Page 2 of Sweet Dreams

I smiled, sliding the bag off my shoulder as I came to stand behind the single chair in front of Grandpa’s desk. With a chuckle, he gestured at it. “Sit, please.”

I dropped into it, immediately pulling my dossier and resume out of my bag and setting it on top of the smallest paperwork pile in front of me. “Are you ready?”

Grandpa Lennon leaned back in his chair, “As I’ll ever be.”

“My name is Lulu Yale, I recently moved back to Salus Glen and will be seeking the position as head journalist at your newspaper. As you can see, I’ve spent the past three years working at well-known papers in both Seattle and Portland. You can see my references and job details here.”

I poked the top sheet of paper towards him, my gold-painted nails sparkling in the midday sun that sliced across his desk from the window. “And, of course, I have excellent local recommendations as well.”

“With whom?”

I wrinkled my nose, then resettled my thin, dark frames on the edge. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but my grandmother is kind of a big deal.”

At that Grandpa Lennon beamed, his eyes narrow as he considered the paper I’d pushed to him and then my face.

I sighed, settling back in the chair a little.

“Do you feel better?” Grandpa Lennon asked me.

I folded my legs across one another. “Actually, yes.”

“Good,” Grandpa said with a nod, “Can we celebrate now?”

“That depends. Did I get the job?”

His eyes are warm, “You got the job.”

Joy ricocheted across my chest, and I gave up this game and stood with a whoop. “Yes! You will not regret this.”

Rolling his eyes, he stood. “Can we go eat now?”

“I’d love to, boss,” I chirped, looping my arm through his as we squeezed down the narrow hall to where Bruce was waiting. We piled out into the tree lined street that made up part of Salus Glen’s downtown after another minute.

“Since you are the newly hired employee, that means you buy,” Bruce informed me as I ducked around a low-hanging branch.

“Of course, it is only right,” I said, smiling as we stepped out into the street, crossing towards the cluster of shops and restaurants that were waiting for hungry patrons. Just as the sun slipped over my neck, I ducked, reaching down and making sure my heels didn't get caught on the cement roadway. Someone’s arm gently brushed mine.

“Oh, sorry!” I said immediately, turning to look behind me at whomever it had been.

“Sorry,” a deep male’s voice said. I stared at him, a handsome bronze skinned man who was ducking his chin away from my gaze.

But there was something, a flash of color, or maybe a reflection of the light. Because I swore, just for a moment, that his sharp features were covered in a deep red color.

My head tilted and I watched as his eyes, so dark they were nearly black, met mine for another second, before he hurried off the other way.

“Are you alright, Lulu?”

I blinked, shaking my head, “Of course.” Because humans didn’t come in that color.

Giggling at my own insanity, I followed Bruce and Grandpa Lennon into the diner. And even as I ordered my usual, a tuna melt with a strawberry milkshake, I couldn’t stop staring across the street, wondering who the newcomer to Salus Glen might have been.

And why I wanted to see him again.

***

Zaldi

“Keep walking. Just keep walking, you idiot,” I cursed myself out loud, my legs, which felt as if they weighed 1000 lbs. each, still resisted the command from my brain. They wanted to turn. To go back towards the stunning woman that we’d just passed.