G H O S T R U N N E R

<T W O>

Thank you.

It’s wobbly and reminds him to the writing skills of a kindergartener but legible all the same. He smiles at her before gives her a nod and wink.

“You welcome, Sugar Pie.”

She blushes and dips her head.

“What’s your name?” he asks after a minute.

She pushes the notepad toward him. He feels a grin pull at his lips as he reads her clumsily scrawl.

“Arden.” He reads aloud repeating it over and over in his head, “I like it.”

He’s rewarded with another blush from Arden. He takes the time to take her in now that he has her name. Sandy blonde hair, thicker then sheep’s wool and crazy with curls. Her skin is nicely tanned and her eyelashes are long fanning out against the ridges of her low set cheekbones.

One shaky hand pushes the notepad towards him again.

I like your name too.

He chuckles and winks at her, “We aim to please, mam.”

Biting her lip she begins writing again.

Who was the woman? Is she your wife?

“No!” Sam howls in laughter, “God no. May’s my aunt.”

She blushes again.

Do you live here?

“Nope. Got me an apartment in town.”

He doesn’t miss the disappointment in her eyes. He clears his throat trying to fight the bad feeling that gives him in his gut.

“Where do you live?” He asks.

Away.

“But where? Don’t you have family that’ll be worried about where you are?”

She doesn’t write just shakes her head looking out the front window at the tree line of the Jefferson Forest reserve. It’s privately owned and is known for its wolf population. Shit, you have call ahead to even visit that place it’s that exclusive but Sam’s never felt the urge to visit there. If he’s honest the place always gave him the willies even though he lived by it a good chunk of his life.

“So no family?”

She shakes her head.

“No home?”

She hesitates but shakes her head.

“No boyfriend?”

Where the hell had that come from, he thinks to himself in confusion.

She gives him a small smile but shakes her head.

“So you expect me to believe you came out of nowhere to pass out naked in my aunt’s lawn?” He asks a bit harsher then he meant to.

She bows her head and winces a bit before writing out a response.

I’m sorry.

“Well.” He sighs sitting back in his chair, “I can’t very well kick you out of here if you got no place to go. Besides, I think May would have my manly bits in a mason jar if I were ever caught being so rude.”

She’s frowning at him and he pushes her plate at her, “Eat.”

Obediently she does and he notes in satisfaction that she doesn’t wince as badly as she did before. Staring at the collar on the table he can feel a headache coming on from all this puzzle solving. Now, he’s got to get May to take in this strange girl and find a way to make her not so skittish.

Oh and make sure he’s not over here every minute of everyday.

Peeking over at Arden as she digs into her last bit of sandwich he feels a smile pull at his lips. Shit, this is going to hard.

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Getting to know you Getting to know all about you.....lol. Okay, maybe not but I think we're getting somewhere. Its a bit boring but shit, Arden's had trauma she needs to warm up a bit to him. Next chapter we'll see her loosen up a bit :}

The song "First Day Of My Life" by Bright Eyes makes me smile and want to cry everytime. I think its perfect song for them though.

The lady herself, Arden-----------}

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