Blackout E-Book

Angel Rupert

• Herausgeber: Bentockiz
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Since my hair had a natural wave to it, I didn’t even bother with a curling iron. I stood staring into the mirror, mesmerized by the possibilities, until the doorbell rang and I jumped. Taking a few very deep breaths, I consciously kept my feet from taking off like a sprinter.

Leseprobe

Title Page

Blackout

Passion and Promises

Angel Rupert

Blackout / 4th of series: Passion and Promises / By Angel Rupert

Published 2023 by Bentockiz

e-book Imprint: Calkden Norsh

e-book Registration: Stockholm, Sweden

e-book ISBN: 9789198848731

e-book editing: Athens, Greece

Cover Images created via AI art generators

Table of Contents

Title Page

Introduction

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Introduction

Through books we come into contact with everything important that has happened in the past, analyzing also current events and putting our thoughts together to predict the future. The book is a window to the world, acquiring valuable knowledge and sparking our vivid imagination. It is a means of entertainment and is generally seen as a best friend, or as a slave that carries together all valuable information for us. The book is a friend who stays together without demands, a friend you call upon at every moment and abandon when you want.

It accompanies us in the hours of boredom and loneliness, while at the same time it entertains us. In general, a book does not ask anything from us, while it waits patiently on a dusty shelf to give us its information, to get us out of dead ends and to travel us to magical worlds.

This may be the travel mission of our books. Abstract narration, weird or unconscious thoughts difficult to be understood, but always genuine and full of life experiences, these are stories of life that can’t be overlooked easily.

This may be the start of something amazing!

Chapter One

By the time we arrived downstairs, we realized that nobody would be getting wet. Lightning streaked across the sky and the thunder rumbled so loudly it shook the whole building. As we stood there staring out at the deluge, the evil twins, as Derek called them, stumbled through the glass doors with Ben right behind them; both girls soaked to the skin, their clothing plastered to them. Ben’s expensive suit looked worse for the wear. I feared it was ruined.

“...stupid woman,” the dyed redhead hissed as she shook out her dripping hair.

I couldn’t remember the evil twins’ names, which I found a bit funny as it hadn’t been that long ago since we’d met—it only felt like forever ago—but I was good with using their nickname.

“She could have at least let us have ours since we were next in line,” the fake blonde complained.

“Lightning did strike quite close and it could have injured someone,” Ben reminded them as he folded up his bent umbrella. “I’m thankful that your building is so close to the kiosk. Oh, Shannon,” he said noticing me for the first time and moving over to join us. “It is good to see you again.”

“Nice to see you, too, Ben,” I said with a genuine smile.

I appreciated his sensitivity towards Margo and Estelle concerning the dangerous storm. Perhaps he wasn’t as bad as I’d first thought. He was no Ian, but then again, who was...?

“Unfortunately, the kiosk is closed,” he informed me as he took my free hand in his, “but it was well worth it to see you again.”

At that, the evil twins snorted their disgust and turned away, stalking off to the public elevators.

“Ian and Shannon are dating,” Derek blurted out.

“Oh, well,” Ben said dropping my hand and turning to Ian, “congratulations on snagging the most beautiful fish in the sea, my good man.”

“Um...thanks...” Ian said trying desperately not to laugh.

“The rain seems to be letting up,” Ben continued. “Perhaps I should make a dash for it.”

“Perhaps so,” Eric agreed.

“See ya, Ben. Don’t be a stranger, now,” Derek called after him before turning to me. “I’m sorry, Shannon, but I couldn’t let that jerk get away with thinking he still stood a chance with you when Ian was standing right there.”

“Thank you, Derek,” I said reaching over and giving him a peck on the cheek. “Don’t ever expect another one.”

“Wow...” he said holding his hand over the spot I’d kissed, “I’ll never wash this cheek again.”

“You never do anyway,” Eric scoffed, “so that’s no earth-shattering announcement.”

“Hey, I shower in the mornings...on days that start with an ‘M’...in months that start with an ‘M’...”

“That was sweet of you,” Ian murmured taking my elbow. “Shall we make a dash for it?”

“The coffee...?”

“The sky seems to be lightening up and I think the kiosk is opening again.”

“I can go with you?”

“It’s still raining, but if you really want to...”

“Of course I do.”

“Then let’s do this,” Ian said with a grin as he popped open the umbrella.

Even though we were fairly well soaked by the time we made it back up to the office, we neither one seemed to mind. In fact, we couldn’t stop smiling. Once the lightning disappeared, the rain was kind of refreshing and I felt a bit like a kid playing in a water puddle.

“I’m afraid your shoes are soaked,” Ian said. “Good thing they weren’t your Jimmys.”

“That’s for sure,” I agreed.

“Before I take the coffees in, I wanted to ask if I could drive you home after work.”

“Actually, I need to run an errand so I was planning to get home quickly and take my Miata back out again.”

“I don’t mind spending extra time with you,” Ian assured me with a grin. “Where are we going?”

“I need to buy some fabric for Thelma’s outfit. Would that be okay?”

“Sure...do you know where the nearest fabric store is?”

“No...sorry...I could call Mrs. Dooley and ask...?”

“That’s not a problem. I will spend some time in Edward’s favorite domain—at least lately it is—and do an internet search. You’ll have some options by the time we leave.”

“That’s so nice of you. I really appreciate that!”

“My pleasure...see you at five.”

“Looking forward to it.”

~**~

“Thank you for taking me to the fabric store,” I said as I unlocked the apartment door.

“No problem. I could stay for a while, if you like.”

“Oh...well...not tonight. I have to work on the pattern for Thelma’s outfit.”

“I don’t mind...”

“No...really...I can’t. Thanks for everything. You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”

“Can I pick you up in the morning?”

“Tomorrow isn’t good. Maybe another day...?”

“Sure...whatever you want. See you at work.”

With that, he was gone and I felt...bereft. I’d wanted him to stay so much, but I knew I couldn’t allow it. I had to get Thelma’s pattern cut out and there was no way I would be able to concentrate with him around. Every second we were together was so intense I couldn’t think about anything else.

Simply buying the fabric had been difficult enough because he had insisted on coming in with me and my brain shut down and refused to function. I ended up purchasing more fabric than I needed because I was afraid I wouldn’t buy enough. For once, measurements were just a jumble of meaningless numbers.

That was how much Ian affected me.

And then, as much as I wanted to let him drive me to work in the morning, I knew he needed his sleep and I had to get there early to speak with Thelma and do another measurement before Mrs. Dooley got too deeply into the sewing. I so wanted Thelma’s outfit to be perfect for her. She was one of the nicest people I’d ever met and she deserved it.

I had a few hours to work alone, and I needed to make the most of it. Earlier in the day, after Edward returned to the office thirty minutes later than he’d estimated, he had gleefully informed me that Mrs. Dooley would be at his house cooking for him that evening. I’d simply shaken my head at him in resignation, trying hard to keep a straight face.

I could tell he saw right through me...as usual.

“I have the patterns all cut out and pinned onto the material, Mrs. Dooley,” I said as soon as she returned home from Edward’s house later that evening. “They’re ready to go, but I’d like to go in early tomorrow and take a few actual measurements before you cut out the ruffled trousers.”

“That’s a good idea. This is a lot different than anything we’ve done before and there’s not a lot of room for error.”

“Do you think you could start the top tomorrow?”

“I should be able to finish it tomorrow. You’ve designed a fairly simple pattern.”

“Great! Just hold off on the trousers until I let you know if we need to make adjustments.”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

“I’ll try to call before lunch, and, speaking of meals...how was lunch...and supper...?”

“Edward told you?”

“Not exactly the lunch part, but it wasn’t hard to guess when he left thirty minutes early and said he was taking a two hour lunch, which of course turned into two and a half hours. So...tell me everything.”

“What did Edward say?”

“He came back at two with a huge grin, informed me that you were fixing supper for him at his house, and I’m fairly certain whistling was involved.”

“I enjoyed the day, also.”

“So things are coming along...?”

“I like him a lot.”

“He obviously likes you a lot.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Why should I mind?”

“If it doesn’t work out between us, you still have to work with him.”

“That might bother me if Edward were the petty type, but he’s not so I’m not worried about it.”

“He’s very sweet.”

“And funny...and considerate...and quite the gentleman, I assume.”

“He is all of that.”

“Then why do you seem...well...not as happy as I expected?”

“I’m feeling more than a bit guilty.”

“Because of your...er...Adam...?”

“I honestly never thought I’d remarry, but suddenly it seems like a very real possibility and I have mixed emotions about it.”

“Do you think Adam would object? If he could, that is...”

“Actually, I truly believe Adam’s main concern would be my happiness.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“When I married Adam, I made commitments to him and even though he died, in my head as well as my heart, those commitments are still there. It just somehow seems like I’m cheating on him by being with Edward.”

“I think I understand that...or am beginning to understand it a bit. I feel like Ian and I are becoming a part of each other...like together I finally feel like I’m a real person...like I’m somebody...and I’m not explaining this very well at all.”

“In Biblical terms, you’re becoming one.”

“That’s it! That’s what I was trying to say. It’s like I’m not just me anymore...we’re us.”

“Yes, and that’s why it’s such a hard separation for me. I’m no longer an ‘us’ but I still feel like I am at times even though Adam has been gone for almost a decade.”

“I’ll bet that Edward is feeling the same way. Have the two of you talked about it?”

“Not yet. I felt it was a bit presumptuous on my part to assume he was beginning to feel the same way about me that I am about him. After all, we just met.”

“Ian and I just met, but somehow it seems so right.”

“I know what you mean.”