A Cup of Hot Cocoa

I watch as this true salt of the earth, cowboy gives me what appears to be his best cocky smile that he could mustard. His lips however do seem to have some kind of an effect on me. I watch him up and down as I try to figure him out.

"Do you like what you see?"

I'm suddenly slammed back to reality with a big bang and then I realize what I've just did.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

He lifts his hand to stop me from explaining myself. He looks down at the cocoa before him and his smile has now completely consumed me as dimples appeared on his cheeks.

"No need. I get that kind of a reaction a lot"

I then turn my full attention to him and lift my eyebrow in response to his remark.

"Oh?"

I'm very curious as to why this cowboy thinks that all women would bow at his feet when he enters a room.

"I mean…didn't you?"

I feel a blush creeping up on my cheeks and I realize I've overplayed my hand. I was the one that was just staring at him and sizing him up. Of course, I gave him the reaction he thinks every woman gives him. I look down at the clean counter in front of me and struggle to find the right words to respond.

I can feel him staring at me with his intense blue eyes and I know his cocky smile is still shining brightly on his face.

"Here you go, honey"

Thank god for Mr. Sinclair.

"Thank you, you're a lifesaver"

I don't look at the handsome stranger still staring in unbelief that I'm just ignoring his question. He then turns to Mr. Sinclair.

"Well, I'm off then. Thank you for a taste of home, Mr. Sinclair"

"Anytime, Austin"

Putting on his cowboy hat, he stands up from the counter and walks eerily slowly toward me. I can feel my heart rate picking up rapidly as his scent starts to fill my senses. It's a mixture of expensive cologne and that of a true man. I try and take controlled breathes as he gets closer.

"Mam…"

He tips his hat at me as he comes too close for my comfort and invades my personal space. I don't give him the satisfaction of looking at him. He walks out the door and the doorbell chimes as he leaves the room. I blow out a sigh of relief. I shake my head and tries to gather my thoughts. I look at Mr. Sinclair that's mischievously smiling while cleaning out his chocolate containers as if he knows something that I don't.

"Who was that?"

"Oh, that's Austin Pierce or otherwise known as the town's bad boy"

I snort at his words as it all makes sense now.

"Of course, he is"

You sit a little while longer and drink your cocoa while reminiscing about the past with Mr. Sinclair but then you remember the hell you still need to get back to. 

"It was really fun catching up with you, Mr. Sinclair, and thank you once again for this lovely hot cocoa"

"Honey, you know this was only a pleasure. Please come by again. How long are you here for?"

"If I had my way, only today but I'm afraid my parents wouldn't let that one fly. So I'll probably be here for a few days"

"Then, I have to see you tomorrow again?"

I smile at his words that brings me much joy. It's good to know that someone around here truly cares for me.

"I'll do that Mr. Sinclair, I'll do that"

We hug goodbye and then I get back to the ride to hell. I watch as the town pass me by and the sun has shown its head for the day. This town has a special place in my heart and every scene is a beautiful piece of art to me. The snow makes every corner of this town play out like a fairytale that's decorated with the theme of Christmas.

We leave the town behind us and the open fields greet us as we drive even further away. My parents don't like to mix with the common folk, as my dad always would say: "Not the kind of people you need to be seen with, peanut". I guess he didn't know that one of his daughters would then become one of the "common folk". I watch as the great estate of my parents starts to appear and lots of bad memories start to flood my thoughts.

We get closer to the door of the mansion and as if Sam can feel my tension. He stops in front of the door and then lowers the partition that separates us from each other and turns to me.

"Miss Knightley, they say, the anticipation of death is much worse than death itself"

I give him my million dollar fake smile and then open the door. I stand and just stare at the door not able to move my feet from taking the plunge into hell. Suddenly the door swings open and my mom bursts through the door, running down the stairs.

"My darling daughter, you have returned!"

She squeezes me into a hug with her. I'm a bit startled by her reaction as she's always been prim and proper as society would require her to be. I stand in shock and then slowly return the hug.

"Hello mother"

"Oh darling, don't be so dramatic, we're all family here, aren't we?"

Then it hits me.

"OH NO! No! No! Mother, what did you do?"

She staggers backward as if she's in total shock to my reaction.

"What on god's green earth has gotten into you, child?"

"Mother, what did you do?"

"How can you accuse your own mother of doing anything to her precious daughter?"

"Mother, you're not going to make me beg are you?"

Just then my dad walks out the door with a man. They clearly know each other even though this man is much younger than my dad. They laugh and then they lay eyes on me. My mom smiles brightly and then takes the young man's arm and hook it in with hers. She brings him straight toward me and then all the "fond" memories come back to me. All these years have gone by and my parents are still the same. Oh god, no!

"Darling, this is Raymond, he's the son of the Youngs, they stay not too far from our humble home. They've moved into the county not three years ago. He's promised to be a big deal around these parts, aren't you, Raymond?"

She's not even looking at me while she's rambling on about the good properties of this young handsome man as she states it. I know that all she's thinking about is all the monies that we could bring into the Knightley's name and legacy when we unite. 

"Well, now Mrs. Knightley. Don't you go and embarrass me before this beautiful daughter of yours, now"

When he smiles at her, I feel like I've always felt with every suiter my mother tried to set me up with, I feel like vomiting a little. He's clearly more into my mother than he is into me. To him, I'm just a pawn that will get his hands on the Knightley's never-ending riches.

"Now, now darling, don't be rude. Greet the young fellow…"