The Waiting Heart — Marcia Miller

When Gilyan's fiance ran off with someone else, her world fell apart. But was it heartbreak or only hurt pride that kept her from picking up the pieces with somebody new...

As usual, when covering a wedding for the women's page of the San Francisco Globe, Gilyan Barr sat in church dreamily picturing herself as the bride and tall, handsome Jay Hanover as the groom. Was it only a week since Jay told her he loved her ... only yesterday that he'd left for the East Coast to cover the World Series? Already Gilyan was counting the hours until his return. But hours stretched into days with no word of Jay. And then it came -- a brief news bulletin that for Gilyan stood out like a banner headline: Jay had eloped with very rich, very spoiled Nancy Covington. No one thought the marriage had a chance -- Nancy changed husbands as often as she changed fur coats. But this was no consolation to Gilyan. She told herself to forget Jay, put him out of her mind forever. But could she when her heart kept whispering that he was the only man for her, the only one she could ever love?

VOICE FROM THE PAST...

"Hello, Gilyan?" The connection was bad, but Gilyan, closing her eyes tightly and holding the receiver so hard her knuckles turned white, knew Jay Hanover's voice instantly. "Gilyan?" he repeated.
Over a tight throat, she answered: "Yes..."
"I wouldn't blame you if you hung up on me." Jay's voice came faintly.
She cleared her throat. "I won't hang up. What did you want?"
"I--I'm coming back to San Francisco in a week or so. May I--please--may I see you."
Gilyan spoke almost sharply. "No, Jay! It would accomplish nothing...this call is accomplishing nothing. Goodbye." She hung up before the tears came.

Hero: Rob Hunter
Heroine: Gilyan Barr