Butterfly and Flame - Alina and Evan

Alina-Daydreamer

Unbelievable. She still didn't know how she had agreed to sign the contract and hire Mr. Evan Alexander as her illustrator. Her mind was whirling with so many thoughts and her soul with so much emotion. She really couldn't believe that only 2 days ago she was ready to give up on her dream because she felt the man was infuriating. She also thought that he was the most gorgeous creature that ever walked the earth. His eyes, nose, his dark hair with a hint of copper in it like her brothers, his hazel warm honey caramel colored eyes with dark lashes and his beard. Not a full beard but just enough. She had never liked beards before seeing Evan. Then again seeing Evan, one was ready to like anything. The man wore black jeans, and a black T-shirt tucked that fit snug in his body. What she could see of it told her that he worked out and was fit. Very fit. All the adornment he had was a large black and silver watch and a chain she could see part of as it was in his shirt.
She leaned against her beds headboard and recalled the conversations they had over the last two days. He had found out where she lived from Uncle Elliot no doubt. No sooner had she walked in the door and vented to her siblings the doorbell rang. She opened it without a second thought thinking it was a Marina who usually came over after her last ballet class in the afternoon to hang out with Leo. None other the Mr. Evan Alexander was standing in the doorway with flowers and in hand and a box in the other. She gasped at him and was reminded to snap her mouth shut as he smiled at her with all those white teeth perfectly straight behind the cheeriest plump lips she ever saw. Her eyes wide open and her hand half way up her neck to touch her necklace finally acknowledge him with a nod saying "Evan, ah w-what are you doing...." before she could get any further the door opened wider behind her and her sisters voice says " Evan, so you must be the arrogant jerk Alina was ta..." Sophie got a punch in the arm by her brother that could move super fast in his chariot as she called it. Alina, whose face was now a perfect shade of red and getting hotter by the minute closed her eyes slowly as if she could wish away her sister, and Evan and herself for that matter. "Hi, yes I'm Evan and I can only imagine what your sister has said about me, however I am here to redeem myself and hopefully make amends. These are for you Alina please accept them. With my apologies. I am sorry I was, uh..uhm a bit of a jerk. Some might say an arrogant jerk"? At that Alina broke out of her trance and smiled, a giggle escaping her mouth as she nodded her head and replied "I accept your beautiful flowers and are those chocolate covered strawberries, because if they are then I accept your apology too" she said with a slight bounce as she leaned over to accept the gifts.
Sitting there in her bed she giggled again as she envisioned his face when she said that. He smiled again and she noticed he had dimples. Was it possible for this man to be any more handsome. At that moment she moved into the house and welcomed him in. After greeting her siblings they had moved back onto the patio . The day was beautiful and although summer had ended a month ago it was still warm in Ash during the days but the night brought a wonderful coolness that bordered on a chill. They still had another month before that would change.
She brought out a pitcher of Chamomile Ice Tea and some wonderful biscuits she had been taught  to make as a girl. Evan commented that he had seen something like those in Italy.Earlier today she would have thought he was bragging about  his travels but not now. "Oh yeah, well these are called Biscochos, my fathers family is from Costa Rica and my grandmother taught me to make them when I was a kid. I love them. Almost as much as I love chocolate covered strawberries. How did you even guess"? Evan laughed and said " a little bird gave me a hint but the flowers were solely my idea. I got the impression that you are very familiar with herbs and wildflowers from your comments about Manzanilla tea so I asked the florist if they had something a little on the wilder side" as he motioned to the bouquet he had put in the vase.
Alina turned her head to the left and stared at the flowers that now sat on her desk. The fragrance filling her room with just enough scent to make her relax. The combination of lavender and freesia and baby's breath and the Daisy's was intoxicating to her. Again she recalled just how amazed she had felt that they sat and conversed for several hours about a million different things. His travels, her dancing, his scars from his crazy adventures her addiction to cats and wounded pets and then her writing and his photographs and finally their siblings. Without realizing it the sun has gone down and the patio lights came on. Suddenly they were surrounded by a thousand tiny lights that brightened the pergola above them.
The time came for him to leave as he said he was still a bit jet lagged and he had promised to submit some photos to his agency before the deadline in New York. She walked him to his car and thanked him again for the gifts. As he was about to reach for his car door to get in and leave he stopped and came back up the walk way to where she had just turned around and was walking up the front steps to her door. He called out her name and she quickly turned miscalculating her footing. Trying to regain her balance she began to topple forward awkwardly. In an instant Evan saw her slip off the step and he reached out to catch and her break her fall. Now she was in his arms her head sliding down his shoulder while his other arm was around her waist and upper arm. She couldn't help but smile and blush again remembering that moment. "Get a grip girl" she said to herself " that man must have them lined up at his beck and call". Well it was quite the moment. She  was so dumbstruck by his visit and the conversation and then later the fall that she just now noticed her face in the mirror was still smudged from Henry. As she looked down she noticed her streaked dress with Henry's paw prints still on them and dried mud all over. She couldn't believe she had spent hours with Adonis himself and she looked like a dumpster diver. Either he was blind, or he absolutely had no interest in her at all and was just a nice guy being nice to a crazy person like herself. Yep. That was it. She put her hand on her face and groaned. "Why me? why is it always me"?
Her cell phone pinged and she hesitated in picking it up as she didn't want to talk to Marina about what she was sure would be all about what happened today; relayed to her by Sophie of course. She loved Marina her best friend, but she just needed to take a bath and relax before answering the millions of questions that her ballet sister was sure to ask. She picked up her cell phone to text her that she  would call her back and noticed that she had a missed call and that it was from an unknown number. For a moment she panicked. It had been more than a year since he had called. He had promised he would not try to speak to her again. She still didn't want to see him. Not now not ever. He had taken so much from her and she hadn't forgotten it although she felt she could forgive him in time. She was partially to blame. She closed her eyes and was ready to delete the message when her phone pinged again but this time as the phone was still in her hand she saw the message on the screen appear "Looks like you're asleep already. Well thanks again for the wonderful tea I'll have to get your recipe.  I  know my Grand will love it. Sweet dreams. Evan".
She starred at the phone as she twirled around and fell back onto the bed with it clutched to her chest. She was sure to have sweet dreams tonight.