Lorena
I wake up the next day to see the sun shining through my curtains. It's a beautiful, dry morning and, as I eat my breakfast, I have an overwhelming urge to feel the sun on my skin. So when Amanda shows up to help me open the store, I tell her I am taking a few hours off to work in the garden.
I spend a little time cleaning up one bad patch of a stubborn little crawler, then stop.
These gardening gloves are scratchy!
I stand up, contemplating going down for my other pair, and see a man leaning against the door, watching me. I let out a little yelp of surprise, before realizing who the invader is.
"I am sorry if I startled you..." he says, pocketing his phone and pushing away from the door.
Just as last night, his words are apologetic but his voice and demeanor do not show any contrition at all. He seems amused if anything.
"You need to stop apologizing when you do not feel sorry Mr. Stewart."
The words are out of my mouth before I know it and I blush.
Why am I being rude to this man?
His overly self assured manner irritates me for some reason.
He blinks, looking slightly taken aback by my reply, but amusement still glints in his eyes "Please call me Liam... and I really did not mean to startle you."
I'm a little put out by the invasion, but man... is he ever a sight for sore eyes! Wearing light colored khakis and a soft, white, button down shirt, with the two top buttons left open and sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he looks like an ad for men's casual. I usually have a problem with men in loafers, but even they look good on him! His hair is still in the low ponytail and I notice it looks black, even in the sunlight.
"How did you get up here?"
"Your assistant let me in." he stops by my side.
That was a little irresponsible of Amanda, what if he turned out to be a creep after all?
"You seemed very absorbed in your work. I decided to wait for a natural pause instead of interrupting you."
I can't help but smile "That was kind, but you are lucky these are not very comfortable." I wave the offending gloves in his direction "Normally I could go for hours without a 'natural pause'..."
"I came to see about setting up my equipment, as we talked about last night..."
I had been so excited by the idea of a morning gardening in the sun, I completely forgot about him. Surprisingly, since he was present in at least some of my dreams...
"Sure. I guess it's my turn to apologize. I got carried away by the sun and forgot about you..." I try not to blush while looking directly at him "Feel free to have a look around. I'm afraid I can't help you at all though, I know nothing about photography..."
"I would like to set up a tripod over there." He says, walking towards the side of the garden facing the bay. "If it would not be in your way..."
This is where most of the potted plants live. He should be able to easily find a spot for his things.
"Sounds good. You will not be in my way at all. I have to tell you though, the neighbors' cat likes to roam around here. He broke one of my little pots the other night... I don't know if he could interfere with the equipment..." I still feel sad about my little potted violets.
"Not your cat then..." he says strangely, then smiles slightly at me "I'm sure the cameras are too heavy for him to do any damage... If you really don't think I'll be in the way, I'll go get the stuff out of my car..."
"Nope, feel free..."
Still smiling a little, he saunters through the door and down the stairs.
I wonder if this means he will be coming here often to check on his equipment?
He comes back with a multitude of bags, drops it all on the floor, close to his chosen spot, and starts setting up what looks like very sophisticated equipment.
Hobby huh?
Not really in a mood to garden anymore, I pick up my tools, take all the clippings to the compost bin and wash my hands, then walk towards him, trying to decide if I should stay up here until he is finished.
"Have you lived here long?"
All right. Safe small talk. I can do that. I hope!
I clear my throat a little to find my voice before answering.
"A little over three years. I moved here from Seattle to open my store."
"Quiet little town. Don't young people usually move away from these little towns as soon as they are old enough?"
Oh-key...
Did he just call me 'young people'?
How old is he?
"I always liked it here and hadn't really anything keeping me in Seattle... So when this house came up for sale it was perfect."
"You don't mind the quiet then?"
"Not really... I don't think of it like that... and Seattle is just a ferry ride away when I do feel the need for more..."
Do I get to ask questions?
"What about you? Where do you call home?"
He thinks on it for a second. "New York, mostly..."
"Oh... mostly?" That's a strange way to put it...
"I travel a lot. New York is more like a base than home..."
My cell phone buzzes on top of the table, just as I am trying to think of a way to find out if he is available. It's a text from Amanda, she needs me down at the store to approve some items that just arrived.
"I have to go down help Amanda..."
"I just need another twenty minutes or so... I'll see you downstairs?"
--
Mrs Yates is still with me when he walks through the doors a little while later. She makes the most beautiful hand painted silk scarves. I feel privileged to have them in my store and, not surprisingly, they sell very well. I try really hard to focus on the story she is telling me - something about her grandson who has gone to college - but get distracted as Liam moves towards my work station.
"You have other business to tend to. I will leave you in peace dear." She gives Liam an up and down look and winks at me "I will see you again soon." We hug and she goes on her way.
Oh my, it would seem not even Mrs. Yates is immune!
Liam is examining some of the pieces on my table when I walk up to him. I feel a little more comfortable here, surrounded by my tools and the furniture I chose so carefully. It is like he is in my territory, so I am safe.
"These are beautiful." he points to the set I am working on right now. I am quite proud of it myself. Having finished a necklace and earrings, I am half way through a cuff bracelet in the same style. The stones are bold and the delicate, lacy, silver-wire work compliments them perfectly. That is how I feel at least.
"I like the contrast. The way the metal balances the stones..." He says pensive and I melt a little. He gets it.
"Thank you. That was the idea." I blush and smile, like a mother who has been told her baby should be the next Gerber Baby.
His disconcerting eyes follow me as I move around my table and that tingling in the back of my neck intensifies, as if caused by his scrutiny.
After a moment he says "Well... I am all set, up there." pointing to the ceiling "Thank you for letting me do this." He hesitates for a moment, as if he is thinking about saying something else.
"It's no problem..." I offer.
He looks at me for a little longer.
What is it?!
I am afraid I will really start blushing if he keeps this up!
Seeming to change his mind, about whatever he was about to say, Liam gives me a little nod "Bye then Lorena... I guess I will see you tomorrow."
Weird...
"We open at nine." I say, just to avoid him knocking on my door at seven in the morning or something.
He chuckles "Got you."
--
I reach for another tissue before closing the book I just finished reading. This was a tear jerker! I knew it was sad, I knew it would make me cry. Still, it's such a beautiful story! Once I started reading it, I could not put it down.
It's almost two am though! What was I thinking?! I should go to bed right now, Fridays are busy days, and I have a lot of work to do. Now I will not only be tired in the morning, I know the lingering sadness of the story will stay with me. I need to re-read Pride and Prejudice urgently! Jane Austin's wit, and Elizabeth and Darcy's happy ending will wash away the gloom left by poor Lou and Will.
My mind is filled with thoughts of Liam, unexpectedly.
Wow! What brought that up!?
OK, the guy is sex on legs. And, by his manners and way of talking, one can tell passion would not be lacking. He is just so intense! Even when he was just making small talk, that feeling of... coiled energy, never seemed to go away.
Despite my claims to the contrary, I did notice he didn't come today to check on his cameras. Much to Amanda's annoyance, as she had made a bet with me. She is convinced he wants to ask me out on a date. I have no idea why! The guy is polite, sure, but men like him are just not interested in the 'small town jewelry maker' type.
A noise upstairs startles me out of my reverie.
That bloody cat again?!
Maybe I should scare him, throw some water or something, to stop him from coming here? What if the stupid animal toppled all that expensive looking photography stuff?
Ugh... I better check, just in case.
I put my coat on and grab the baseball bat my brother gave me. The idea of a burglar here is almost ridiculous, but I like to have it in hand anyway.
It's cold! The steps feel like ice, even through my socks.
Why didn't I take the time to put some shoes on?!
Another noise reaches me just as I put my key on the door to the garden. Sounds like someone walking! I hear a scary, hiss-like sound and the cat screeches.
Good lord! Cat wars in my garden?!
Maybe there is a mouse after all!
Opening the door slowly, my grip firm on the baseball bat, I step out... and find Liam perched on top of the picnic table.
I jump in surprise, letting go of the door, to hear it close behind me with a bang.
"Please, don't scream!" he says calmly.
