AUTHOR'S P.O.V
It was a scorching hot afternoon as Valerie gardened. Sweat trickled down her face due to the heat and she wiped it away with her shirt's sleeve.
'This isn't as easy as it looked,' she thought, currently watering the flowers with a hosepipe. It was easier and faster than the water can, she mused. She was dressed in a white shirt turned completely brown and jeans, sporting a pair of muddy wellies, her slender fingers in gardening gloves.
She rose an eyebrow at Acio whenever she felt him staring and wondered if it was because of her jean trousers. She rarely wore trousers.
She'd been persistent on helping with the gardening and Acio had agreed. Now with her body sweaty and sore, she wished she hadn't persisted at all. She had been planting, mulching, pruning and watering flowers since morning. Acio was really capable to be doing this on a daily basis. Well with his efforts, he had managed to maintain and take care of the beautiful garden in the temporary absence of gardener. The variety of flowers made the garden look magnificent.
She was worn out and filthy but it was worth it, she thought. She'd wanted to distract herself. Her nights were plagued with constant nightmares. Ever since the incident years ago, she'd been having recurring nightmares centered on that. She didn't want to think about it and always found ways to distract herself.
"Mi amor, I must say, you look darn sexy in that." Acio remarked, eyeing her legs. Valerie in spite of herself, blushed.
Acio smirked."You could turn heads wearing that you know." He teased, fully aware of her embarrassment.
Not happy with his teasing, she directed the hosepipe to Acio, who hadn't expected to be attacked as he was instantly drenched. He laughed and before Valerie could blink, he had snatched the hosepipe from her and turned it in her direction.
Valerie gasped at the unexpected and sudden attack and lost her footing as she tried to get away. She landed butt- first on the ground, laughing quietly as he continued to shower her.
A tap landed on Acio's shoulder. Momentarily forgetting that he was holding the hosepipe, he turned. Skye who had appeared was now soaking wet. Acio's eyes widened as he froze and broke out in a smile. Valerie used the moment to turn it off.
Skye stood before an amused Acio, her clothes clinging and her hair dripping wet like the other two, without smiling. Acio's smile faltered and he gulped. "You look cute." He uttered awkwardly. Skye was unimpressed as she scowled at him.
Before she could hurl invectives at him, Valerie approached her and signed. Skye's stony expression warmed and Acio sighed, relieved. Why did he feel like he avoided calamity?, he wondered.
"There are visitors and they are here because of you." Skye announced.
Valerie was puzzled, so was Acio. She never got visitors because she didn't know anyone. Skye took her hand and led her to the mansion, Acio following after them.
"It's a man and some devilishly attractive man. The lady he's with is probably his relative. They look alike."
From behind, Acio rolled his eyes. "Do you know who they are? What they want?"
Skye shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? I was coming down the stairs when I saw them and was told to bring Valerie. But they look crazy rich."
