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So when I see n, I do a double take Is it just a coincidence? I quickly discard the notion It’s not a co into this tern to the owner…and I findinto the most dramatic pair of blue eyes I’ve ever seen Blue is an inadequate word to describe the color, really, when they are given an entirely unique di in the, this individual’s contempt Not to mention, completely out of place in this frothy sea of tearful Hall overto take his picture, capture the contradiction he represents, but histo me A mouth, I realize dully, is a worthy cohtens froainst a pillar Tall Absurdly , but it’s such a la vow of silence afterward His h he wet his hand and swiped the thick wave back on the way out the door, rounding out his irreverence perfectly

"Uh, yeah Hello? Are you the contest winner?"

His Irish brogue is thick, punctuated by irritation I pull ether and nod "Yeah"

"About bloody tiraphs?"

He doesn’t wait for e claim I stare after him for a moment before a sympathetic look from an eavesdropper horrifies me intoatinto his cell phone in a clipped tone

"What do you mean there’s no custo the bridge of his nose "Have you unlocked the front door?" His head falls back as if i for patience "Yes, I reckon that would explain the line of people outside Go unlock it And if Faith hasn’t gotten her arse downstairs yet to wait tables, give her a bell"

Okay I’ to catch up now The Clay for the month A quick Yelp search on the way to the airport told round level, run by the family that owns the inn They must have sent one of the employees to pick me up Excellent choice, folks He’s clearly the war type As he launches another strained set of instructions into the phone, I can’t help but watch him out of the corner ofiven wide berth by ers thanks to the utterly untouchable quality of e clai What was that about? Why a hi to hide it It resembles my own, only he doesn’t seem to have any desire to restrain the emotion

And I’ in travel-hell for rime, my mouth dry from too many roasted peanuts that I decide to stay far away from him Whoever he is, ill not be friends or even the barest form of acquaintances I don’t want to be fascinated by hi why he’s so pissed off

I spottoward me and ready myself to retrieve it My hand curls under the stiff, leather handle and I pull, but the weight disappears He is behindit effortlessly in one hand He’s finished his phone call and glaring at ht

"Oh, an independent Aainst al"

His lips juht exist soone so quickly I know I iers hold up signs with your na fa a hand over his jaw, he considersand the hair darkening his chin makes him seeives ht have shed the gothed-out top layer I rocked until age seventeen, I kept the nose ring and black is still h half fked froolden-brown color, finally free of the black dye I used to torture it with on a monthly basis Did I just catch a spark of reluctant interest in his gaze?

Finished with his perusal, he asks, "Are you always this difficult?"