FULL NOVELXO Chapter CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
SITTING AT THE CORNELIA STREET CAFÉ, Lauren couldn’t believe that Michael hadn’t yet shown up. It appeared that, for whatever reason, he wasn’t coming. There was no point in waiting any longer. All her thoughts were unhappy; for all she knew, he was bones. He better be dead or has a damn good reason; otherwise, she would kill him.
A contented Yellow Warbler was singing, and she felt like telling it to shut up.
The worst part was the feeling of not being in control, as she was a bit of a control freak. She had tried to curb that side of her with Michael and had had moderate success. Each minute of uncertainty was like an extra arrow shot into her heart. It was time to go.
Disgusted, she blurred all the way back to her loft. Restless, she paced a little and attempted to read but couldn’t. She lay on her leather sofa, pissed one moment, worried the next. If Michael never showed up, she would, of course, think that the wizard killed him. Perhaps she would get a call from a mysterious voice to lure her to him, and they would both end up dead. One thing was for sure, bones or not, she would have to go and get him. Love could make some people jump off a cliff even though they knew there was a splat at the end.
The sheriff couldn’t relax, couldn’t think straight, and couldn’t guess what the hell to do next. She lay on her sofa with her arms crossed. Lauren closed her eyes and tried hard to sleep. Tired, and yet she couldn’t reach that blissful state of unconsciousness. A yawn made her eyes water. Her cell buzzed, and it was Michael. “Michael, where the hell are you!” She listened intently with fire in her eyes, half expecting that he had been kidnapped. “You’re downstairs? Are you okay? You’re not gonna be! Get the hell up here before I come down there and kill you!”
Within seconds there was a knock at the door, and Michael stood there with a large box of chocolates. He looked nervous. He stepped in, and she punched him, knocking him right back out the door. Picking himself up and then the box of chocolates, he held them out for her to take, simultaneously rubbing his jaw. “But I brought chocolates.”
Lauren was so happy to see him that it was difficult for her to remain angry. “Come here. And why didn’t you call when you found your phone?”
Michael kissed her to shut her up, hoping she wouldn’t hit him again. They hugged and then kissed passionately until they almost tripped and fell over. He smelled her neck, and she smelled like heaven.
“I got something for you. Here open it.” He gave her the box of chocolates, and she threw it on the coffee table. It landed with a thump. “Easy, you might break it.”
“Break chocolates?”
“Special chocolates.”
“I don’t want any stupid chocolates.”
Michael was anxious but tried not to show it. He hugged her again while whispering into her ear. “Please open the chocolates.”
“I cannot believe you had me so worried for nothing.”
“Open the damn chocolates. Please.”
Again they kissed and kissed. “Oh, Michael, you taste so good.”
“Better than pizza?”
“Much better.”
“I got something for you. Here open it.” Michael gave her the box of chocolates, and she threw it down on the coffee table, which landed with a thump. “Easy, you might break it.”
“Break chocolates?”
“They are unique chocolates.”
Lauren’s eyebrows tightened with curiosity. What was so special about a stupid box of chocolates? She shook them, and they sounded like ordinary chocolates. Smelling the box, she could detect the chocolates inside. She pretended that she was going to put them away. “I’ll open them later.”
“Lauren, please.”
“Something special inside, huh?”
“Oh, my GOD. What is wrong with you? I know you want to open it. I can see it in your face. Curiosity is eating you up from the inside out, yet you must play this game. Open it, or I’ll throw it out the window.”
“Go ahead, throw it out the window.”
“Are you going to open them or not?”
“I’d rather make out. Wouldn’t you rather make out?”
“After you open it.”
Lauren took her fingernail and sunk it into the plastic wrap, taking her time to open it. The wrap was thrown into the garbage. “There, it’s open. Is Michael happy now?”
“Keep going.”
Lauren again shook the box and watched his face. “Every time I shake the box, you act as if I can break it. What on earth could be inside a box of chocolates that I could break?”
Michael let himself fall onto the sofa. “I can be broken; I can tell you that.”
“Ok, ok.” Lauren opened the box of chocolates, and thousands of Monarch butterflies flew out, so many they filled the room. The expression on her face was priceless. She realized her mouth was open and closed it, lest a butterfly gets in. After a few seconds, they gathered on the white wall, one after the other, as they apparently waited their turn to take their places. It was a fascinating process to watch. They formed the letter L and then an A.
“Wow.” Although Michael knew what they would do, he was impressed nonetheless.
The sheriff was mesmerized as she watched the words form; she could smell the scent of flowers in the air. It was a superb spell, the butterflies weren’t genuine, but they sure looked real. Michael had purchased it at a small booth called Special Spells. In just over a minute, they had formed the words Lauren, will you marry me? She turned to Michael and gasped. “Oh, Michael, yes.”
The vampire showed her the engagement ring under one of the chocolates. It was admired as she put it on. Not long ago, the answer would have been no, but with the recent event, she now felt she didn’t know how long she had, especially as she was a red sheriff.
He picked her up and twirled her around.