The Kidnapper's Girl (On Hold)

Chapter Two

I have an admirer? How the hell did this happen?!

Three weeks later

Danishes, pancakes, French toast, eggs, bacon, biscuits, and orange juice all lined our dining room table as I sat in my usual chair, watching as Mom wandered around the kitchen aimlessly with a phone in hand. If you're wondering, no, my mom wasn't the one who cooked up a feast of a breakfast. My mom wouldn't touch a stove for the life of her. Instead, one of our many hired cooks had designed a meal for me, and I do mean for me. My parents never had time in the morning for anything other than coffee.

Everything was the same as usual though. Mom was on the phone with some client and Dad fumbled with his tie as he got ready for another important day of work. They were both the sort of busy body people who lived to work and worked to live. It seemed amazing to me that these people were even able to conceive me at all in their cramped schedules. Perhaps that explained why I was an only child.

"Don't waste your food now, Melody, your parents work hard for that money," Dee explained from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes. Like money was the problem in my house. Well, technically, it was.

I angled my chair to Dee now, who was working on cleaning the counters across from me.

"Dee, do you think it's possible to love something so much you can't stop thinking about it?"

Dee stopped for a moment to stare at me, before grinning. "Why, who is this boy?" She snickered.

I shook my head. "Not a boy," I wish that was the problem, "money. Don't you think my parents are crazier about that green stuff than each other?"

Dee sighed then, dropping the dish rag and walking to face me now. "You know that's not true. Both Mr. and Mrs. Tanner belonged to very wealthy families. I'm sure their money issues…"

I pretty much zoned out then, not wanting to hear about why my family was so nuts. Was I the only one who actually didn't feel the need to hold or see or think about money?

The doorbell rang, and I stood out of my chair, going to answer it. If there was one thing I hated, it was the housekeepers complaining to me about Sage's manners.

I opened the door, and my face immediately flushed pink.

The boy who had saved me from those two jerks; who had broken the man's leg and said such a thing to me stood at my door. He looked different today though. His hair, though exactly the same in length and color, was damp now. He wore a white button down shirt under a denim jacket, with some loosely fitted jeans; clothes that looked much more expensive than the last thing I saw him wearing.

But the thing that couldn't be mistaken was his eyes. The same exact electric blue from last time, so piercing it practically sent me into a frenzy.

My face warmed, not quite being used to such a hot guy at my doorstep. He had his arms rested on either side of the door frame, casually leaning toward me.

"Seems I found you." His voice was very pleasant this time, not at all what I remembered from the crude words he spoke to me last time. I searched for something clever to say, but all I could do was stare at him like an idiot. The response I had whenever any guy spoke to me, really.

"Why, are you Melody's friend?" Dee appeared beside me now, looking over the boy. "Hmm, have you been sneaking out to the boys' soccer practices again, young lady?" She scowled me with a devilish smile.

"I-I don't do that anymore!" I defended, blushing even more. Really, did she have to say that in front of him?!

The boy laughed and we both turned to him this time. That wasn't the sort of response I expected.