A Different Kind of Fairy Tale A Different Kind of Fairy Tale Page 40 “No.” She would not give in that easily. They weren’t anything to each other right now, and she needed to remember that. “Don’t do it out of friendship. Do it because he’s a guy and going to the Super Bowl is every man’s fantasy.” She had a point. Fine, she would go rub it in, and then come back and celebrate some more. Stella grabbed the tickets and went to her door, not even feeling the cold as she stepped outside. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on his door. He answered the door wearing only his athletic shorts. Stella stood like a statue; mesmerized by all the muscles she knew so well. Even now she wanted to touch him and the throbbing between her legs almost overwhelmed her. “Stella? Can I help you with something?” His cocky smile made her narrow her eyes at him. He knew the effect he was having on her; bastard. “I wanted to show you what Vicki just gave me.” She thrust the tickets in his face. He took them from her and pulled them away so he could read them. “You’re going to see the Predators in the Super Bowl? That’s amazing, Stella. I’m very happy for you. It’s like a dream come true.” His words from last night echoed in her head. He seemed pleased about something, she just didn’t know what. Shaking it away, she took the tickets back. “Yes, it is. Sorry if I interrupted you. And thank you for the flower this morning.” Stella had to get back home, before she started rubbing her hands up and down his sculpted chest. “You are very welcome. And you can interrupt me anytime, you know that.” He grinned and winked at her, and then went back into his apartment and shut the door. Stella went back to her apartment and leaned against the door. “What did he say?” “That he was happy for me.” The sexual fog had taken over Stella’s brain. He really should have been wearing a shirt. Who opens the door in a pair of shorts and nothing else? It’s not very polite. Anybody could have been at the door. “I’m sure he is. Are you ok? You look funny.” Probably because my sexy neighbor, slash ex-boyfriend, looked good enough to eat and I wanted to take a bite. But instead of saying all of that out loud, she went with, “I’m fine.” “If you say so; well, let’s sit down and make a plan for next weekend. I can’t wait to go to Miami.” Stella couldn’t either. So, for the next two hours, they browsed the Internet and figured out all the things they were going to do. This would be the best weekend of her life. **** Stella never knew a week could go so slow. It seemed like someone had pressed the slow motion button on her life. “You leave tomorrow. I think you’ll survive another day, Stella.” Lindsay laughed as they ate their lunch. “I feel like I’ve known about this for a year. The suspense is killing me.” Stella couldn’t sleep, she couldn’t eat. All she had thought about was seeing The Predators play in the Super Bowl. It was going to be awesome. “What time does your plane take off in the morning?” “7:00; we have to get to the airport around 5 a.m.” It wasn’t early enough for Stella. She wished they were leaving today. Stella and Vicki had gone through all the activities that went with their all-inclusive passes. She would get to meet former players from both teams, get autographs, and play games. “Well, I’m happy for you. You deserve this, Stella. And hopefully you get to see The Predators win. Just don’t get kicked out of the game, like the last time.” Stella blushed and promised not to. “You should head out early today. Frank and I can cover things here. You probably need to pack still, knowing you.” Lindsay knew her so well. “It’s only for two days, but you’re right. I haven’t even started. I can’t decide what to take.” They finished up their lunch, and Stella went to her office to get a few things taken care of before she left for the weekend. “Get out of here! You are no longer welcome in this studio, so leave.” Lindsay was practically screaming at someone who had just come through the door. Stella went to see what all the fuss was about. “Lindsay, what is going on out…?” The words stalled on Stella’s tongue. Kevin was standing in front of the reception desk, with Frank now grabbing onto his arm. “Let me go, I’m not here to cause Stella any more drama.” Kevin was trying to pry his arm out of Frank’s grasp. “It’s alright, Frank. Let him go. He knows I can take care of myself.” At the reminder, Kevin’s hand instinctively went in front of his balls in a protective shield. “What do you want, Kevin? I told you not to come near me again.” “I wanted to come apologize to you. Not just for last Sunday, but for all the things Heidi and I put you through.” Out of all the things Kevin had ever done, this shocked her the most. Stella studied him for a long moment. Kevin was normally so cool and confident, but now he looked like he might get sick at any moment. “It’s ok, guys. I’ll hear him out.” She looked at Lindsay and Frank, and then turned to Kevin. “But don’t think I won’t hesitate to follow through on my threat if you cross the tiniest line.” Kevin hesitated, but started walking toward her office. Stella closed the door enough to have some privacy, but not all the way. “So, you’ve apologized. Is that all? Shouldn’t you be on your honeymoon right now?” “We didn’t get married.” Interesting. “I figured someone would have told you by now.” “This may come as a shock to you, but you and Heidi aren’t a high priority in my life. Everyone respects that.” How she ever believed she loved this idiot was beyond her. “So Alex didn’t tell you what he did?” Kevin seemed shocked. “What does Alex have to do with anything? Thanks to you, we are no longer together, and have only spoken once since the night you were here.” They hadn’t been talking, but every morning he left a white or yellow daisy on her doormat. Stella was trying to stay mad, but he was really making it difficult. “Heidi and I were standing at the alter saying our vows when Alex came busting through the doors. He said he wanted to be with Heidi and she didn’t hesitate. I was left standing there, watching her run out the door with him.” Stella’s legs felt like jelly and she had to sit down. “I was so stunned; it took me a minute to go after them. When I got outside she was swinging to hit him. Apparently, his plan was to ruin our wedding to teach us a lesson for hurting you.” Kevin was now pacing around her office. He slowed and looked at her with an intensity she had never seen from him. “Stella, what I did three years ago was wrong on so many levels, and then when I tried to kiss you last week… You didn’t deserve any of this, and I will never forgive myself. But I had nothing to do with Heidi’s plan to break you and Alex up. I swear.” She had waited three years for this apology and now that she had it, she couldn’t speak. “I don’t expect your forgiveness, but I do want you to be happy. Alex did this for you, and I don’t know a lot of people that would put themselves in that situation unless they were truly in love.” Finally, Stella stood and made her way toward Kevin. When he flinched, she smiled. “I’m not going to hit or kick you.” She stuck out her hand and he shook it. “Thank you for telling me and for the apology. Maybe someday I will give you my forgiveness, but for now this is all I have.”
A Different Kind of Fairy Tale A Different Kind of Fairy Tale Page 41 “That’s all I can ask for. Goodbye, Stella.” “Goodbye, Kevin.” He left her office, and she felt something shift inside her. Kevin had done some awful things to her, and she had heard him out, twice. Alex had reacted to a situation set up by a terrible person and she was giving him the cold shoulder. Stella decided that once she was back from Miami, they would sit down and talk about everything. Including the fact that he ruined Heidi and Kevin’s wedding and didn’t tell her. “Are you ok?” Lindsay was now standing in the doorway of her office. “Better than ever.” And she was. “I’m going to head home and pack. I won’t be back in the office until Tuesday, but I’ll let you know when I arrive. Call if there are any problems.” “Have fun, but not so much that you get arrested. We will be fine here.” Lindsay hugged her. “I will. Bye” And with that, Stella headed home to pack for what was going to be an amazing weekend; feeling better than she had in weeks. **** “I can’t believe we’re here. These seats are awesome. I can see everything.” Stella and Vicki were in their seats, waiting for the Super Bowl, the Super Bowl, to start and she couldn’t sit still or stop looking at all the things going on. “Yes; so you’ve said a million times since we sat down ten minutes ago.” Vicki was rolling her eyes, but smiling at Stella with love. “Sorry, it’s just so exciting. The game is going to start in half an hour and I can hear the seconds ticking away.” They had spent the last day and a half living what felt like a dream. **** They had arrived in Miami around 10:00 and went to drop their things off at the hotel; which happened to be in the heart of the Super Bowl madness. After making their way to the stadium parking lot, Vicki pointed to the tent for pass members. When they got inside, Stella lost her mind. She was in her own personal heaven. Past players were mingling with everyday people and Predators fans were everywhere. Seeing Mustang fans made her cringe, though. Vicki pulled her along and made sure she got autographs and pictures with each player and goodies from all the booths, too. Saturday night, they partied with people from all over the country. Stella and Vicki danced and drank until well after midnight. A few times, Stella was convinced she saw Alex, but laughed it off. Why would he be here? Deciding she didn’t want a hangover for the game tomorrow, Stella called it a night and finally went to bed. Vicki had woken her up around eleven to go watch a celebrity flag football game in the field next to the stadium. It had all been so perfect. Stella never wanted to come down from the high she was on. **** Now she was sitting, waiting for the game to start and her dream to end. She had her Abel Redder jersey on, jean shorts with white and yellow tube socks pulled up to her knees and white and yellow hair spray streaked down her pigtails. “The stadium is packed. It’s crazy; I can’t believe the seat next to me is still empty. I think it’s the only seat left in the place.” Vicki just laughed. “I’m sure he’ll be here.” “How do you know it’s a guy?” Stella looked curiously at Vicki. “I don’t, but it’s the Super Bowl. It’s a pretty logical assumption.” Vicki shrugged, and then looked back to the field, where the pre-game show was going on. Stella watched her for a little bit longer, and then turned her attention back to the show as well. **** “Let’s go. Play some defense.” Stella hadn’t sat down since the opening kickoff. She had cheered and hollered for the Predators the whole time. There was a minute left before halftime and the score was all tied up. Vicki had stopped trying to get Stella to sit down after the first quarter and had sunk into her seat as far as she could. Stella knew she seemed like a lunatic, but this was the Super Bowl and the Predators had to win. A little embarrassment was worth it. The final seconds ticked down and the teams started to leave the field for halftime. Stella couldn’t help herself; she had to yell one more time. “I love you, Abel.” “Well, I guess I shouldn’t be here, since I’ve been replaced.” Stella would know that voice anywhere. Alex! She whipped her head around so fast that her long pigtails hit the guy sitting behind her. After an apology, she was once again looking into the most piercing blue eyes she had ever seen. “What? What are you doing here? How did you…?” It was then she noticed the seat next to her was still empty. Trying to wrap her brain around all that was happening she fell into her seat and it all made sense. “You did this?” Alex only nodded. “Why? I mean, you’ve missed out on everything so far.” “I haven’t missed anything. I’ve been in Miami since Friday. I watched you yesterday, and I’ve never seen you look so happy. That’s what I wanted. If I had been the one to offer this trip to you, you would have turned it down.” Stella was in shock. Alex never used his money in such an extravagant way. “So, it was you I saw last night at the party.” Again Alex nodded. Stella turned to Vicki, who had been sitting quietly. “You lied to me?” “No. I told you that the tickets were bought with all the love in the world for you, Stella. I just didn’t say it was Alex’s love. I may have omitted, but I didn’t lie.” She looked so smug. “Stella…” Alex had started talking again and she turned her attention back to him, “I love you. Never in a million years would I want to hurt you. I know I did, and all of this could never make up for that, but I miss you. My life is clouded in darkness without you.” Stella realized their section had gone silent during Alex’s speech, and they were all looking at her and Alex. “You know how to captivate an audience.” Alex shrugged. “The only thing I want is for you to be mine forever, Stella.” Alex came off the steps and was now kneeling on the sticky floor in front of her. “What are you doing?” Stella was shaking her head no, but Alex went on. He pulled a small box from his pocket. “Stella, you are the only person I want to go to bed with every night and wake up to every morning. I want to buy a house with you and fill it with as many children as you want. I never want to spend one more day without you by my side. Will you marry me?” Alex opened the box and sparkling back at her was a solitaire diamond on a silver band. It wasn’t flashy, but simple and exactly what she would choose. She looked from the ring to him and back again. All the pain and sadness of the last weeks disappeared, and kneeling in front of her was the one person that knew her better than anyone; her best friend. “Yes!” Stella could no longer stay in her seat. She flew into Alex’s arms and luckily he caught her without falling down the stairs behind him. The sound of hundreds of people letting go a collective sigh came right before the cheering and congratulations started. Stella found Alex’s lips a moment later and kissed him with all the love she felt. He was right there with her. His tongue fighting for entrance into her mouth, and she gladly let him in. They were still mauling each other when someone clearing their throat caught Stella’s attention. She looked up to see a very amused security guard. “Folks, please take your seats.” Stella buried her face in the crook of Alex’s neck and blushed.
A Different Kind of Fairy Tale A Different Kind of Fairy Tale Page 42 “Sorry sir.” Alex got them both back in their seats and let her go enough to slide the ring on her finger. “I love you, Stella.” And he placed a kiss to the back of the ring. “I love you too, Alex. This has been the best weekend of my life. I’ll never be able to thank you enough.” “You just did, Stella. You said yes.” Stella beamed at him, and then realized Vicki was still there. She turned to see Vicki with tears streaming down her face. “I’m so happy for you, Stella.” They hugged for what felt like hours; both of them letting it all go. When they broke apart, Vicki wiped her eyes and excused herself to go get a drink. Alex pulled Stella into his side and she leaned in while staring down at her ring. “It’s perfect. You did well.” “I’m glad you like it.” Alex tipped her chin up to look at him. “I love you.” Then he gave her a very sweet kiss. She had never been this happy, and if it was a dream, she never wanted to wake up. **** As the game came to an end, The Predators were Super Bowl Champions. But Stella felt like the biggest winner of all. She had everything she ever wanted and more. “I love you, Alex.” “I love you, too. Welcome to your Happily Ever After, Stella. I told you it was a different kind of fairy tale!” She couldn’t agree more. **** Epilogue Lindsay Pierce watched as everyone surrounded the happy couple. Stella and Alex had come back from Miami a month ago and announced they were engaged, and tonight was the engagement party. Lindsay didn’t have anything against people falling in love, and was happy when things worked out…but she knew better than anyone that not everyone got their happily ever after. Lindsay sat at her table, drinking her water, when she spotted Kyle Brady making his way toward her. Before she could get away from him, he sat down next to her. “You look beautiful tonight, Lindsay.” Kyle was charming, sexy, gorgeous, and he knew it. He was also a firefighter, and all these things were strikes against him in Lindsay’s book. “Where’s your date for the evening? Trying to figure out which bathroom to go into?” Kyle had a thing for air heads that Lindsay was surprised could walk without assistance. “I’m flying solo tonight; although, I could be persuaded to have a co-pilot.” He gave her an appraising look and Lindsay blushed. Kyle was either drunk or on something, because she was not his type. “I’m sure you won’t have a problem finding one.” Lindsay turned away from him so he couldn’t see the reaction he caused in her. Lindsay looked around, and decided she needed to get out of there. Big crowds still made her jumpy, and Kyle Brady did other things to her that she would not allow. “Why do I make you so nervous, Red?” She snapped her head to look at him. How did he know he made her nervous? And since when did he call her Red? “I don’t know what you mean. You don’t have any effect on me at all.” Liar. “I’m going to say a quick good bye to Stella and Alex. I’ll see you around.” Lindsay made a quick getaway before Kyle could say anything more. When she found Stella and Alex, they were both bummed she was leaving. “Are you sure you have to leave? The party just started.” “I’ve got a headache. I just need to get some rest. I’ll see you at work on Monday.” “Well, I wanted to talk to you about my apartment. I talked to the rental office and they said you moving in would be no problem.” Stella had moved in with Alex a few weeks ago and knew Lindsay was looking for a new place. “Are you serious? That would be amazing.” Lindsay loved Stella’s apartment and really needed to get into a safer area and building. “They are expecting your call.” After a hug and thank you, Lindsay left. Life felt so normal right now. Lindsay just hoped it stayed that way. #### About the author: When Morgan was a senior in high school, she discovered her love of romance novels. The more she read, the more her desire to write ate at her. After graduation, life happened. Working hard and finding herself led to starting a family and being a stay at home mom. It was only after receiving an iPad that she discovered that same love for reading. A year later she gave writing a shot, and “A Different Kind of Fairy Tale” was the result. She holds out hope to one-day write full time. Fenced Hearts Zoie Jenkins Prologue Heavy, warm air blanked them as the girls hid beneath the tangerine tree in Wren’s back yard. Summer in Florida was always brutal, but the girls didn’t mind. Their imaginations carried them sliding down snow covered mountains and rafting down cool rolling rivers all in the same afternoon. They sat together cross-legged, sipping on the sweet tea Wren’s mother insisted they bring with them. “You’ll overheat if you don’t stay hydrated” she told them. “HUH? Hydrated?” Whatever she meant the girls had no idea, but they took the tea to make her happy. And, oh, was it good. As they sat sipping the sweet brew, Claire turned her big emerald eyes to Wren and asked, “What do you wanna be when you grow up?” Wren looked up at the house she knew her momma was in. She took a minute more then smiled and said “A momma”. Claire huffed “Humph, that’s not a job. What job do you want?” Wren replied “I wanna work in one of those big buildings with the shiny glass on ‘em. Ya know like you see on TV. And I wanna live in the big city with lots of cars and people.” Wren watched as Claire thought about it. Then asked her best friend, “How ‘bout you?” Claire quickly replied “A doctor. One that takes care of you when you are sick.” They sat in silence for a bit before the back screen door screeched. It swung open and Wren’s mother stood with tears streaming down her pale face. “Wren, I need you inside right now.” Claire looked at Wren questioningly and Wren shrugged. “I’ll call you later.” “Ok, THANKS FOR THE TEA MRS. ADAMS!” Claire shouted as she scurried across the adjoining lawns to her Nana’s house next door. The girls were oblivious to the devastation waiting for them. Chapter 1 Wren heard the car door close behind her as it drove away. Her nerves were on end. She was in a completely foreign land! Well, not exactly foreign geographically, but it might as well have been. The metropolitan city was a far cry from the small southern city of her birth. The bustle of activity, insistent noise and blend of smells immediately assaulted her. She knew the moment would be seared into her memory forever. With two travel bags in hand, Wren walked toward the multistoried tan building. The dark windows looked out at the road with blank stares. The entry door swung open and as she approached, a small elderly woman came thru with her white poodle tugging on its crimson leash. The older woman didn’t make eye contact and she passed Wren as if she weren’t there. Hmm? Wren passed thru the glass doors and into a dimly lit lobby. Its modern clean lines enhanced the front desk’s gleaming white marble. To the left was a bank of elevators. “Almost there” she thought. While the small elevator lifted her to the 5th floor she thought about how happy she was to be on this adventure. Wren had applied for several jobs and was excited to be hired by Insurance of Providence, a large insurance agency which had a reputation of being generous with their employees. Their headquarters was in Providence, Rhode Island. Since she was a child, Wren dreamed about living in a city with culture. She believed its rich history and young vibe made Providence a perfect fit.
A Different Kind of Fairy Tale A Different Kind of Fairy Tale Page 43 Wren was brought out of the daydream by a shrill bell. Exiting the elevator she soon found apartment 508. She fumbled first with the key then with the bags. Finally she entered the apartment and took a good look around. The cozy apartment was washed in muted earth tones with different shades of blue for accent. The shiny wood floor reflected the sunlight brilliantly from the window over the couch that dominated the living space. As she walked further into the furnished apartment her new company provided, she found a small kitchen and breakfast nook on the left with light maple cabinets, shiny chrome fixtures and stone counters in more neutral shades. She walked past the kitchen, dropping her purse on a chair. Her mouth hung wordless as she experienced more and more luxury with each step she took. Wren half expected Toto to bark, reminding her they weren’t in Kansas anymore. Continuing on she found a full office with an espresso colored desk and bookshelves waiting to be filled. Wren walked back thru to the living space and to the right was the bedroom. Sheer blue and green curtains let in light to reveal the sheen on the modern ivory dresser and bed highlighted with chrome accents which sparkled like jewels. Soaking in the beauty around her, Wren sat on the bed enjoying the moment. She was thrilled to be away from her small town. Too many memories shadowed her heart there. It was a place where too many people knew her quirky family and judged her because of them. Providence provided a blank canvas to paint the next portion of her life. It was a new beginning. Wren’s travel exhaustion began sinking in, so she decided to freshen up a bit. She made her way to the bathroom. She loved everything about the apartment and the bathroom was no exception. Its spa like feel made Wren smile. Tones of cream and white surrounded her in crisp lines married with a natural vibe. On one side of the space stood a large walk in shower with enough space for two to shower comfortably, adjacent sat an elevated oversized Jacuzzi soaking tub. For a moment Wren let her mind fantasize about having someone to share those with. Wren showered quickly, too excited to luxuriate in the warm water. She was anxious to explore. After her shower, Wren decided to call home to let her Dad know she arrived safely and was tucked into her new digs. After several rings a squeaky, breathless voice answered “Helooo”? “Hi Nancy, it’s Wren.” “HEY Wren! How was your trip?” Nancy asked. “Fine. I just got in and the apartment is great. I can’t wait to explore the neighborhood…” Nancy interrupted “Oh that’s great, your dad is right here breathing down my neck to talk to you. You know your daddy, as impatient as a child on Christmas mornin’. Talk to you soon sweetie.” “Wrennie! Is that you? Good Lord girl what took ya so long to call? You know I’ve been more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rockin’ chairs!” Wren sighed, but was happy to hear his voice. “Hey daddy! I just got in. I had a layover which got delayed a bit, but I’m here now.” Even though she was 27 they still worried. Wren knew being an only child she was cursed forever with the over protectiveness of her father. “Well that’s good baby doll. When do you have to start your new job?” “I start Monday. That gives me the weekend to unpack and get to know the area.” Wren explained. “You be careful up there. Make sure you lock your doors.” Her father’s deep southern accent was stronger than her own. It wrapped around her like a favorite blanket making his words less lecture and more guidance. “OK daddy, I will. I love you.” Wren said, holding back tears. This would be hard for both of them. She had never lived outside of Florida. She moved to Gainesville while in college but was able to drive home every few weeks. “I love you, too Wrennie. Be good. And if you can’t be good, have fun!” he said with a smile in his voice before he hung up. Wren swallowed hard and dialed Claire’s number. “Hello?” was the shaky voice on the other end of the phone. Wren was shaken, “Claire, it’s Wren. What’s wrong?” Claire seemed to relax “Hey Wren how’s New England?” The shakiness in her voice seemed to calm as she tried to hide her emotions. “My trip was good and the apartment is awesome! I can’t wait for you to come see it. But you need to talk to me right now. What is going on?” Wren demanded. “Just some trouble at work that is weighing on me. I haven’t slept much and it’s gotten me off kilter. And to top it off, Ron is being a prick making me wish I’d never dated his sorry ass! I just don’t think I can take much more.” Claire’s voice escalated as she recounted the strain in her world to Wren. “What did that JERK do this time?” “I don’t want to talk about it right now. I’m just on the edge and can’t rehash that drama without losing it. I promise I’ll fill you in later.” “Oh jeeze Claire. I had no idea all this was going on. Why don’t you try to get away for a bit? It will distance you from work and Ron and maybe you’ll be less stressed so you can sleep.” “Yeah maybe you’re right. I just want to sleep. I’m gonna try as soon as we get off the phone. Sorry I’m not a good conversationalist right now, but I promise to call you next week. Good luck with the new place and knock ‘em dead Monday.” “Thanks, I will. And Claire, call me if you need me….whenever…..promise?” Wren plead. “I will. Love you girl!” Claire hung up without a response from Wren. She stared at the phone in her hand worried by her friend’s troubles. Claire had been there for Wren during her darkest hours- days and weeks no child should experience. Claire had remained her steadfast rock thru the years and Wren always thought of her more as a sister than a friend. Now Claire was a thousand miles away and needed Wren but was too stubborn to admit it. She was stumped as to how to help her friend right now so she decided to keep closer tabs on Claire in the next few weeks. With the phone calls out of the way, Wren gathered her keys, sunglasses and handbag ready to hit the streets of her new city. After years of dreaming, she had finally arrived! Chapter 2 With noon time traffic at a crawl down interstate 95 south through Boston, Zack questioned the sanity of sleeping in this morning. Spending his last night in bean town living it up with his old college buddies and some of their very HOT friends was too tempting to pass up. He woke up this morning to a slamming headache with a nameless beauty next to him in his suite at the Copley. Her lithe, naked form was flawless. From her dark blonde hair spread on the pillow to her perfectly polished toe-nails, she was classically beautiful. Without even a look over his shoulder Zack quietly slinked out of the room and made his way to checkout. He really couldn’t remember her name….Heather?….Holly? He briefly thought “I’m getting too old for this.” It didn’t matter what her name was. He wouldn’t see her again. Now he was headed to his new marketing position for a major insurance company in Rhode Island. Little Rhody. Not as metropolitan as Boston, but certainly not backwoods. He had offers from a few companies out west and in the south but Zack loved New England. Providence would give him the distance and anonymity he wanted from his recent escapades. He was starting to feel a bit strangled by his lifestyle and its ramifications. Providence was close enough to drive to see his family when he wanted to but far enough from the scene he had grown weary of. BONUS….the Fortune 500 company provided beaucoup perks, which included housing. And not some dorm room type crash pad. The apartments were high end, professionally decorated dwellings completely furnished and ready to live in. A bachelors dream!
A Different Kind of Fairy Tale A Different Kind of Fairy Tale Page 44 As the miles passed, the traffic began to thin. The tension began to fade from Zack’s shoulders the further he drove. Zack loved the freedom of the highway. It always brought a calmness to him. A peace shrouded him merely from the hum of the tires on the road. The gentle sway of the car soothed his mind and brought his thoughts back to center. All the garbage bouncing around in his head seemed to evaporate during a long drive. While the trees blurred past him, he thought about his family. Year after year his parents would take him and his three sisters up North for vacation. Some years it was just the six of them. Other years, they would vacation with his cousins. But regardless of who went or what the destination was, it was always a road trip. Without fail, his dad would proclaim “the drive is the best part of the vacation.” Cries of disbelief and disagreement would be the unanimous response from everyone else in the van at the time. By day three at which ever campground, resort or theme park they were visiting, his dad would be driving everyone crazy. He’d had enough relaxing and wanted to drive some more. As an adult, Zack finally understood why his father was drawn to on the road. Zack slid his sleek black Porsche 911 Carrera S convertible into his reserved parking spot in the building’s parking garage, grabbed his luggage and headed thru the garage into the lobby of his new apartment. The brightness of the front desk struck him immediately. Beautiful gleaming white marble lit with modern pendant lights engulfed the wall across from the entrance. It called to anyone passing thru the doors. Zack ambled to the desk to speak to the concierge who was smiling brightly in greeting. “Good afternoon sir. My name is Ahmed. How may I help you today?” Zack returned his smile “My name is Zack Gallo. I am a new tenant but seemed to have misplaced my key. I believe I left it back in Boston. Can you help me?” Ahmed smiled as he compared Zack’s identification and checked the sleek computer monitor “Let me see if I have your information on file…? I see it here. You are with IOP and staying with us for one year. Let me get you set up with another key sir. Please give me a few minutes.” “Great, take your time.” Relieved, Zack gazed around the room to take in the beautiful surroundings. As his eyes swept to the front doors they froze on the woman entering the lobby. Her auburn curls framed her gorgeous face and swept down her neck to her shoulders. Blue eyes the color of the Caribbean stared back at him. Her face flushed a shade of pink as she seemed to stare right thru him to his soul. Zack felt a shiver in his back and it was not from the temperature in the room. “WOW!” Zack spoke to Ahmed, but his eyes never left the beauty crossing the room. “If she is any indication of the neighbors here, I’m going to be in trouble.” Ahmed’s black eyes danced as he watched the vision enter the elevators. “There are many beautiful women in this building but I cannot say there are any quite as lovely and charming as Miss Adams.” Zack ignored the concierge’s obvious enchantment. “I will have to make it a point to be a good neighbor to Miss Adams.” His eyes followed her until the elevator doors closed, severing the charged air. Ahmed also seemed to be brought back from his trance. “Mr. Gallo, your key will be ready in about ten minutes. If you would like to explore the property you are welcome to. We have a full service gym with a pool, two saunas, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis, tennis courts and a putting green available to all tenants. We also have an onsite laundry facility, library, a business center, theater and a billiards room.” “Ok Ahmed, I’ll go have a look around.” Zack said absently, his mind still spinning with inappropriate thoughts of the vision of loveliness headed somewhere upstairs. Zack wandered outside toward the courtyard. The sun blazed down and reflected like crystals in the large limestone fountain that was the centerpiece of the outdoor area. Water bubbled over the top of the large stone sphere and cascaded in sheets into the softly shaped bowl like basin below. The water in the basin overflowed into the large round pool at the base, bathing the area with its soothing sound. It was surrounded by stone benches along a flagstone path which circled the entire water feature. Flowering shrubs cocooned the area with the gentle, sweet fragrance of their blooms. Zack found his way to one of the wooden benches that were set further into the garden area and settled in near one of the large shade trees. As Zack relaxed into the bench his cell phone rang. “Zack you dog! Hailey called me this morning and chewed me a new one! I told you she was a freak….not just the good kind.” Blaine’s voice was full of humor. His best friend was always his wingman when it came to the ladies. HAILEY! That was her name. “What a freak! MMM HMM… you’re damn straight, the good kind. Thanks for that buddy. Why is she pissed?” “She expected more from you this morning than an empty bed and a wakeup call from the front desk.” Blaine quipped. “We both got what we wanted out of the arrangement. I don’t stick around in the morning for any of the women I sleep with. She is no different. She knew this was just sex.” Zack defended himself to his friend, even though he knew Blaine had spent many evenings indulging in the same way with no strings attached. “Yeah, well, don’t expect a booty call with her when you come back or you might end up pulling your tool out of your ear if she gets near it again.” His friend shifted gears. “So how was the drive?” “The ride was great. I think I left my key at Lizzie’s so I’m waiting for a replacement now. It should be done soon.” Zack began to walk back through the courtyard and into the building. “Alright man, give me a call when you are ready for some company. Maybe I’ll try to get Lizzie to come with me. You know, to keep me company for the ride.” Blaine mentioned Lizzie just to get a rise out of Zack, but the possibility was very tempting. Lizzie was the total package. Blaine had wanted her for years. “Don’t even think of it! I’ll beat your ass!” the annoyance clear in Zack’s voice. “Yeah, we’ll see about that! Talk to ya later man.” Zack stared at the phone for a brief minute. He and Blaine had been friends for years. They were similar in many ways, especially with women; the freakier the better with no strings, no commitments and few boundaries. But Lizzie was off limits. He’d rip Blaine limb from limb before he stepped aside. Suddenly he heard his name being called. “Mr. Gallo, your key is ready.” Zack picked up the key and the information Ahmed handed him and disappeared behind the polished elevator doors.
