Regret Me Not
Page 28
“You cocky, arrogant….”
Feisty little thing. I liked that. I gave her a sly sideways smile. “I’m not complaining, Liz. I mean it worked. We're here right?” I raised my eyebrows hoping she'd realize I was playing.
“My name is Elizabeth. For the record, coming here was your idea, and I need to get going.” She stood.
I reached for her hand, curious if she'd let me touch her again. I didn't make contact this time. She snatched her hand out of my reach before I could.
“Just to clarify,” she spoke, her eyes alight, “I didn’t see you and I didn’t want to go anywhere with you.”
She was full of spirit and fire. A fire that burned bright through her brown eyes. She couldn't leave like this. Not yet. Not until she agreed to see me again. I stood quickly blocking her path.
“I’m sorry. I’m acting like a jerk,” I said placing my hands gently on her shoulders.
I thought I felt her shudder at my touch but I couldn’t be sure. Either way I knew she wanted to pull away but didn’t.
“Jerk doesn’t even begin to . . .”
“I guess it’s because I’m covered in yolk.”
“It was funny the first time. Now, not so much.”
I inched up closer to her, half a step maybe. Close enough to cause her to look up at me.
“Elizabeth.” I saw her soften at the mention of her name. “Could we start over?”
She stared silently into my eyes. I couldn't tell which way she was going to go. She looked torn, confused. I wished I had a clue how to get her to teeter over to the side where she'd say yes. I just had to be convincing. I could do that.
“Go out with me tomorrow.”
I watched her swallow hard and give it a moment’s consideration.
“I don’t live around here. I’m just visiting.”
“Really?” An excuse. Luckily enough she used an easy one to counter. I crossed one arm across my chest while stroking my chin with the other, “Where do you live?”
“New Jersey.”
“What a coincidence. So do I.”
“Oh?” She didn't expect that.
“Where in Jersey?”
“Edison,” she answered.
I chuckled and bent my head down a little closer to hers as I whispered. “We were destined to meet,” I brushed her cheek gently with my index finger, bringing color to it. “I live in Metuchen. Right in the center of Edison."
I waited for her to toss out another excuse. I hoped whatever she'd throw at me would be as easy to counter as the first one.
"C'mon, let me apologize properly for my inexcusable behavior and rotten mood."
"Okay, fine. But if there's even a trace of this arrogant attitude, I'm out of there."
"Deal.”
Danielle Sibarium
Danielle grew up as an only child of divorced parents in Brooklyn, New York. Her imagination was developed at an early age. Surrounded by stuffed animals and imaginary friends, she transported herself into a fantasy world full of magic and wonder. Books were the gateway between her play world and reality.
Danielle always loved dialogue and in elementary school began writing plays and short stories. This is when she began to understand she could not only bring her fantastical world to life for herself, but she could enchant others as well. And so she wrote. She wrote and wrote and wrote.
The first piece she ever sent out for publication of any sort was a letter to the editor of The Home News Tribune. It was a piece thanking the first responders for their bravery and selflessness on Sept 11th. It was chosen as letter of the week.
In 2007 Danielle collaborated with Charlotte Doreen Small to write songs for her CD More. Danielle wrote the lyrics for Take My Hand, and Goodbye, while Charlotte contributed the melody.
In October 2011 Danielle’s debut novel For Always was released. She has since released The Heart Waves Series, To My Hero: A Blog of Our Journey Together, and Into You.
Danielle graduated from Farleigh Dickinson University with honors, and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and three children.
You can visit her website at: http://www.daniellesibarium.com/
Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/DanielleSibarium?ref_type=bookmark
Or Twitter @sibarium