He ran towards her. "Good morning," he said, flashing a wide grin. "Beautiful day, don't you agree?"
"Sure," she said, her brow wrinkled in uncertainty about his overzealous mood. "Did you eat an entire box of sugar coated cereal for breakfast?"
"No. That rain cleansed the air and me." He took a deep breath; his chest pushed out, and closed his eyes. After a ten-count, he pushed the air out. "How about you?"
She stared, almost as if looking through him. This was not the same man she had met a month ago. "You make no sense," she said and stepped away. When he took her arm, the dream passed through her mind like a cloud that kept moving. One look into his eyes left her doubting the truth. If Colby were the man in her dream, it would show in his eyes. Something remained amiss; something she could not put her finger on.
In a dreamlike trance, she wavered but never stopped looking into his eyes. He held answers and she wanted them now.
"You have more to offer than I first imagined," he said. The raised eyebrows and blank stare on Megan's face had him saying, "There's more to you than even you know exists."
"You make no sense," she repeated.
Moments passed before either spoke. "Anyway," he said, shaking his head. "What's the story with you and Brett? You seem more like brother and sister than cousins."
"We are," she said, relieved for the subject change. "When I moved to California, Brett welcomed me with open arms. Even with his life and his friends, he made time for me. Working together has brought us closer. I can't imagine being anyplace else."
Colby turned her around and put his arm around her shoulder. "Look at them," he said, pointing to Brett and Faith. "Isn't their engagement great news?"
He spoke as if standing in a vacuum. Words and thoughts tumbled through Megan's mind like autumn leaves twirling in the sky wondering where and when to land.
A blank expression shone in her brown eyes. Unsure of what to say, she sprinted into the woods. Colby's pleas for her to stop floated by but her body remained oblivious to his pleas. A destination remained nonexistent, but she kept running, until her legs succumbed to exhaustion.
"Great. Willow Lake," she said, gasping for air. With hands on knees, Megan tried to slow her breathing. "My heart is drawn to an unknown world and man, which makes daily life tough. This is keeping me from celebrating Brett's happiness." She plopped to the ground with a heavy sigh. "Is it Colby? Does he feel the same about me? Until I learn the dream man's identity, my heart won't fully open to Colby."