Penny was in the produce section of her local supermarket when she noticed James. They caught each other's eye, shared a brief smile, and mustered the courage to introduce themselves. They hit it off right away, and before they knew it, the perfect strangers were talking about everything from fruit to modern relationships to time and estrangement. They even shared their most outspoken fantasies. After all, Penny felt a spark of attraction she hadn't experienced in a long time, and James seemed to feel the same. But Penny had been down this road before and knew that chance encounters rarely lead to anything substantial. Still, she couldn't help but feel hopeful. Maybe this time, things would be different. Maybe James was the one she had been waiting for all along. Only time will tell if love can last forever.
—Nick Riganas