Rayne grinned. “Indeed. Well, I’ve been to a few Midsummer Night events. Very…unique. Lots of dancing. Perhaps you’ll join me this year.”
Midsummer. “Yeah, I was actually meaning to talk to you about that.”
“About?”
“Summer.”
Rayne raised an eyebrow at me. “Do tell.”
“I…Luc offered me an apprenticeship in France, at his family’s perfumery, for this summer. I told him I was interested.”
“In France?” he said thoughtfully.
Crap. “Yeah. It’s just one summer. Look, I like where we’re headed, but three months is a long time to wait on someone. I’d understand if—”
Rayne pulled me closer and leaned into my ear. “Viola Hunter, I’d wait a lifetime for you.”
I wrapped my arms around him. All at once my worries melted away. How foolish I’d been to believe that Rayne would even care about something like that. He was so…chill. I inhaled deeply, feeling so much happiness fill my heart that I could barely stand it.
Rayne kissed the top of my head then and said, “Besides, I know a little place in France. I haven’t been there in a while. I’m due for a visit.”
“In France?”
“Of course. Here and there, you know.”
“Ah yes, here and there. One of these days, you should tell me a bit more about here and there, and Cassidy, and your family. The usual stuff.”
“Oh, if only it were usual,” he said, then added, “Of course.”
I melted into him then, and we moved around the dance floor, moving in tune to the dulcet tones. The night seemed to wear away. As we glided, I saw Horatio and Julie take to the floor. Julie, it seemed, was not versed in ballroom dance, so she and Horatio invented their own style. Alice and Luc, pausing only to snatch kisses, disappeared mid-event. I saw the sparkle of Alice’s blue gown as they walked outside. Before I knew it, we’d practically danced the night away.
“It’s so lovely out there tonight,” I said. “The cherry blossoms seem more alive under the moonlight.”
“Sakura,” Rayne said. “It’s a tradition in Japan to view the cherry blossoms at night. They call it hanami.”
“So is Japan part of here and there as well?”
Rayne laughed. “No, I just like the sushi place over by the college. The cooks like to drink sake after hours and talk. A lot.”
I laughed.
“I’ll take you one night.”
“Sounds great. In fact, a drink sounds perfect. Let me go get us something. Champagne?” I asked him.
“I think the gentleman is supposed to get the lady a drink,” he told me.
“He is, but for the last one hour the color has been draining from Horatio’s face, and he keeps patting his coat pocket. A man-to-man pep talk is in order. Midnight, right? That’s when he’s going to ask?” I glanced up at the clock. Unbelievably, the night had passed on the dance floor. It was almost midnight already.
Rayne nodded. “That’s what he told me.”
“Go tell him I said to man up. I’ll send him over a whiskey and join you in a second.”
Rayne nodded then headed in the direction of my brother.
Snatching a champagne off one of the trays being passed around on sliver platters, I polished off the drink as I made my way to the bar. When I arrived, I was surprised to find that I knew one of the bartenders.
“Rick?”
“Hey, Viola. I thought I saw you on the dance floor. Talked to your dad, and Horatio is everywhere tonight.”
I laughed. “Yeah, it’s a family affair. It’s your night off. How’d you end up behind a bar?”
“Oh, my buddy, Max, works for the catering company. He was supposed to serve, but he got the flu. He called in a favor.”
“Well, that sucks. Sorry your night off got ruined.”
“No worries. What do you need?”
“Send my brother a whiskey?” I said with a laugh.
Rick poured the drink then instructed a server to head in Horatio’s direction. Rayne patted my brother on the shoulder as the pair talked.
“And two cherry blossom champagnes,” I added, but when I turned to lean against the bar, I felt an odd snap. My shoe. “Dammit,” I said, then moved to sit at the chair nearest the bar. Bending, I moved to examine the heel. Sure enough, the buckle was completely off. The silver latch fell apart in my hand.
“What happened?” Rick asked, bending on his knee to examine it.
“Shoe broke,” I said.
Taking my foot in his hand, Rick pulled off the heel to investigate. The nature of the move wasn’t lost on me.
“Can I help?” he asked, meeting my eyes.
When he did so, I saw a certain look therein. Nope. No. Definitely not. Rick was a nice guy, but I needed to put an end to his false hopes.
I opened my mouth to tell him that I was dating Rayne now, but when I looked up, I saw Rayne cast a glance over his shoulder toward me then head out of the ballroom…and out of the building. Wait. Was he leaving? Did he think I was flirting with Rick? I looked down to see Rick was still holding my foot.
“Oh shit,” I said. Pulling my foot away, I stood.
“Viola?” Rick asked.
“Look, Rick, you’re a great employee and a great friend, but I think I’m pretty much falling in love with my friend who just got the wrong impression about the scene here. Got me?”
Rick nodded, stood, then handed me the shoe. “Sorry, Viola. Can’t blame a guy for trying. Sorry though.”
“No hard feelings.”
“If you need me to explain, just let me know. It’s my fault. Sorry, I feel like a douche.”
“No, it’s just a misunderstanding. Gotta go.” I slid the broken shoe back on as best I could then ran across the ballroom after Rayne.
He was already gone by the time I got to the stairs. Alice and Luc, however, were just coming back inside. Alice, I noticed, look a bit rumpled.
“Viola? Everything okay?” Alice asked.
“I…I lost Rayne,” I said, hoping in that moment that I hadn’t, in fact, really lost him.
“Oh, I saw him head over to his truck,” Alice said. “Almost midnight, better go in before you miss it!”
Shit! What the hell should I do now? “Okay, coming in a few.”
Alice nodded and she and Luc went inside.
I walked down a few steps hoping to see Rayne’s truck, but he was nowhere and my shoe had finally had enough.
“Dammit,” I swore, sitting down quickly to remove my heels. Pulling both shoes off, I set them aside then rushed down the winding staircase toward the parking area…barefoot.
Before I reached the final stairwell landing, however, I saw Rayne walking back toward the building, a box in his hands.
“Rayne?” I gasped.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, looking puzzled. “I was just brining these to you.”
“Bringing…bringing what? Look, it wasn’t what it looked like. Well, it kind of was. I think Rick…”
“Oh, that,” Rayne said with a roll of his eyes. “Yeah, you better tell him you’re off the market now.”
“Wait, what?”
“Rick. You’re beautiful, of course he would fall for you. He’s a good guy, though. Just let him know, and he’ll be cool with it.”
“Wait, you weren’t upset?”
Rayne shook his head. “I trust you, Viola. Now, let’s try these,” he said then opened the box he was holding. Inside were a pair of amazingly beautiful silver shoes with lovely vintage-looking jewels.
“Rayne? Where did you get these?”
“A box. In my truck. Just what I needed. Curious, right?” he said with a smile.
Offering me a hand, he helped me sit. Then, moving gently, he slid the first shoe on. To my amazement, it fit like it was molded to my foot.
“Like a glass slipper,” Rayne said. “That better?” He slipped on the second shoe.
I gazed down at the lovely shoes. How perfect
they looked, matching my gown and glimmering in the moonlight. I closed my eyes and breathed in the cherry blossom perfumed air. “Cherry blossoms at midnight, that will be my first fragrance,” I said wistfully. “Oh hell, it’s midnight!”
From inside the building, I heard the clock bong out the first chime of the hour.
“Julie and Horatio!” I exclaimed, clambering to my feet.
“Let’s go,” Rayne said, and racing hand in hand, we rushed back to the ballroom.
Moving through the crowd, we made our way to Julie and Horatio. Julie was chatting nonchalantly with my brother when the last chime struck the hour.
At that moment, the sky above Arden Estate crackled with fireworks, which illuminated all the stained glass in the windows of the ballroom, causing the images thereon to spring to life. And from a discreet netting suspended above Julie’s table, a soft shower of cherry blossom petals began to rain down her. It was an incredibly beautiful sight.
The entire assembled audience gasped then paused to watch.
“What? What’s this?” Julie asked with a laugh, holding out her hands to catch the swirling blossoms.
“Julie,” my brother said then, taking her hand as he bent down on one knee. “You crashed into my world from the moment we met, changing me forever. I can’t imagine spending another day without you. Julie Dayton, will you be my wife?”
I cast a quick glance around. Standing off to the side was my father who was smiling, his eyes looking watery. I noticed that Genevieve was still standing beside him. I also noticed for the first time that Julie’s father was there. Alice leaned against Luc, her body melding into his. Rayne wrapped his arms around me, and we all stared as my brother produced an amazingly beautiful pink diamond ring.
Julie gazed at Horatio. It was as if she saw no one else in the room. Overhead, the sky rumbled loudly, the fireworks filling the sky with gold and pink light as the last of the cherry blossoms fell over Julie and Horatio.
“Yes,” she whispered happily. “Yes!”
At that, my brother slipped the engagement ring on her finger then rose to kiss his fiancée.
The entire crowd, including all the Chancellor elite and the Japanese delegates, broke into applause. The orchestra immediately struck into Mendelssohn's Wedding March, which made the entire crowd laugh.
I looked up at Rayne.
“Cherry blossoms at midnight?” he said then touched my chin lightly. “Perfect.”
“Perfect,” I agreed, looking into Rayne’s eyes.
I felt myself swoon, lost in his gaze. And when he leaned in to kiss me, there was nothing I wanted more in the world. His lips were soft and warm. I caught the heady scent of his cologne, a kind of sweet honey scent with an earthy musk undertone. The taste of his lips, sweet and salty, much like him, delighted my senses. I was lost in the honey sweetness of his kiss. My whole world was flowering open before my eyes, and it was more beautiful than anything I could have ever dreamed.
Epilogue: Rayne
“Ready?” I asked Alice who shifted nervously as the plane’s engines rumbled to life.
“I should have had another drink,” she said, checking her seatbelt for the five-hundredth time. Alice then stretched her neck, trying to look through the rows of seats in front of us at the flight attendant who was explaining aircraft safety procedures. “It’s hot as Hades in here, and I can’t hear what she’s saying.”
“Of course it’s hot, it’s July,” I said then patted her hand. “Don’t worry, you’ll be safe with me.”
“Even in the event the airplane falls into the sea in a fiery inferno? I’ve seen Lost, you know. If we don’t drown, the smoke monster will get us.”
I laughed. “You worry too much. We’ll be okay. Besides, I know a mermaid who can rescue us.”
“You…making with the jokes.”
“Who said I was joking?” I asked her with a grin.
“Need anything else, monsieur?” an attractive red-headed flight attendant asked as she passed by.
“Maybe a drink for my friend and me?”
With a wink, she nodded.
“Hey,” Alice said, “I saw that.”
“I only use my twinkle for good now. My heart is off the market.”
“Mine too,” Alice said with a sigh. “If it wasn’t, I sure as hell wouldn’t be riding in this bloody tin can with wings.”
I chuckled.
A few moments later, the flight attendant passed by once more. She handed me two plastic glasses and a small bottle of red wine. “Santé,” she said then went on her way.
“Now how about that? Look,” Alice said, pointing to the label: Blushing Grape Vineyards.
I laughed. “Naturally,” I said then opened the bottle, pouring us both a glass. I handed one to Alice. “To love?” I lifted my glass in toast.
Alice smiled and clicked her cup against mine. “To love.”
“And to happily ever after.”
The Short and Sweet series
Stories 1-4
The “Short and Sweet” series is a collection of flash fiction (super short) pieces that give you just a tiny, bite-sized scene. My “Short and Sweet Series” tales feature two of my favorite things, true love and food! I hope you enjoy these flash fiction pieces. To receive them directly in you inbox, please join my newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bbaeo9
Antonio, Peach Bellinis, and Caprese Salad
A warm wind blew across the turquoise waters the Tyrrhenian Sea. The breeze was perfumed with sea salt and the sweet scent of freshly snipped basil. It was nearly midday. Sunlight shone on the white buildings of Capri; they shimmered like shells along the shoreline.
I leaned against Antonio, resting my head into the crook of his neck. His tanned skin, warmed by the sunlight, smelled of sand and sea.
"My love," he whispered into my ear, his thick Italian accent purring. He drizzled kisses down my neck and across my shoulder. His strong hands stroked my back. Through my thin silk dress, I could feel the crush of his body against mine.
Leaning back, I gazed up at him. “Antonio," I more whispered than said. My heart pounded in my chest, my stomach quivering with butterflies.
He touched my chin gently then pressed his lips against mine. He tasted sweet, like ripe peaches blushing rosy orange in the sunshine. My tongue slid along his, and I drowned in the taste of his mouth. Waves of heat rolled between us and soon, I had to step back, so engulfed in the flame that had risen between us that I started to feel faint.
I giggled. “Sorry, I…I had to catch my breath. I was feeling dizzy.”
Antonio chuckled softly. Gently grasping my hips, he rocked me toward him. “I felt it too, my love, and we haven’t even started drinking.”
“Then, by all means, let’s drink so we have an excuse,” I replied.
“And excuse for what?” he asked, arching an eyebrow playfully, his dark eyes full of mischief.
"Everything."
The Picnic: Alice, Henry, and the Mad Hater
Henry spread the picnic blanket on the ground, the red and white checked cloth fluttering in the warm summer breeze. Overhead, the willow branches swayed.
“Alice?” he called, casting his eyes toward his beautiful golden-haired fiancé. She was standing at the side of the lake, gazing out at the water. She shielded her eyes from the sunlight with her hand. The sun made her long, straw-colored hair shimmer. A soft breeze made her blue dress flutter in the wind.
“Coming,” she called, and after a moment, she turned and leveled her big blue eyes on him. She smiled, then ducking under the branches, she joined him in the tree’s shade.
Alice wrapped her arms around Henry. “Three things,” she whispered in his ear. They loved playing this game, listing in code three things they'd been thinking about. It certainly was more fun than the tired “penny for your thoughts.”
Henry laughed. “You’re mad,” he said with a grin, but gave into her game all the same. “Your lovely blue eyes, this old tree, and those cherry red lips,�
� he said, kissing her gently. Her pouty lips always tasted ever so lightly of cherry lip gloss, which kept her kiss soft and sweet.
Giggling, Alice pulled back. “We’re all mad around here, my dear. Don’t you know?”
Henry tapped her playfully on the nose. “So I’ve heard. Now you.”
Alice leaned back and ruffled his sunny colored curls. “Hair the color of sunflowers, white rabbits, and cold chicken! I’m starving!”
Henry laughed. “Then by all means, Milady, please sit,” he said, gesturing grandly toward the blanket.
Alice flounced onto the ground then dug hungrily into the picnic basket, pulling out two large cloth napkins which she spread before them. Handing him a cup, she then poured him a glass of lemon iced tea.
“Shall we toast before we eat?” Henry asked.
Alice nodded happily. “By all means. To the Hatter!”
Henry shook his head. How he loved this woman and her stories. “To the Hatter, wherever he may roam.”
They drank down their tea. Alice took the cup from Henry’s hand, set it back in the basket, then pushed him back onto the blanket.
“I thought you were hungry,” he told her with a laugh.
“I am,” she said with a wicked grin as she sat astride his waist. Leaning forward, she began to unbutton his shirt. “And I know just what I want for my first course!” Alice pushed open his shirt and kissed his chest, drizzling soft kisses from his neck downward.
“Alice,” he whispered, catching a handful of her honey-scented hair. “Tell me again. Tell me all about it once again.”
“You promise you’ll believe me? Promise?” she whispered in Henry’s ear, nibbling on his earlobe.
“With all my heart,” he replied, reaching up to stroke her hair. How much she loved this wild, imaginative woman.
Alice kissed him once more, lay her head down on his bare chest, then began: “I was just a girl when, one sunny Sunday afternoon, I found myself sitting on this very bank with my sister. To my surprise, a white rabbit with very pink ears ran by . . .”
The Chancellor Fairy Tales Boxed Set: Books 1-3 Page 23
