Silver Lining

Chapter Four

Elizabeth slowly scanned her eyes upwards. Slightly faded jeans. Slim waist. Broad chest covered by an almost too small black tee shirt.

Her eyes completed their upward journey and stopped at a ruggedly handsome face. Slightly tanned with honey-brown eyes and framed with dark, close-cut hair.

Mr. Ruggedly Handsome, whoever he was, stared down at her with a smirk on his face. Suddenly, Elizabeth felt like a child who had been caught doing something naughty.

"Can I help you?" His voice sounded a bit gruff with a hint of annoyance.

Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment. Straightening her shoulders, she made an effort to stand in order to try to retain some dignity, or at least as much dignity as one could while squatting in cupcake pajamas to scoop a pile of poop.

She felt the bark mulch shifting under her feet and in struggling to gain control Elizabeth fell backward, her arms flapping at her sides like a bird trying to take flight. Mr. Handsome shot out an arm to steady her, but not before she crashed into the side of a large rhododendron, breaking off one of its branches. Elizabeth felt her cheeks burn even hotter.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry," she sputtered, putting her index finger up to her eye to stop the annoying nervous twitch that was starting in her lower lid. "My dog got out of my yard through the fence." She pointed towards the corner of the backyard where the gap in the fence abutted the edge.

She shoved her hand out toward the man. "I'm Elizabeth."

His eyebrows shot up. "I've heard about you. You live here, right ?" She nodded, taking his hand. It was warm and the handshake was firm. Elizabeth felt an alarming tingle as they shook hands.

"I'm David. This is my house." He gestured with his free hand to indicate the house they were standing next to. This was the house the Munroe's owned. So David is her new neighbor.

Elizabeth felt a wave of uncustomary self-consciousness under David's scrutiny. She looked down at her torn pajamas and realized she must look a sight in her bare feet, ripped pajamas and no makeup. Who could blame him for looking at her like she was some sort of deranged criminal.

She noticed Paris had made her way over to David and was enthusiastically sniffing his shoes. Elizabeth was mentally praying that Paris wouldn't take a dump at David's floral shoes which the dog thought it was actual flowers.

"This is my dog, Paris." she said pointing at the small dog.

"Paris? Like Paris Hilton?" David snorted out a laugh, his right eyebrow arched up in a question.

Elizabeth couldn't tell if the laugh was in good humor or if he was mocking her. She doesn't see anything wrong in naming her dog by a famous heiress. She adored Paris Hilton and doesn't give a damn on what the critics say about her. She feels disappointed that David was one of those critics but she felt her heart melting when he bent down to stroke the fur of her little white dog.

"Hi, Paris Hilton, I hope you don't keep using my garden for your bathroom because I..." David was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell coming from his pants pocket. He straightened up and pulled a cell phone out.

"This is David," he barked into the phone. He listened for a few seconds, the creases on his forehead growing deeper. "I'll be right there."

David snapped the phone shut and nodded towards Elizabeth. "Sorry, but business calls." He held up the phone. "Nice to meet you, Elizabeth."

Business calls? Elizabeth eyed him warily from head to toe. The guy looked like his age. And at this time, he has work to go to? Better yet, he has a serious job? In the middle of the night?

Turning abruptly, he set off in the direction of the driveway.

"And don't forget to pick up that mess, it's not good for the plants." he shot over his shoulder, walking away and leaving Elizabeth to wonder if she just made a friend or an enemy.