By Friday, Angela had gotten the point Daphne was making by not only coming to get her office supplies and desk trinkets, but by ignoring her calls and messages concerning getting her things. Unbeknownst to Angela, every message for Daphne was like a feeling of being dismissed as another one of her miscreant former employees who quit, and needed to come get their crap. It may sound childish, but she wanted to see an “I miss you” or “can we talk” message.
She never answered her question that night at dinner. Was she just another assistant that was used, and then dropped like a hot rock for Angela’s next phase of operation “free bird”? That was the name they had coined together for her retirement into vacation living. Was their affair just that, an affair? Some whimsical thing for her now former employer to do to pass the time until she was leaving? She never got an answer, and it had been eating away at her for nearly a week now. Part of what aggravated her most was thinking on how Angela had a point. She hadn’t thought about what to do after the agency.
Even this past week, she had laid around in her pajamas, binged watch her favorite series, eating dry cereal straight out the box; she had done nothing to look for a job. Nothing. Although, her last check and attached bonus would be more than enough to cover one more month of rent, she still had other expenses, and no income coming in after the month of October. She had already made up her mind to pawn or sell some of the things Angela had given her, but what about after that? Her thoughts were all of over the place, along with her feelings.
Laying there on the couch, curled up in her favorite blanket, a knock comes on the door disrupting her pity party. And there on the other side was the last (and only) person she wanted to see. Not seeing Angela’s face for a week was like seeing her face for the first time again. She wore her red London Fog trench coat, which was always Daphne’s favorite on her since the weather turned cool nearly a month ago. It was not long after that rainy day that she got to see all the array of coats, hats, and scarves in Angela’s walk in closet. She also got to have a few. No more of that. No more buying your time she thought to herself as she stood in the door.
“My box?” She looked down at the medium sized box in her ex lover’s hands.
“Yep. I was going to call before I showed up but you haven’t been answering. I just decided to bring it by.”
“Thanks,” Daphne said, as she took box and placed it on an end table.
They stood in awkward silence, and then Angela took a step back. Looking down at the ground and back up at Daphne, she was not the woman she was when they first met. At the office, she had grown a greater appreciation for not just Daphne’s presence there, but everyone who showed up each day, even Chris.
“The other’s down at the agency asked about you. I told them you weren’t feeling well, but would come check on you and give you their best wishes. So, are you ok?” Daphne wasn’t new to small talk, but she didn’t ever like it.
“I’m fine.” Angela grinned slightly.
“Good. I’ll let them know.”
She turned to make her way back down the stairwell, almost hoping for Daphne to say anything to stop her. Anything. There was nothing but the echo of her apartment done shutting. Gently shutting was better than slamming. Angela would take that, and even accept it as a goodbye. But how she wished, she could have said ‘goodbye’. One more week, and there won’t be a chance for ‘goodbyes’ or ‘I’m sorry’, either.
The last week had passed by in a blink. All but two of Angela’s agents had emptied out their desk. Professional movers had come in and helped pack up the last of some things Angela wanted shipped to the house. Although she was buying property for her in St. Croix, she was going to keep her home outside the city as a winter lodge. Even though vacation living was going to be fun in the sun, there were times she appreciated the heavy snowfall of the northeast region of the country. The home was practically new, and in fairly good condition, and what Daphne had said stuck with her. She had dedicated so much of herself to even being able to afford a home like that, to just toss away for a cabana some white sand was a waste.
Owning both also gave the opportunity to leverage her assets for when she does decide to finally settle in one or the other. She never considered that option before, but so much had changed now. There was a whole new reason to come back now. Her thoughts went to the cold, rainy nights she spent wrapped up in covers with her new love. Kisses before sleeping, and caresses in the morning. That is a warmth not even the most sun soaked beach can duplicate. And she could only hope someday to have more moments like those. The mere possibility of it, was worth keeping her mini manor. Their romance was unexpected, proving sometimes ever her best laid plans can be turned on their head, whether she liked it or not. She didn’t always need to hold the reins of her life so tight. If anything, letting go is exactly what’s required sometimes.
Saturday had come, and Daphne managed this last week before receiving her last check from Briar Homes to actually job search. She had to remind herself what some of her best transferrable skills were, and update her resume. No one had contacting her about any of the jobs she had applied for, but she had to remind herself it had been only five days. This week not only tested her resolve in dealing with setbacks and letdowns in finding gainful employment, but ever since Angela had brought over her box of belongings she had been uneasy. Maybe, it was just her anxiety, but that box seemed a little too big for what few things she could recall even having in the office they shared. Daphne had intentionally avoided opening it. In her mind it would be like unleashing Pandora’s box.
She had passed by it for days, and simply could not bring it herself each time she crossed her living room to open it. Yet, today she figured she might as well. After all, she hadn’t been able to find her day planner, and it had some really good connections in there. Some buyers were business owners, and she had built up great rapport with many of them over the past two years. If any of them could network and give her some leads on a job in any market it’d be worth rummaging through the remainder of the box to find that day planner with their phone numbers and email addresses. A paring knife retrieved from the kitchen glided effortlessly through the tape across the top of the brown box.
As Daphne opened it, she was greeted by her usual desk fodder. Her hot pink stapler; a little digital clock she got at a Sharper Image store; random ink pens and the cup that did house them once. It must have tipped over, because now pens were all over the bottom of the box. But also, there in the bottom was her day planner. She quickly grabbed it and begin skimming through it. She found many familiar names and numbers, emails, even LinkedIn profile names. It was what was in the very back she wasn’t expecting. She recognized the handwriting, but nothing prepared her for the words she read:
Hey Daph,
Was gonna let you know I’m heading to my accountant’s place to discuss some things. I’m going to miss you while I’m gone! Can’t wait to get back and tell you what I’m working on for us. It’s about project “free bird” finally flying high. Call it crazy, call it what you will but I’m excited, we’ll talk when I get back.
P.S. I love you
Angela
Daphne’s heart raced. When was this written, and how’d she missed it? Flipping the small notebook around in her hands, she found she had been writing it what would be considered the back of the binder for years, but Angela had written in the true “front”.
The pages had no headers or numbers, just lines. They found so many ways to communicate in the office secretly, but mostly through text messages or some means like that. This was personal and intimate. Handwritten, and endearing. For us it read. And most of all, I love you. Daphne at the moment realized how everything was so wrong now. She felt neglected, when she was everything but that.
She had accused Angela of keeping her uninformed about changes and the future, only to now see she had made mention of those things, and at dinner that night she was going to fully discuss it all, more than likely. That would explain
her behavior. Just…everything. “Oh my God! I got to get there. I got to get to her.” Daphne found herself scrabbling around in her room for clothes to put on. Any clothes would do, as long as she could get to the airpark on time. She was going to have to become the GPS navigation queen now so more than ever. She had a roundabout idea of where the Airpark Vista was, but she was for sure. After tossing on a gray tee, some blue jeans and her tennis shoes, she grabbed her heavy coat and was out the door.
Sitting in the posh passenger lounge, Angela was ready more than ever to just get going and get everything underway; to start retirement life. To most she was far too young to be retiring, but to her forties were the perfect time to throw in the towel.
From her standpoint she had a successful run at owning a business, made wise investments, helped some young career driven people find themselves in the real estate world, and in the end she even found someone to love. This last week gave her more than enough to time reassess her affair with Daphne. The good, the bad. All of it. She had actually been staying in a hotel for the past few days, but to not feel so alone in her house. As big as it was it never felt so empty than it did not having Daphne spending her time there.
It did not feel that way before her, and as far as Angela was concerned it didn’t feel the same after her. That feeling of immense emptiness was only a metaphor for what was going on in Angela’s heart. It in fact made her reconsider purchasing a large home in St. Croix and instead opt for something reasonably sized and cozy. She had already video chatted with an agent there, a good college friend who had made the move there himself nearly a decade ago and never looked back.
He mapped out some potential places that were going to be exactly what she was looking for. At this point, he could offer her a hole in cave to hide in and she’d be glad to take it.
“We’re all set”. It was her pilot for this new venture into retirement that spoke. She had flown with him a few years back to the very island they were headed today. Stanley was his name, and flying was his game, so he had said the first time they met. Today, however he was extra cheerful despite the cold front that had made its way in last night.
“Let’s just be thankful there’s no precipitation, though,” he stated when Angela mentioned the chill outside.
They had left the lounge of the small building that acted as a rest area and mock airport for the airpark. The landing strip had two other Cessna’s parked in waiting. Today, the one they’d be taking was fully loaded with all Angela’s favorite amenities. She had settled all her debts, bid sweet farewells to business investors and acquaintances. She had even returned to Le Parachute to had deliver the biggest “tip” that her waiter friend had probably ever seen in his whole food service career. And most would not believe she dished out more hugs in these past two weeks than she had in two decades. Now, as they were heading toward the little plane, it’s loading door opened and Stanley’s co-pilot gave them a welcoming smile, Angela finally felt the twinge of hurt at not having Daphne along for journey.
Denial had stopped her from facing the reality of moving to an island, to get away from it all for good, and having someone she wouldn’t want to be a way from for more than a day tell her to leave without her. She pursed her lips up, watched Stanley go ahead up the steps carrying her carry-on luggage, and then took the first step onto the plane’s entrance.
“Wait!! Angela. Wait a minute!” She stopped, turned, and a sight she could barely believe was running toward her. It was Daphne. There she was. As cheesy as it was, so much so it caused her to smirk a little, the relief and joy that washed over her was unreal.
So, this is how that feels. What you see in movies, where at the last minute the person runs to their love. Well, I’ll be damned. She actually had to chuckle to herself at the thought.
“What the hell, Daph? What are you doing?” Out of breath and nearly panicky Daphne clung to Angela, shocking her and the on-looking pilots.
“I found your note! Oh God, Angela your note, in my day planner. I found it and …I’m sorry.”
Her face was buried in Angela’s right shoulder, her arms hugging her as though she were afraid letting go would mean certain death. She did however let go, so she could look right into Angela’s eyes, and examine her face and all its features she had been missing for nearly fourteen days now.
“And I love you. You could cage me a million times over and throw the key in the bottom of the sea. This free bird doesn’t want to be free, singing my songs and flitting all around if you can’t fly with me too. I won’t have wings if it means we can’t soar together. I love you, Angela.”
And there it was, just like that; there Angela was having the very thing she was so fearful of having right in the palm of her hands, and she’d be fool not to take it. She kissed her just as suddenly and passionately as she had the first time over a month ago, but this time she covered her whole face in little kisses, then threw her arms around her. This was freeing, flying, loving like she never had before.
“I don’t have anything to take with me right now,” Daphne sobbed, “and I’m not like you, I haven’t planned shit to prepare for a move”. Her words made them both chuckle.
“It’s ok, I got it somewhat figured out.” Now tears were starting to glide from Angela’s eyes too. She wiped her own, then her dear lover’s; her friend. They both laughed some more, until Stanley politely intervened.
“Ahem. Mrs. Suttlemire. We better get a move on. There’s not bad weather reported ahead, but we’re going to want to get to Florida in time for you to catch your boat to St. Croix.”
Angela gave him an affirming nod, and then looked back to Daphne, who was now gripping both her hands tight.
“Time to migrate, don’t you think,” she said with a little chuckle.
“Yeah. I guess it is.” As they made their way hand in hand onto plane, Angela never felt so high in her life. She was already flying, and the plane hadn’t even left the ground.
Born of Fire
A Dragon Shifter, Bad Boy Paranormal Romance
By: Ruby Garrett
© Copyright 2016 by Ruby Garrett - All rights reserved.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
Chapter 1
The tavern was shabby and rundown. A few lanterns scattered about the room cast long shadows on the stained walls. The air was heavy with the smell of beer and sweat. The stranger who had just entered cast a cold eye around. There were a few patrons drinking, telling bawdy jokes and laughing uproariously, the sort of people that ordinary folk would go out of their way to avoid. This was a part of town well known for its criminal element. But they evinced little interest in the stranger who made his way to an empty table.
“What can I get for you, sir?” Eileen was a lovely young girl whose beauty seemed incongruous in these decrepit surroundings. Her blue eyes, golden hair and voluptuous figure made her the cynosure of all the male eyes at the tavern. But beneath the sweetness was a toughness that enabled her to survive in this rough neighborhood.
The stranger looked at her briefly, then growled, “Some bread and a pint of ale.” He wore a clock and hood which obscured his face. But there was something out of ordinary about his deep voice. Eileen could make out intense brown eyes and the outline of a strong jaw.
“Certainly,” she said cheerfully, undeterred by his brusqueness. She returned shortly with his order. “Enjoy your meal, sir,” she said and the stranger nodded in reply.
Two people, an old man and a young boy, had entered and Eileen went over to take their order. The stranger observed the other patrons as he ate his food silently. There were three men at one table making a great deal of noise. They grew steadily drunker a
s the night wore on. Two were small and thin while the third was fat and large. All had scars on their faces and the sort of hard, mean eyes that suggested that they were accustomed to doing unpleasant things for a living.
One of them, a little ugly man with large ears, seized Eileen’s hand as she passed. “You’re a fine-looking wench, ain’t you? How about giving us a kiss?”
Eileen’s face twisted in anger. “If it’s a kiss you want, you can go to the brothel down the street. And my looks aren’t for you. Now let go of my hand before I break yours.”
The others hooted with laughter. “Ooh, she told you, Angus,” said the fat one, wiping tears from his face.
Angus’ face reddened with anger. “You have a sharp tongue for such a small filly. Come on, give us a little sugar.” He reached out and grabbed one of her full breasts. Eileen seized his wrist and twisted it painfully. Angus howled in pain and released her hand. Grabbing his neck, Eileen smashed his head against the table.
“Try that again and I will take your fucking hand off,” she hissed as Angus held his face in pain. A trickle of blood fell from his nose and he wiped it while giving Eileen an angry look. His companions were highly amused by what had occurred and laughed some more.
Jack (Secret Revenge #1) Page 31
