy obviously disliked him but was all smiles for Sheila.

"Everything okay?" Ricky asked Sheila giving a slight head nod towards Christian. Sheila had to stifle a chuckle at the look of sheer shock on Christian's face at the bold implication.

"Great, Ricky. Thanks," she said smiling that heart-melting smile of hers at the boy who nodded and then left. Tapping the bottom of Christian's chin she couldn't help teasing, "You can close your mouth now."

Christian just shook his head to clear his thoughts, what exactly did that brash pip-squeak mean, "Is everything okay?" Nursing his wounded pride he said, "He's a..." nodding to Ricky who was standing behind the counter once more, "He's a ... quite taken with you."

Sheila looked up from stirring her frozen drink to look in the same direction as Christian. "Who Ricky?" Sheila said with a shrug. "Let's just say I have a lot of big brothers around here. Even if they are ten years younger than I am," she said as her smiling lips wrapped around the straw to take a sip of her smoothie.

"Hmmm, I guess I'll have to remember that," Christian said taking a sip of his own. "Hey, these are good."

Sheila shook her head at him and smiled. She had re-evaluated her initial assessment of Christian Orloff. Incredibly good-looking... definitely, sexy...undeniably but she didn't expect him to be so...so...cute. However, he was dangerously cute, one smile and she suddenly had this irresistible urge to want to hug him. "You don't still live in the area, do you?" she asked as she swirled the concoction around in her glass.

"No, I live out of state. Actually, I'm here for a wedding," Christian told her. "And it's a rather odd coincidence running into you considering who it's for," he added. His brows drew together as he pondered on just how odd it was.

Sheila's stomach muscles clenched. It couldn't be... No, they both knew many of the same people in college... it had to be someone else. Still, her curiosity had gotten the better of her. "Who?" Sheila asked.

Christian noticed the recognition in her eyes and how her body suddenly tensed. He regretted saying it the moment the words left his lips but he couldn't back out now. He already swung the door wide open. "James Caulfield," he told her and watched the light in her eyes dim with the mention of his name.

"Oh. Well, that's nice. I mean... that you've managed to keep in touch all these years." Sheila focused intently on dunking her straw several times before she looked at Christian again.

When their eyes met, she smiled. The picture of confidence but he wasn't fooled.

Christian felt that gnawing anger buried deep down trying to resurface. He was painfully aware of how much Sheila loved James all throughout college. James however, only interested in the glamour girls, never gave Sheila a second glance. The three of them became good friends but Christian thought it more of a torture for Sheila. She had to watch James date every other woman on campus and then listen to his detailed exposition of what took place.

Although James is his best friend, Christian would be the first to admit James could be a bonafide jerk. Even though he held no interest in Sheila he enjoyed the attention from her and always hinted that they may be something more. She maintained a torch for him all four years never even thinking of dating someone else, "just in case." A delightfully wicked idea popped into Christian's head as he looked at her. She was perfect but would she go for it.