Not A Small-Town Girl

Just then, Sarah knocked softly on the door. "Miss Audrey Darling, Mr. Charrington is here. Miss Danielle Darling hasn’t gotten up yet, and Mr. and Mrs. are still asleep. Would you like to go downstairs and greet Mr. Charrington?" Sarah asked.

She was a little confused. After all, wasn’t it Danielle who was supposed to greet him?

As soon as Audrey heard that, her face lit up. She quickly made her way to the vanity to freshen up her makeup, making sure every detail was perfect before heading out.

David had arrived early because he couldn’t wait to see Danielle. He knew she wouldn’t be awake yet, but just being near her-even if she wasn’t up yet- made him feel closer to her.

Audrey rushed downstairs, and when she walked into the living room, she saw the man she had been thinking about sitting on the sofa. His perfectly tailored suit and his cool, aloof aura made him look almost too good to be true.

"David, you’re here early! Danielle usually sleeps in. How about I make you some coffee while we wait for her?" Audrey said softly, flashing him a sweet smile.

"No need," David responded curtly.

"Okay... then what would you like to eat? I can have the kitchen whip something up for you," Audrey offered, her voice warm.

"No, whatever Danielle has, I’ll have. I’m just waiting for her," David said, his tone firm.

Audrey blinked in surprise at his reply but quickly masked her shock, shifting to a more patient tone. "Well, since Danielle won’t be up for a while, how about a stroll in the garden? There are a lot of new plants, and we could pick some for your grandparents.

"Grandma will be out of the hospital soon, and I’m sure she’d love to see the flowers..."

"I don’t like walking," David interrupted, his voice a bit sharper now. "The garden’s so peaceful in the morning, and if there are any pretty flowers, we could bring them to Danielle," Audrey said, her voice hopeful.

"Can I just have a little peace?" David’s patience was wearing thin. His tone made it clear he wasn’t in the mood for Audrey’s company.

Audrey’s eyes filled with tears, and she spoke in a soft, almost hurt voice. "I’ll leave you alone then, David."

But just as she turned to walk away, her high heels caught on the floor, and she lost her balance, stumbling right into him.

David didn’t have time to react. The next thing he knew, Audrey had fallen on top of him, sending them both crashing onto the sofa.

A cold wave seemed to ripple through David as he quickly shoved Audrey off and stood up, stepping back to put some distance between them. "Have some respect. Don’t lean on me like that."

Audrey lingered in the air around him, still