His eyes were green. His hair was black. These were the things Isla noticed when this beautiful stranger opened his door to her at 11 pm on a Tuesday night.
Due to the wind and snow, the street signs were difficult to see, making her take a wrong turn in a town she just moved to. And of course her car broke down. What’s worse, six months ago she decided to live without a phone for a whole year, just to prove she could do it. So far, she could count 180 times that she could have benefited from having one. Now, forced to ask a stranger for aid, she found reason 181.
“May I help you?”
Isla was not expecting such a gorgeous man to answer and therefore, hesitated. “Uh…I’m so sorry, but my car stalled in the middle of the street and your house was the only one with lights on. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I don’t actually own a phone. Been trying to live without one,” she gave an embarrassed laugh. “I was wondering if I could use yours to call a tow truck. My car was acting funny for a while and then I heard this loud clunk-like noise, and it just stopped.”
The stranger, as tall as he was, looked over Isla’s head and onto the street. “Ah. I can see it from here. Your drive shaft is lying on the ground.”
Isla thought for a second. “I don’t even know what that is, but it sounds like it comes with a hefty bill,” she laughed again, trying to defeat the awkwardness. She felt so nervous in front of this man. He was definitely the quintessential of “tall, dark and handsome.”
He parted his full lips into a smile to reveal perfectly white teeth. Isla could have melted. “What mechanics charge these days can certainly break the bank. And parts aren’t cheap, either.” He paused. “My phone’s inside. Would you like to come in?” As soon as the words left his lips, he noticed her hesitation and assumed “stranger danger” was running through her head right now. “Or I could just bring it out to you…if you prefer.”
“Sure, I’ll just wait out here, then I don’t have to disturb whatever you were doing.”
“You are not disturbing me at all. I was just reading and actually didn’t realize how late it was. I’ll get my phone.” He was back a minute later. “5657 Unique Drive,” he said as he handed it to her.
When Isla hung up with the towing company, she apologetically told the stranger that they were having a very busy night with the stormy weather, and it was to be an hour or two wait. “I can just walk somewhere and wait. Do you know of a place close by? Even a Walmart will do.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s freezing out and I’m honestly not tired. You are more than welcome to wait inside my house.”
“I don’t want to wake anyone, like a wife or child.”
“I don’t have either of those. It’s just me, so you won’t be disturbing anyone. Please stay.”
Isla let out a deep breath to give herself a second to think before she let her guard down. “Ok. I’ll come in… but I’m going to grab something from my car first.”
She turned back toward the street when she heard him ask, “Uh, is it like a gun or a knife?”
She whirled around to look at him. His crooked smile made her smile in return. It’s been so long since she’s felt this. “No.” She grabbed the bottle of wine that she picked up earlier and jogged back up his driveway. “At least let me bring in a gift for the host.”
The stranger’s eyes widened. “Caymus? Are you sure you want to waste this on someone you don’t know?”
“Those are the most fun people. I would not be wasting anything,” she said, unaware of her lingering smile. They locked eyes for several seconds before he held an arm out, leading the way into his house.
“Welcome. I’m Damir by the way,” he said as they both walked through the foyer and into his kitchen.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I’m Isla.”
“Isla is a beautiful name.”
“Thank you. And Damir is quite exotic. I’m curious to know what your last name is…if that’s all right.”
“Of course it’s all right. It’s Vukovic. Damir Vukovic. It’s a Croatian thing. I was born here in the states and named after my grandfather, who still lives in Croatia.”
“That explains your dark hair and…” she gave him a conspicuous once over, “olive-toned skin.” Was she actually flirting?
He laughed as he turned his back to retrieve wine glasses from the cabinet. When he turned to her again, the recess lighting was reflecting off his face. Not just green eyes, but jewel-green eyes. With specks of honey. “Do you need to call anyone else, like your husband? I’m sure he’s worried about you.”
Isla was caught off guard by his question, making her stumble on her words. “Actually,” she said, “I don’t have a husband. I mean…I did. It’s just that…he was in an accident.” Damir’s face shot up quickly as he was pouring the wine.
“I was working, and it was close to Christmas. My husband wanted to get some last-minute gifts for me. The kicker is, I’m not even a gift person, and he knew that. Anyway, the roads were icy, which was fine for my husband, he could drive in anything, but it wasn’t fine for the man who was new to driving an empty semi-trailer in the North Dakota wind.” She stopped and noticed Damir’s eyebrows were bunched together. Even his sympathetic face was breathtaking.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you. I can’t imagine how awful that must have been.”
“Thank you. It’s been two of the most difficult years of my life, but my faith, family and friends have helped me to navigate through the grief. I’m better now. Though I will never totally get over such a tremendous loss, I want to live life again.”
Damir radiated a sincere smile as he handed her a glass of wine. “Here’s to living life,” he said as he raised up his glass.
Isla returned the smile as she and Damir clinked glasses. “Now, enough about me. I want to know about you.” She quickly took a sip of the wine to give her the courage to ask the next question, hoping it wasn’t inappropriate. “Why no wife or kids?”
The hesitation was obvious, and Isla thought that Damir almost looked embarrassed. Giving in anyway, he started to tell her about how he grew up without having much of anything. Sometimes food insecure. He depended a lot on school meals and luckily still retained those services during summer break. He never wanted to struggle as an adult and knew the importance of studying hard in school so he could obtain a good job. He earned a full scholarship to college and became a doctor. Sometimes he’s worried that he has become a workaholic because it’s instilled into him that if he doesn’t work all the time, there won’t be enough for food or other necessities, which isn’t the case at all. And no wife because he hasn’t had time to meet anyone since he mostly keeps to himself when he isn’t working.
Isla congratulated Damir on where he is today. She realized that story must have been difficult to admit to a stranger, but then again, hers was difficult as well. They both made it through struggle, and that demanded another toast.
“You said you are a doctor?” Isla went on, “I’m a nurse and I’m starting at the hospital next week. I work in surgery.”
Damir’s face lit up. “That’s incredible! I’m an anesthesiologist at the hospital.”
Isla laughed and said, “You’re joking!”
“I am absolutely not joking.”
“Well,” she said, “it’s great that I’ll know someone at work,” she paused. “I think this is what they call serendipity?”
“I agree that it is,” he smiled. “And I’ll say ‘hi’ when I see you in the hallway.” They both laughed.
One hour and a bottle of wine later, the tow truck pulled up. Isla’s heart sank. She thanked Damir for his hospitality and before she walked out the door, she turned to him.
“Goodbye, Damir.” Smiling, she confessed, “I’m actually really glad my car broke down.”
“Goodbye, Isla. I am also very glad your car broke down…and that I lost track of time while reading.” He held her gaze for a moment as they both smiled.
“I guess I’ll see you next week?”
“I am definitely looking forward to it.”
Isla walked out into the street and drove away with the tow truck. A smile on her lips and hope in her heart.