Isla Monroe is a spirited and passionate young woman with Italian roots and an eye for beauty in the world around her. Currently studying Arts, Isla finds joy in expressing herself through painting, sketching, and sculpture. With a heart full of creativity and a mind always brimming with ideas, she draws inspiration from her rich cultural heritage, the warmth of family traditions, and the timeless charm of Italy. Whether she's wandering through an art museum or capturing fleeting moments in her sketchbook, Isla is on a journey to turn her dreams into masterpieces.
Jace Blackwell is a determined and disciplined young man with a deep love for horses and the thrill of competitive riding. As a skilled equestrian, Jace has spent years mastering the art of show jumping and dressage, forming an unbreakable bond with the animals he rides. Alongside his passion for the equestrian world, he is currently pursuing a degree in Business, preparing to soon take over his father's successful company. With a balance of grace in the arena and sharp thinking in the classroom, Jace is forging a path that blends tradition, ambition, and responsibility.
When Isla met Jace, the world seemed to hush-
as if the stars leaned closer just to watch.
She, with paint-stained hands and dreams like wings,
He, with steady reins and the weight of things.
She saw colors in his quiet gaze,
and he found rhythm in her wild, bold ways.
Where she spoke in sketches and soft brushstrokes,
he answered in glances and unspoken hopes.
Her laughter danced where his silence had slept,
his touch steadied where her worries wept.
Like art and motion, heart and mind,
they fit in places most can't find.
Two souls from different worlds apart,
but fate had drawn them from the start-
a canvas met its perfect frame,
a rider found the wind to tame.
And love, like paint on skin or rain on stone,
made them feel both found and home.
Always willing to put herself last, Catalina Juárez has never rocked the boat. But that all changes when her father insists she marry a man she cannot stand to be near.
Hopping into a carriage for hire, she spends the last of her money on a ride to nowhere. Because this mysterious carriage has one rule: you go where it takes you.
Well, that was a waste of money, because she isn't even to the edge of town before she's unceremoniously dumped off at a train station. With no money to buy a ticket and no time to think of another plan, Catalina pushes through the crowd and onto the train.
Marcos Caballero has never met a problem he didn't want to solve. Traveling alone on a ticket meant for him and a woman who didn't want to be with him, he's taken in by the scared, doe-eyed look of the woman in the dining carriage.
She's ticketless and alone; he's lonely and has an excess ticket.
Stepping in to save her, he claims her as his wife, not really expecting her to play along past the point of danger. But she quickly steps into the role with ease, acting as if they've known each other their whole lives. Somehow, it seems like they might have.
But being on the run from troublesome and powerful fathers isn't without its struggles, and Catalina and Marcos are going to have to decide how much they are willing to risk to put love ahead of duty.
~ * ~ * ~
This is one of the five novellas I'll be writing for this year's ONC! You can find the rest (Hang it Up, Christmas at the Cabin, Love Lies & Red Eyes, and I Don't Want to be Queen) on my profile!
For this story, I selected prompt 9. "There's an urban legend that's been circulating for years about a taxicab that doesn't take you where you want to go, but where you need to go. One night, you stepped into this cab." Except make it pre-car-era.