© rainthereader 2012 All Rights Reserved
Chapter 3
Cailley
Mine was a short victory because in the end I was reluctantly climbing inside Marc's sleek, black Porsche. He was a fast driver, and there was no doubt we'd get to our destination earlier than scheduled.
Except this time he didn't. He took his sweet time and followed the traffic rules. I knew it was his way to infuriate me, to make me think in the other direction and back out from my plan. But I wouldn't let him win this battle, because I had to live life on my own and not always depend on him. So putting on my best ear-splitting grin, I opted to just focus on the good this change would do to me, and enjoy Atlanta in its daytime splendor.
We passed by the Centennial Olympic Park, and I had glimpses of the city's landmarks. I remembered the time when Marc and I, together with Jenna, strolled around the park and had a little picnic. It was a nice afternoon. We chatted, made fun of each other, and observed the variety of people immersed in their own activities while chewing on our club sandwiches.
I recalled how I admired the beautiful woman sitting Indian-style on the grass as she talked animatedly with her friends, and wished I had girlfriends of my own. I smiled at a concerned mother kneeling along the pathway, hugging her crying child because his balloon popped, and wondered if I would become a mom someday. And studied the young couple sitting on a worn bench, holding hands with heads closed together, while envy wiggled in my chest.
They all seemed content in their own way, and I couldn't help but mull over my life and question my existence. How did I wind up like this? How did I become a prisoner in my own mind?
The car stopped, snapping me out of my thoughts. Out of the corner of my eye, Marc was staring at me. "We're here. Riverside Drive." He started getting out of the car.
I caught his wrist and stopped him. "No. Please let me do this. Trust me," the last two words declared with conviction.
His dark brows narrowed and his lips pressed into a hard line, still thinking. I won't back down. I won't back down. I replaced my determined eyes with pleading ones.
I knew I got to him because his shoulders finally relaxed as he let out a defeated sigh. "Call me the minute you're done, okay?"
Breaking into a smile, I grabbed both of his hands. "Thank you, Marc. You have no idea how much this means to me." I kissed his cheek, unfastened my seatbelt and hastily stepped out of the car, afraid he might change his mind.
"Good luck, Cay," he said over the window. His car started, and as I was turning I caught a glimpse of him holding his cheek, but then quickly placed his hand on the steering wheel and drove away.
I watched the Porsche slowly disappear down the street then I started to move my feet toward the house. It was a pretty picture. The black, wrought-iron gate had been opened, and a cobbled path led to a beautiful, white Victorian home. Along the driveway was a view of a lovely garden lined with cute, pink and purple flowers. So Martha-ish. I continued the trail to the door and walked up the three steps to the porch. After rubbing my hands and a silent pep talk, I bravely pressed a finger on the doorbell and waited.
The door swung open and revealed a tall, attractive woman with wavy, dark brown hair and silver-grey eyes. "You're here for the ten o'clock interview?" She asked with a smile.
"Yes," I smiled shyly.
"You're just in time. I'm Shannon Heathgate, Elizabeth's mom. The applicant before you just left. Goodness, I couldn't stand her. She's like a walking Newton. My daughter is in kindergarten, not graduate school," she tsk-tsked while steering me inside.
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BACK TO YOU (Fully Updated)
Romance"Cay, will you look at me?" I turned around and lifted my eyes to look into his. His arms were braced on the counter and he was looking at me sideways. The glow of the light coming from the living room and into the kitchen gave his face an otherwo...
