daily run. She stopped to stretch before
setting off. As she ran, she took in her surroundings. The beauty of upstate
New York never ceased to amaze her. She sucked clean air into her lungs as her
body worked double time. As she’d hoped, the run began to soothe her tattered
nerves.
Her
daily route took her past the same small businesses and residential neighbors
every day. She waved to Mr. Kyle who ran
the bakery and old Ms. Mann who was getting her newspaper. She saw Meg Stafford
setting out her fresh flower display in front of her shop. They all smiled and
waved back at her - just like they did every morning. There’d been a time when
she’d been exiled from these people, but that seemed a lifetime ago. Now she
found she liked her little town for the most part and knew almost everyone who
lived in it.
She
was surprised that out of all of the Rogan’s that apparently lived on the Night
Shade estate, the only two she’d ever meet, or even heard of, was Karmyl and
now Lynx. She was surprised that Karmyl had never mentioned her other siblings.
How did they avoid town? It was strange. Maybe they’d only recently returned as
Lynx had.
Finishing
her run, she headed back to her house to prepare for another catering job. She
tried not to think about either Drew or Lynx. She was grabbing a much needed
cup of coffee before her shower, when her doorbell rang. She opened the door to
find Mike James from the Stafford Florist. He was holding an enormous
arrangement of Calla lilies. They were beautiful.
“Hey,
Arabella. Someone must think you’re pretty special. This arrangement costs a
pretty penny,” he said with a grin.
Arabella
knew immediately who’d sent them. Her heart skipped a beat. She signed the
delivery receipt and sent Mike on his way. She lugged the huge arrangement inside
and set it on her dining table. She inhaled their fragrance as she dug the
envelope from their midst. Hesitating for just an instant, with unsteady fingers,
she opened the flap.
Arabella:
The Calla-Lily originated from the Greek Goddess, Hera, and means ‘magnificent
beauty’. They were the first flower to come to mind when I thought of you this
morning. I so enjoyed our time together last night and look forward to our next
occasion. With humble regards, Lynx Rogan
Arabella
couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. The man was so impressive
and he seemed to be interested in her. She wouldn’t be human if that thought
didn’t salve her wounded ego. The smile slowly faded from her face. He would
have to be avoided at all costs. She’d given him entirely the wrong idea.
She
knew she’d need to talk to Karmyl sooner, rather than later, about not singing
at the Night Owl anymore. Grabbing her cellphone, intending to send her a text
asking to see her, she inhaled deeply – her phone had died. She’d forgotten to
place it on her charger the night before. She didn’t know what’d come over her.
She’d never had anyone affect like Lynx Rogan before. Placing her phone on its
charger, she shrugged off her non-productive thoughts, and turned her thoughts
instead to what needed to be done for her catering job.
She
was just coming out of the shower, a towel wrapped snuggly around her body,
when she heard a pounding on her door. She slipped to the window and peered out
through the heavy drapes, sighing when she saw who stood there… Lynx Rogan.
Slipping on a silky, black robe, she took a deep breath and went to the door.
Her heart was fluttering and her stomach tightened. She could do this, she kept
repeating to herself. Think about Drew… about what this would do to him… to
them, if he decided to come back to her.
Taking
a deep breath to calm herself, she opened the door. “Mr. Rogan.”
He
stood on her front stoop, dressed in jeans again, but this time had on a black
leather jacket and aviator sunglasses which hid his smoldering black eyes from
her. “Arabella. I’ve been trying to reach
setting off. As she ran, she took in her surroundings. The beauty of upstate
New York never ceased to amaze her. She sucked clean air into her lungs as her
body worked double time. As she’d hoped, the run began to soothe her tattered
nerves.
Her
daily route took her past the same small businesses and residential neighbors
every day. She waved to Mr. Kyle who ran
the bakery and old Ms. Mann who was getting her newspaper. She saw Meg Stafford
setting out her fresh flower display in front of her shop. They all smiled and
waved back at her - just like they did every morning. There’d been a time when
she’d been exiled from these people, but that seemed a lifetime ago. Now she
found she liked her little town for the most part and knew almost everyone who
lived in it.
She
was surprised that out of all of the Rogan’s that apparently lived on the Night
Shade estate, the only two she’d ever meet, or even heard of, was Karmyl and
now Lynx. She was surprised that Karmyl had never mentioned her other siblings.
How did they avoid town? It was strange. Maybe they’d only recently returned as
Lynx had.
Finishing
her run, she headed back to her house to prepare for another catering job. She
tried not to think about either Drew or Lynx. She was grabbing a much needed
cup of coffee before her shower, when her doorbell rang. She opened the door to
find Mike James from the Stafford Florist. He was holding an enormous
arrangement of Calla lilies. They were beautiful.
“Hey,
Arabella. Someone must think you’re pretty special. This arrangement costs a
pretty penny,” he said with a grin.
Arabella
knew immediately who’d sent them. Her heart skipped a beat. She signed the
delivery receipt and sent Mike on his way. She lugged the huge arrangement inside
and set it on her dining table. She inhaled their fragrance as she dug the
envelope from their midst. Hesitating for just an instant, with unsteady fingers,
she opened the flap.
Arabella:
The Calla-Lily originated from the Greek Goddess, Hera, and means ‘magnificent
beauty’. They were the first flower to come to mind when I thought of you this
morning. I so enjoyed our time together last night and look forward to our next
occasion. With humble regards, Lynx Rogan
Arabella
couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. The man was so impressive
and he seemed to be interested in her. She wouldn’t be human if that thought
didn’t salve her wounded ego. The smile slowly faded from her face. He would
have to be avoided at all costs. She’d given him entirely the wrong idea.
She
knew she’d need to talk to Karmyl sooner, rather than later, about not singing
at the Night Owl anymore. Grabbing her cellphone, intending to send her a text
asking to see her, she inhaled deeply – her phone had died. She’d forgotten to
place it on her charger the night before. She didn’t know what’d come over her.
She’d never had anyone affect like Lynx Rogan before. Placing her phone on its
charger, she shrugged off her non-productive thoughts, and turned her thoughts
instead to what needed to be done for her catering job.
She
was just coming out of the shower, a towel wrapped snuggly around her body,
when she heard a pounding on her door. She slipped to the window and peered out
through the heavy drapes, sighing when she saw who stood there… Lynx Rogan.
Slipping on a silky, black robe, she took a deep breath and went to the door.
Her heart was fluttering and her stomach tightened. She could do this, she kept
repeating to herself. Think about Drew… about what this would do to him… to
them, if he decided to come back to her.
Taking
a deep breath to calm herself, she opened the door. “Mr. Rogan.”
He
stood on her front stoop, dressed in jeans again, but this time had on a black
leather jacket and aviator sunglasses which hid his smoldering black eyes from
her. “Arabella. I’ve been trying to reach
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